Commuting across Metro Manila is set for a significant transformation with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) receiving the green light to proceed with its ambitious Pasig River Intermodal Transportation Project.
This new ferry system, envisioned to be convenient, reliable, and safer, is projected to roll out by late 2026 or early 2027, promising to drastically cut travel times between the eastern and western parts of the capital.
PPA General Manager Jay Santiago confirmed that the agency is now aligned with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center on advancing the Pasig River ferry system. This move comes as the larger Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake (MAPALLA) ferry system feasibility study, being undertaken by the DOTr and PPP Center, is expected to take more time to complete. The PPA's project is effectively a carve-out of the Pasig River component, allowing for faster implementation.
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"I think the DOTr, PPP Center and PPA are now on the same page," Santiago told The STAR. "They will need to sort things out with respect to their ongoing feasibility study. In the meantime, we at PPA are sorting out the jurisdictional issues in Pasig River."
The PPA is committed to developing a comprehensive ferry system reminiscent of Venice's public water buses, known as Vaporetto. This includes deploying modern watercraft, developing new and upgrading existing stations, and undertaking crucial dredging of the Pasig River to ensure navigability. The PPA is prepared to allocate as much as P800 million per year to sustain the project's operations.
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The Pasig River Intermodal Transportation Project will feature ferries that operate along 18 terminals, stretching from Plaza Mexico in Manila City to Nagpayong in Pasig City. This service is expected to revolutionize travel, cutting the commute from areas like Escolta to Pinagbuhatan, Pasig, from the current three hours down to a mere 30 minutes.
Adding to commuter convenience, the PPA plans to deploy two types of ferries: a regular service that will ply the entire route from end to end, and water taxis that can be booked for specific, direct destinations. A key comfort feature will be the requirement for all ferries to be air-conditioned.
Crucially, the project is designed with intermodality in mind. At every ferry station, shuttle buses will be available to transport passengers to the closest land transit options. For instance, commuters disembarking at Plaza Mexico will be able to take a shuttle directly to Kalaw Avenue, where various public utility vehicles are accessible and a Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) station is nearby, ensuring seamless transfers.
With the PPA's accelerated timeline, Metro Manila's commuters can look forward to a new, efficient, and comfortable waterway transport alternative connecting the bustling east and west by late next year.
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