MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos inspects the donated ferry for the agency’s Pasig River Ferry Service/ Photo from MMDA Public Information Office
MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has received a donation of one ferry boat for the operations of its Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS).
The boat was given by the New San Jose Builders, Inc. (NSJBI), in a turnover ceremony held at the Guadalupe Ferry Station in Makati on Thursday, the MMDA said in a statement.
MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos thanked the NSJBI, headed by its Chairman Jose Acuzar, for the donation that he said was “expected to augment the shortage of ferry boats for our day-to-day operations.”
Abalos also said he planned to double the ferry boats, shorten the waiting time of one hour to 30 mins to encourage more passengers. He was also planning to add more routes to the ferry service that will link the Manila Bay, Pasig River, and Laguna Lake.
The ferry service is set to reopen three existing ferry stations in Maybunga in Pasig City, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and Lambingan in Manila said MMDA deputy chairman and PRFS head Frisco San Juan, Jr.
Construction is also underway for three new ferry stations in Quinta Market in Manila, Circuit Makati, and Kalawaan in Pasig City.