“Ten tons max” reads the sign. It’s not just concrete and steel. San Juan-Santa Mesa Bridge is a silent witness to history. It connects San Juan and Manila. This bridge spans the San Juan River.
The San Juan River Bridge is also known as Pinaglabanan Bridge. Some call it San Juan del Monte Bridge. Others know it as Old Santa Mesa Bridge. Whatever name you use the bridge has a story to tell.
This 46.85-meter bridge links N Domingo Street in San Juan and Old Santa Mesa Street in Manila. This location was a battlefield. It saw action during the 1896 Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards. It was also a site in the 1899 Philippine-American War.
On January 29 1899 Colonel Luciano San Miguel met Colonel John M Stotsenburg here. San Miguel was a Filipino commander. Stotsenburg commanded the First Nebraska Volunteers. They discussed the boundaries of their forces right on this bridge.
Just days later on February 4 1899 an encounter occurred. Filipino and American forces clashed in Sampaloc Manila. A shooting sparked the Battle of Manila. This bridge played a role in those tense moments.
The National Historical Commission recognized the bridge’s significance. On February 5 2009 they installed a historical marker. It commemorates the bridge’s role in the start of the Battle of Manila.
After Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine Independence there was still unease. Filipinos felt the United States was taking over from Spain. American forces arrived between June and July 1898. Thousands of troops deployed around Manila.
On December 5 1898 the 1st Nebraska Infantry Regiment camped at Santa Mesa. Colonel John M Stotsenburg led them. They were surrounded by Philippine Revolutionary Army forces. Colonel Luciano San Miguel commanded the Filipinos. The Nebraskans built defenses and patrolled the area. They felt restless.
On the evening of February 4 1899 Private William W Grayson encountered Filipinos. He and Private Orville Miller were patrolling. Grayson and Miller shouted “Halt”. The Filipino men kept advancing. Grayson fired the first shots. A Filipino lieutenant and soldier died. This sparked an exchange of fire.
Private William W Grayson is said to have fired the war’s first shots nearby. The exact location is debated. Some say it was at the corner of Sociego Street and Tomas Arguelles Street.
The next day General Elwell Stephen Otis sent his troops to Santa Mesa. This ignited the Battle of Manila. The US Senate ratified the Treaty of Paris two days later. The war lasted until 1902. Over 4200 Americans and 20000 Filipino nationalists died.
In 2018 the bridge was demolished. This made way for the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Section 2B. The Skyway passes over the San Juan River. San Miguel Corporation reconstructed the bridge. It reopened on March 11 2020.
Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the new bridge has sidewalks. These cater to pedestrians crossing the San Juan River. The San Juan-Santa Mesa Bridge is more than just a crossing. It is a monument to a nation’s struggle for independence. It is a reminder of the complex relationship between the Philippines and the United States.