Pasig River ferry system to be revived in a P2-billion plan – Makati Solon

PASIG RIVER REDUX. P2 billion, from the proposed P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2019, is already allocated to revive the Pasig River ferry system, said Makati City Rep. Luis N. Campos, Jr. in a statement on Tuesday.

Campos, who has been pushing for the redevelopment of the ferry system, mentioned that, “the new funding will be spent to build 17 new stations along the 25-kilometer river,” which will be on top of the 12 original stations in the currently defunct ferry system. Stations will be built in the cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, Taguig, Pasig, and Marikina.

The old system was put out of commission due to delayed departures and arrivals, after the insistence of the previous operators to deploy bigger 150-seater boats that took longer to be filled. As a replacement, the Metro Manila Development Authority has since been operating an improvised system in the river, which has a limited capacity.

The new plan involves 24 air-conditioned boats, which, at a maximum capacity of 50 people each, are smaller than the original vessels, said Campos. They will move through more stations in faster 15-minute intervals, and are expected to transfer around 76,000 commuters daily.

Campos mentioned that the so called Pasig River Ferry Convergence program is “assured of continuous funding” because the 10-agency program is being led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). He said that they “expect the government itself to run the new ferry service, should private firms be unwilling to come in.”

Aside from the revival of the ferry system, the lawmaker said that P328 million has also been allotted for the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) to assist in their projects of rehabilitating parts of the river to its previously pristine conditions.

The target areas, which are conducive to transport, tourism, and recreation, include parts of the river in the cities of Manila (Estero de la Reina), Pasig (East Bank Road, Manggahan Floodway in Brgy. Sta Lucia), San Juan (Ermitaño Creek), and the municipality of Pateros (Taguig-Pateros River in Brgy. San Pedro).

“The PRRC is getting P150 million for the Pasig River Esplanade-Lighting of Bridges Project, plus P178 million to revitalize the river’s esteros and creeks,” mentioned Campos.

via Business Mirror