Pasig River Ferry Service
Encyclopedia
The Pasig River Ferry Service, was the only water-based transportation that cruised the Pasig River
from Barangay
Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City
to Intramuros
, Manila
. The system is owned and operated by a private company, SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated. Although commonly referred to as a ferry
, it was more akin to a water bus.
As of February 2011, the service is suspended indefinitely.
-type boats (the same type used by the current Pasig River Ferry Service) with a seating capacity
of 30 people with air-conditioning and unlike Magsaysay Lines, the route stretched from Bambang in Pasig City down to Escolta in Manila (a total of 16.2 kilometers). However, like the Magsaysay Lines, Starcraft Ferry only lasted for a year and it closed in 1997. Like the Magsaysay Lines, the problems encountered during the operation were informal settlers, water lilies (since it prevents the boats from traveling at normal speeds), foul odor and garbage disposed on the river.
The latest ferry service was inaugurated by President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
on February 14, 2007 with five stations operating which includes Escolta, PUP, Sta. Ana, Hulo and Guadalupe. After a year, the entire system grew from 5 stations to 14 stations with more stations still to be constructed.
Unlike the previous Pasig River ferry services, this ferry service used only 10 boats. However, to compensate for it, each boat could have as many as 150 people and had air conditioning, music, high definition televisions and comfort rooms on board. Also, unlike the two previous ferry services, this service had full stations with amenities such as comfort room, ticketing system, waiting seats and security guards. Also, it was the longest serving ferry in the river, both in terms of length of the route (28 kilometers and 2 lines) and the length of service (although the company did somewhat considered closing the ferry in June, 2008 due to low number of passengers). It was also the only ferry service that serviced the Marikina River
from Riverbanks Center in Marikina City
although the line was not yet operational.
This ferry service was not without problems. In the early days of the service up to June, 2008, the low passenger turnout nearly caused NTSI (Nautical Transport Services, Incorporated) to go bankrupt and it even considered closing the ferry. However, the continuing surge in the oil prices in the Philippines forced commuters to use alternative modes of transportation, including the ferry. From July 2008, the number of passengers increased 15% every week and almost all boats were full. This and other related events made the NTSI consider purchasing more boats to increase capacity as opposed to closing the line.
Although there were still pollution-related problems, odor and garbage problems were not as bad as they were during the Magsaysay Lines and Starcraft Ferry days) through the efforts of the government, but the persistent problem of the water lilies blocking the pathway of the boats and their infestation on the stations on the river remained.
This service was also used by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
to highlight the importance of the environment to the people of Manila. Lectures were conducted to stakeholders from various companies and schools (at least four times a month) and to the regular passengers of the ferry (at least thrice a week).
, Manila
to Nagpayong station in Pasig City
. The second line was the Marikina River
Line which served the Guadalupe station in Makati City
up to Santa Elena station in Marikina City
.
The Marikina River Line was to begin operation with the opening of the Riverbanks Station near the recently-opened SM City Marikina
in Marikina City. The Marikina River Line as of 23 February, 2009 was still closed and was still undergoing vehicular planning.
Through its entire operation, the ferry service changed their trip schedules several times. Each boat has a 30-minute, 1-hour, 2-hour and 3-hour trip intervals depending on the time of the day. Rush hours tend to have shorter boat intervals while off-peak hours tend to have longer boat intervals. This was done to maximize the efficiency of each boats and to reduce over-consumption of fuel.
As of 23 February, 2009, there are 17 operational ferry stations:
-type boats with a maximum seating capacity
of 150 people. The boats are air-conditioned, equipped with radio
, sound systems, a public address system and utilize fixed plastic chairs. There are rest rooms. These boats were constructed by the Nautical Transport Services, Incorporated and approved by the Maritime Industry Authority
on December 10, 2006.
The ticketing system in some stations employ the paper tickets. However, some stations, especially the first 5 stations (Escolta, PUP Station, Santa Ana, Hulo and Guadalupe) employ the bar-coded tickets which are scanned by a bar-code reader in the turnstile
.
Pasig River
The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it is lined by Metro Manila on each side...
from Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City
Pasig City
The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region...
to Intramuros
Intramuros
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. The system is owned and operated by a private company, SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated. Although commonly referred to as a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, it was more akin to a water bus.
As of February 2011, the service is suspended indefinitely.
