Pasig River ferry service starts Monday

MANILA, Philippines - The Pasig River ferry service will begin operating on Monday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced yesterday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said seven private ferry operators have expressed interest in the Pasig River service but only four firms will be selected by the Metropolitan Manila Council (MMC), which is composed of the mayors of Metro Manila and is the MMDA’s policy-making arm.

“They are ready and have passed the process of the MMDA, the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Pasig River Commission (PRC),” he said.

The MMDA said the plan to operate the ferry service will be ironed out by today.

According to Tolentino, the fare for the river ferry will be between P25 and P50. The eight ferries will initially use five of the 11 terminals built by the PRC along the Pasig River: Pinagbuhatan (Pasig City), Guadalupe (Makati City), Sta. Mesa-PUP, Escolta and Intramuros-Plaza Mexico (Manila).

Each ferry, which will be operated by the private ferry operators, can seat between 25 and 30 passengers, the MMDA said.

Additional ferry terminals are also being eyed near Carlos Palanca street in Manila and at Lawton Avenue near the Bonifacio Global City, the MMDA said.

The MMDA said the ferry service will start at 5:30 am and end at 7:30 p.m.  Tolentino said the three MMDA tugboats converted into “bus ferries” will still be used as back-up ferries should they be needed.