P30-P50 fare for Pasig ferry

Starting Friday, passengers of the Pasig River ferry service will be charged a P30 minimum fare and P50 for long distances.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino announced the fare rates on Thursday, the last day of the ride for free promo offered by the agency to attract riders.

“It’s P30 for short hops and P50 for long legs. The new fare matrix will be effective [on Friday],” Tolentino told reporters.

He said that the rates were based on how much it would cost a commuter to get to the ferry’s destinations by land. The fare matrix was approved by members of the tripartite committee tasked with reviving the Pasig River Ferry System composed of the MMDA, Department of Transportation and Communications and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.

The fares would be collected by Orient Craft, the ferry system’s private operator which would be fielding eight boats.

To keep track of the number of riders, a portion of the ferry tickets issued would go to the MMDA, the private operator and the passengers themselves, Tolentino added.

While the new fare matrix would take effect Friday, the MMDA would continue to offer free rides but only for passengers going to Divisoria to buy school supplies this coming Saturday and the next.

From Monday to Friday, the ferryboats will be taking passengers from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to five stations. These are Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City; Guadalupe in Makati City; Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in Sta. Mesa; Escolta and Plaza Mexico, all in Manila.

Passengers will be charged P50 each for a single journey from Pinagbuhatan to Guadalupe or vice versa; P50 for a trip from Guadalupe to PUP, Escolta or Plaza Mexico or vice versa; and P30 for trips from PUP to Escolta and Escolta to Plaza Mexico.