View of the Manila Post Office from Jones Bridge
Jones Bridge is a bridge that spans the Pasig River, connecting the districts of Binondo on Rosario Street (Calle Rosario, now Quintin Paredes St.) with the center of Manila. The previous bridge that connected the two districts was the Puente Grande (Great Bridge), later called the Puente de España (Bridge of Spain) located one block upriver on Nueva Street (Calle Nueva, now E. T. Yuchengco St.), the span considered to be the oldest established in the Philippines.
Enchanting lights illuminate Jones Bridge to highlight the Pasig River, which divides Manila into North and South, or mainly into commercial/industrial centers, and government and cultural centers, respectively. More redevelopment projects are on-going along this historic river, which runs through several Metro Manila cities, exiting to Manila Bay.
History
Jones Bridge I
After the floods of the September 1914 damaged Puente de España, construction of a replacement bridge was started in 1916 by the American Colonial government, one block downriver from the original location. It was named as Jones Bridge after former Virginia Rep. William Atkinson Jones, who was the principal author of the Philippine Autonomy Act of 1916. The Neoclassical design by Juan M. Arellano was an ornate concrete arch bridge. The entrances to the bridge were bordered by pillars topped with statues. The bridge was destroyed by the bombs of World War II.
Jones Bridge II
After the war, the bridge was reconstructed by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads and then the Philippine Bureau of Public Works under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1945. Carrying the name of the bridge, the new span was a simple bridge with metal pole railings, bare in design. The design features from the old bridge that survived the war were moved to other locations in Manila. One of the statues that was previously set on top of one of the pillars at the entrance to the bridge was moved to Rizal Park.
Accommodations
- Bayview Park Hotel - Ermita, Manila
- Centara Hotel Manila - Malate, Manila
- Century Park Hotel - Malate, Manila
- Diamond Hotel Manila - Malate, Manila
- G Hotel Manila by Waterfront - Malate, Manila
- Hotel H20 Manila - Rizal Park, Manila
- Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila - Ermita, Manila
- Manila Hotel - Rizal Park, Manila
- Pan Pacific Manila - Malate, Manila
- Ramada Manila Central - Binondo, Manila
- The Bayleaf Intramuros - Intramuros, Manila
- Waterfront Manila Pavilion - Ermita, Manila
Getting around the Manila City
Manila is the major city in the Philippines. Tourists can go around Manila in many options. Buses, FXs, jeepneys, taxis, tricycles, and pedicabs are available as a mode of transportations in the city. The city is also serviced by the Manila Light Rail Transit System, popularly known as LRT, as distinct from the MRT in other parts of Metro Manila.
Calesas are still used in the streets of Binondo and Intramuros, but mostly for tourists. Which mode of for-hire used depends upon the distance to be traveled, the cost, and the width of the streets.
The Port of Manila, located in the vicinity of Manila Bay, is the chief seaport of the Philippines. The city is also served by the Pasig River Ferry Service which runs on the Pasig River.
The city is served by the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.