MMDA needs help to fix this other ‘traffic’ problem

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will discuss with two other government agencies within the week how to remove the “carpet” of water hyacinths in the Pasig River that has disrupted ferry operations for the past few days.

Julia Nebrija, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, said on Tuesday that the agency would talk to officials of the Laguna Lake Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways on how to get rid of the large swaths of water hyacinths that have covered huge portions of the waterway.

“We have to work on that so we can make our ferry services regular,” Nebrija added.

The Pasig River Ferry System was forced to stop operations for at least three days last week and once this week as navigating through the water hyacinths became dangerous as the plants could get entangled with the propeller and cause damage.

Nebrija said the MMDA was looking for ways to divert the water hyacinths somewhere upstream where these could be collected.

According to her, it was important for the MMDA to immediately address the problem since it was proposing to hold in August an art cruise along the Pasig River to better promote the ferry as an alternative transport mode. The ferry service currently caters to an average of 400 passengers daily.