A Negrense is calling for the preservation of the 90-year-old Talave bridge that connects San Carlos City and Calatrava in northern Negros Occidental.
The Talave steel bridge has connected San Carlos and Calatrava since it was built in 1933 by the United Sates Steel Products Company as stated in its marker, Andoni Llantada Valencia said.
He said because of the bridge, the economy of the two areas was boosted, as it hastened the mobility of Negrenses and cane trucks were able to go to sugar mills, thanks to the Americans.
San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said on Wednesday, July 19, that the old bridge will be replaced with a new one by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) because it is no longer safe for use and is in danger of collapsing.
The bridge is not on the list of historical heritage sites of San Carlos City and is not a potential tourist attraction so he is in favor of its replacement, Gustilo said.
However, the bridge parts can be preserved, and reassembled elsewhere in San Carlos as an attraction, the mayor said.
The Talave River cuts in between San Carlos City near Hacienda San Vicente of Ledesma Hermanos and on the other side going to Calatrava is Hacienda Refugio of Menchaca Integrated Agricultural Corporation formerly Menchaca Hermanos, Valencia said.
The bridge played a very significant role since 1933 and has stood the test of time during the outbreak of World War II and should be preserved, he added.
“We should not allow that the bridge will be another casualty of destruction because of ignorance and lack of historical appreciation from our current political leaders,” he said.
“This is to call on the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the local government units of San Carlos City and Calatrava to issue an order on the Department of Public Works and Highways, to stop its current operations that will eventually destroy the bridge to pave the way of the new bridge,” Valencia added.
There is no need to destroy the original and sturdy bridge. In fact, it can be converted to a tourist site of Negros because of its beauty and historical significance, he said.*