History
Pollution in the Pasig River contributed to the decline in ferry transport in the river in the 1960s. The present Pasig River Ferry Service superseded the two short-lived ferry projects in the entire Pasig River in the 1990s.Magsaysay Lines
The Magsaysay Lines started operation during the year 1990 and had stations from Guadalupe in then-town of Makati down to Escolta in Manila (a total of 15 kilometers) and the service used sheds as stations. However the service lasted only for a year and it closed on 1991. The problems encountered during the operation were informal settlers, water lilies (since it prevents the boats from traveling at normal speeds), foul odor and garbage disposed on the river.Starcraft Ferry
In 1996 another ferry service was launched, the Starcraft Ferry, this service's fleet was the ancestor of the current Pasig River Ferry Service fleet since this service had 30 units of catamaranCatamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
-type boats (the same type used by the current Pasig River Ferry Service) with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 30 people with air-conditioning and unlike Magsaysay Lines, the route stretched from Bambang in Pasig City down to Escolta in Manila (a total of 16.2 kilometers). However, like the Magsaysay Lines, Starcraft Ferry only lasted for a year and it closed in 1997. Like the Magsaysay Lines, the problems encountered during the operation were informal settlers, water lilies (since it prevents the boats from traveling at normal speeds), foul odor and garbage disposed on the river.
Latest Ferry Service
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
on February 14, 2007 with five stations operating which includes Escolta, PUP, Sta. Ana, Hulo and Guadalupe. After a year, the entire system grew from 5 stations to 14 stations with more stations still to be constructed.
Unlike the previous Pasig River ferry services, this ferry service used only 10 boats. However, to compensate for it, each boat could have as many as 150 people and had air conditioning, music, high definition televisions and comfort rooms on board. Also, unlike the two previous ferry services, this service had full stations with amenities such as comfort room, ticketing system, waiting seats and security guards. Also, it was the longest serving ferry in the river, both in terms of length of the route (28 kilometers and 2 lines) and the length of service (although the company did somewhat considered closing the ferry in June, 2008 due to low number of passengers). It was also the only ferry service that serviced the Marikina River
Marikina River
The San Mateo - Marikina River is a main river system in Eastern Metro Manila, Philippines. A river stretching from Rodriguez, Rizal, to Pasig City that connects to Pasig River as major tributary near Napindan Area in Pasig City.San Mateo - Marikina River used to be an important transport route...
from Riverbanks Center in Marikina City
Marikina City
Marikina, officially the City of Marikina, known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, was former capital of the province of Manila during the declaration of Philippine Independence and one of the sixteen cities within the Manila Metropolitan Area. Marikina is part of Eastern Manila District of...
although the line was not yet operational.
This ferry service was not without problems. In the early days of the service up to June, 2008, the low passenger turnout nearly caused NTSI (Nautical Transport Services, Incorporated) to go bankrupt and it even considered closing the ferry. However, the continuing surge in the oil prices in the Philippines forced commuters to use alternative modes of transportation, including the ferry. From July 2008, the number of passengers increased 15% every week and almost all boats were full. This and other related events made the NTSI consider purchasing more boats to increase capacity as opposed to closing the line.
Although there were still pollution-related problems, odor and garbage problems were not as bad as they were during the Magsaysay Lines and Starcraft Ferry days) through the efforts of the government, but the persistent problem of the water lilies blocking the pathway of the boats and their infestation on the stations on the river remained.
This service was also used by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission is a state commission in charged of the rehabilitation of Pasig River. The body was created on January of 1999 through Executive Order 54 to strengthen the government's program to rehabilitate the river for transportation, recreation and tourism purposes...
to highlight the importance of the environment to the people of Manila. Lectures were conducted to stakeholders from various companies and schools (at least four times a month) and to the regular passengers of the ferry (at least thrice a week).
The Ferry Network
The entire ferry network had 17 stations operational and 2 lines. The first line was the Pasig River Line which stretched from Plaza Mexico in IntramurosIntramuros
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
to Nagpayong station in Pasig City
Pasig City
The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region...
. The second line was the Marikina River
Marikina River
The San Mateo - Marikina River is a main river system in Eastern Metro Manila, Philippines. A river stretching from Rodriguez, Rizal, to Pasig City that connects to Pasig River as major tributary near Napindan Area in Pasig City.San Mateo - Marikina River used to be an important transport route...
Line which served the Guadalupe station in Makati City
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
up to Santa Elena station in Marikina City
Marikina City
Marikina, officially the City of Marikina, known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, was former capital of the province of Manila during the declaration of Philippine Independence and one of the sixteen cities within the Manila Metropolitan Area. Marikina is part of Eastern Manila District of...
.
The Marikina River Line was to begin operation with the opening of the Riverbanks Station near the recently-opened SM City Marikina
SM City Marikina
SM City Marikina is a shopping mall owned and managed by SM Prime Holdings, and is located in Calumpang, Marikina, Philippines. SM Supermalls is owned by Henry Sy, Sr.. SM City Marikina is the first shopping mall that has a wi-fi connection. The mall was designed by dsgn associates, a firm based in...
in Marikina City. The Marikina River Line as of 23 February, 2009 was still closed and was still undergoing vehicular planning.
Through its entire operation, the ferry service changed their trip schedules several times. Each boat has a 30-minute, 1-hour, 2-hour and 3-hour trip intervals depending on the time of the day. Rush hours tend to have shorter boat intervals while off-peak hours tend to have longer boat intervals. This was done to maximize the efficiency of each boats and to reduce over-consumption of fuel.
