By Marie Tonette Marticio STA. RITA, Samar - The lighting of the San Juanico Bridge is expected to benefit the province’s tourism industry. Last week, officials broke ground for the P80-million San Juanico Aesthetic Lighting Project, which is scheduled to be finished this December. COLORFUL LIGHTS -- The San Juanico Bridge aesthetic lighting project, as proposed by Samar’s provincial government. The project, which began Friday (July 26, 2019), is set to be completed in December. (PNA FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Rhoel Ladera, operator of Hero Travel Solutions that offers San Juanico Cruises, is confident the project will not only a boon to travel and tour operators, but also peoples' organizations in the area. "Tourism in Samar will be vibrant. Not only will people enjoy the sunset view in the San Juanico Strait, but they would also see a well-lit bridge from one of the islets, which brings a different experience because we only get to pass by the bridge and most of our tours are land based," Ladera said. He has tapped the San Juan by the Bay Service Cooperative, a 20-member organization which offers food and other water activities to those who sign up for the cruise. "We bring our guests in San Juan by the Bay where they serve the freshest catch, and to Isla de San Juanico for them to swim or camp," he shared. Mayor Joven Tiu also thanked former governor and now Samar 2nd Dist. Rep. Sharee Ann Tan for proposing the lighting project to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). Tan, who considers the project her greatest accomplishment so far, said it is expected to promote the province's identity through tourism, as well as help peoples' organizations which are the heart of the Spark Samar, the province's tourism project. "Naghanap po kami ng project na mapapansin ang Samar, and we want to be identified as Samar, the mother province of Samar Island. We don't want to compete, but we only want to compliment other provinces in the region. We want the San Juanico Bridge to not only be the bridge of love, but also the bridge of prosperity," she said. She also believes that the project will help them address insurgency in the province by providing livelihood for rebels who surrender. "This will also help the peace and order situation in insurgency affected areas because right now, people who earn from tourism no longer want to join the New People's Army (NPA)," Tan said.