mactan bridge named Serging Osmeña BridgeImage Source: wikimedia.org

Two bridges connect the Cebu province to Mactan Island. One of them is Marcelo Fernan Bridge while the other is often called “First Bridge”, or “Old Bridge”. However, the latter has an official name not many of us know.

As of 2018, there are two bridges that connect Cebu Island to Mactan Island. The most recent of the two is Marcelo Fernan Bridge which opened in August 1999. The reason why this bridge was built is to decongest the traffic from the “first bridge”, the older Mactan-Mandaue Bridge which was built during the early 70’s.

Many people call this bridge “Old Bridge” or “First Bridge” because for a long time it really didn’t have an official name. People also often call it the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge, even though technically the second bridge, Marcelo Fernan, is also a Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.

So in 2013, the 40th anniversary of the bridge, the Mactan Cebu Bridge Management Board officially gave it a name. The old bridge is officially called Serging Osmeña Bridge, in honor of the late Philippine president and Cebu governor Sergio “Serging” Osmeña.