RIDERSHIP in the Pasig River Ferry System has picked up, a sign that more and more commuters traveling between Pasig City and Manila and vice versa have come to prefer this mode of transportation over buses, jeepneys or trains, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
During the agency’s weekly Sunday radio program, MMDA Pasig Ferry head Rod Tuazon said they were now averaging around 500 passengers a day compared with about 100 in 2015.
“I think the public is choosing the ferry over the bus or other modes of transport since it takes them [only] 45 minutes to reach Manila from Pasig,” Tuazon added, noting that travel time between the two points usually takes around two hours.
A check of the Guadalupe station’s records last year showed that more than 100 passengers rode in ferry boats every day, mostly between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
To accommodate the increasing number of passengers, Tuason said they were adding more boats to their existing fleet of 16. The new commuter boats are also made of fiberglass with a maximum capacity of 45 passengers.
The MMDA currently operates 12 ferry stations in Metro Manila, namely Pinagbuhatan, Maybunga and San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadalupe and Valenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong City; and PUP Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta and Plaza Mexico in Manila.
Fares range between P15 to P95 while operating hours are from Mondays to Saturdays, between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Tuazon, meanwhile, assured commuters of a convenient, comfortable and stench-free ride along the river due to the MMDA’s regular clearing operations.