MMDA TO ADD MORE BOATS FOR PASIG RIVER FERRY SERVICE

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Saturday announced that it is set to acquire additional boats for the Pasig River ferry service fleet this year.

The MMDA, in a statement, said four new boats would be acquired this year, with plans to add more boats in 2025 to transport additional passengers and speed up travel time along the Pasig River.

The Pasig River ferry service currently operates 13 boats. It runs between Pasig and Manila, with 11 stations located in Pinagbuhatan, San Joaquin, and Maybunga in Pasig; Guadalupe and Valenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong City, and Lambingan, Sta. Ana, PUP Sta. Mesa, Lawton and Escolta in Manila.

The Pasig River ferry service operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

The agency also plans to construct new stations.

The plan was revealed during a recent meeting between MMDA and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) officials in Pasig led by MMDA Deputy Chairman Frisco San Juan Jr. and PCG Lt. Commander Michael John Encina, where they discussed the maintenance and development program for the ferry system.

At the meeting, the two agencies also discussed various assignments, including dredging in 12 ferry stations, dredging of the San Juan River and San Francisco River, repairs to broken pontoons, and the rehabilitation of the PUP station in Sta. Mesa.

Under the agreement signed in November 2023, the PCG is responsible for operating the boats and passenger safety while the MMDA handles administrative and clerical operations.