Mabini Bridge, formerly and still referred as Nagtahan Bridge, is a road bridge crossing the Pasig River between Nagtahan Street in

Santa Mesa Santa Mesa is a district in Manila, Philippines. It is surrounded by Pasig River on the southwestern side, and by the San Juan River on its southern and eastern side. Land borders include the districts of San Miguel to the west and Sampaloc t ...

and Quirino Avenue in

Paco Paco is a Spanish nickname for Francisco. According to folk etymology, the nickname has its origins in Saint Francis of Assisi, who was the father of the Franciscan order; his name was written in Latin by the order as ''Pater Communitatis'' (fath ...

to the west and

Pandacan Pandacan is a district in Manila, Philippines which is known in recent history for its former Pandacan oil depot which supplies the majority of oil exports in the country. Profile In 2000, Pandacan had a total population of close to 82,194. T ...

to the east. It was constructed between January to February in 1945. It initially served as a

pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow- draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry ...

transporting U.S. Army jeeps and evacuate citizens caught in the crossfire during the Liberation of Manila.

History

There were plans for a new bridge to connect the

Mendiola Mendiola Street (simply known as "Mendiola") is a short thoroughfare in Manila, Philippines. The street is named after Enrique Mendiola, an educator, textbook author, and member of the first Board of Regents of the University of the Philippi ...

route to Malacañang Palace was made even before the emergence of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. However, the construction did not push through. The pontoon bridge stood for several decades after the World War II despite the construction materials used to build it. It was made out of inflated rubber rafts placed side by side - spanning until the opposite bank of the Pasig River. Two parallel perforated steel planks, each measuring about wide and apart were laid upon its surface. It was built by the

US Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

- enough to carry human traffic as well as light vehicles. On August 17, 1960, a barge collided against the wooden piles of the bridge. It caused major damages to the bridge, which caused flooding within the nearby residences. In 1963, a permanent bridge was constructed, named ''Nagtahan''. It connected Paco with

. However, the Mabini Shrine, the former residence of

Apolinario Mabini Apolinario Mabini y Maranan (, July 23, 1864 – May 13, 1903) was a Filipino revolutionary leader, educator, lawyer, and statesman who served first as a legal and constitutional adviser to the Revolutionary Government, and then as the first ...

, was situated on the north bank. The government, then, relocated the house at the

Polytechnic University of the Philippines , mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation'' , type = Public coeducational research higher education institution , established = October 19, 1904 , closed = , religious_affiliation = ...

in Santa Mesa. In lieu with the 103rd birth anniversary of Apolinario Mabini on July 22, 1967, President

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...

issued the Proclamation No. 234, s. 1967, renaming Nagtahan Bridge as the Mabini Bridge, in memory of Apolinario Mabini, the ''Sublime Paralytic''. In 2014, the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) recommended changes, of the existing road signs to read Mabini Bridge, to the

Department of Public Works and Highways The Department of Public Works and Highways ( fil, Kagawaran ng mga Pagawain at Lansangang Bayan}), abbreviated as DPWH, is the executive department of the Philippine government solely vested with the Mandate to “be the State's engineering ...

– as a fitting contribution to the Mabini Sesquicentennial.

Present condition

Of the 13 bridges that crosses Pasig River as of that time, only the Mabini Bridge didn't undergo major face-lifting procedures during 1998. Its huge brass profiles on the sides that illuminates at varying hues were the distinctive features of the Mabini Bridge.

Marker from the National Historical Commission

The marker of Mabini Bridge was installed on July 22, 1967 on the occasion of the 103rd Birthday Anniversary of Apolinario Mabini. It was located along Nagtahan Boulevard - connecting Santa Mesa, Manila and Paco, Manila.

References

{{Road infrastructure in Manila Bridges in Manila Cultural Properties of the Philippines in Metro Manila Buildings and structures in Paco, Manila Buildings and structures in Santa Mesa Bridges completed in 1945 Bridges completed in 1963

History

Present condition

Marker from the National Historical Commission

See also

References