As of 23 February, 2009, there are 17 operational ferry stations:
| # | Station | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plaza Mexico | Intramuros Intramuros Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 2 | Escolta | Binondo, Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 3 | Lawton | Lawton, Ermita Ermita, Manila Ermita is a district of Manila, Philippines located halfway between Intramuros and Malate.-History:Ermita was founded in the late 16th century... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 4 | Quiapo | Quiapo Quiapo, Manila Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 5 | PUP (Polytechnic University of the Philippines Polytechnic University of the Philippines The Polytechnic University of the Philippines commonly known as PUP is a public research university in the Philippines. It was founded on October 19, 1904 as the Manila Business School, offering commerce-related courses... ) |
Santa Mesa Santa Mesa, Manila Santa Mesa is one of the 16 geographical districts of the city of Manila, which is primarily a residential, commercial and educational center. Santa Mesa is bounded by several districts and cities... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 6 | Santa Ana | Santa Ana Santa Ana, Manila Santa Ana is a district of the City of Manila in the Philippines, located at the southeast banks of the Pasig River, bounded on the northeast by Mandaluyong City, Makati City to the east, southwest is the Manila district of Paco, and to the west, Pandacan.... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 7 | Lambingan | Punta, Santa Ana Santa Ana, Manila Santa Ana is a district of the City of Manila in the Philippines, located at the southeast banks of the Pasig River, bounded on the northeast by Mandaluyong City, Makati City to the east, southwest is the Manila district of Paco, and to the west, Pandacan.... , Manila Manila Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... |
| 8 | Valenzuela | Barangay Valenzuela, Makati City Makati City The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia... |
| 9 | Hulo | Barangay Hulo, Mandaluyong City Mandaluyong City The City of Mandaluyong is one of the cities and municipalities that comprise Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the west by the country's capital, Manila, to the north by San Juan City, to the east by Quezon City and Pasig City, and by Makati City to the south... |
| 10 | Guadalupe | Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City Makati City The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia... |
| 11 | Pineda | Barangay Pineda, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 12 | San Joaquin | Barangay San Joaquin, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 13 | Bambang | Barangay Bambang, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 14 | Kalawaan | Barangay Kalawaan Sur, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 15 | Pinagbuhatan - Acasia | Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 16 | Maybunga | Barangay Maybunga, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
| 17 | Nagpayong | Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City Pasig City The City of Pasig is one of the city municipalities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of this grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region... |
Boats
The system uses twin-hulled, double-engined, catamaranCatamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
-type boats with a maximum seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 150 people. The boats are air-conditioned, equipped with radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, sound systems, a public address system and utilize fixed plastic chairs. There are rest rooms. These boats were constructed by the Nautical Transport Services, Incorporated and approved by the Maritime Industry Authority
Maritime Industry Authority (Philippines)
The Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority , abbreviated as MARINA, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation and Communications responsible for integrating the development, promotion and regulation of the maritime industry in the Philippines.-History:The...
on December 10, 2006.
Specifications
- Transit type: Water Bus
- Structure type: Twin hulled (Catamarans)
- Length: 23 meters long
- Width: 7 meters long
- Molded depth: 1.8 meters, draft 1.1 meter
- Deck dimension: Passenger area 104 sq.meters
- Outer deck: 22 sq.meters
- FRF Main Engine: 2 Cummins QSM-11, 355 horsepower each
- Marine gears and shafting (model&ratio): ZF 325 1A, 2.037 to 1 ratio, 2 -inch 316ss shaft.
- Propeller dimension: 4 blade 30- inch propellers
- Design Speed: 19 knots
- Operational Speed: 10-12 knots
- Fuel consumption: less than 30 liters for both engine per hour. (Operational speed)
- Seating capacity: 150 passenger
- Crew: 4
- Tank Capacity: 2 x 1500 liters of fuel
- Water: 2 x 1000 liters of water
- Safety Feature: Equipped with 160 life jacket, Radio, Public Address System, Life rafts
- Builder: SCC Nautical Transport Service Inc.
- Boat Designer: Robert Cole
- Cost: Php 15 Million (US$ 325,847.18)
- Amenities: Air conditioned room, Music and High-Definition TV on board, Bar, and Separate comfort room
Stations
The stations are air-conditioned and provide rest or comfort rooms. Every station employs cashiers that sell tickets to passengers.The ticketing system in some stations employ the paper tickets. However, some stations, especially the first 5 stations (Escolta, PUP Station, Santa Ana, Hulo and Guadalupe) employ the bar-coded tickets which are scanned by a bar-code reader in the turnstile
Turnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
.
Fares
There are four prices of tickets: a P25, P35, P45 and a P60 ticket. The Pasig River Ferry Service also provides discounts to student passengers. A P20 ticket is available for students regardless of distance traveled.See also
- Water taxiWater taxiA water taxi or water bus, also known as a commuter boat, is a watercraft used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar...
- Pasig RiverPasig RiverThe Pasig River is a river in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it is lined by Metro Manila on each side...
- Marikina RiverMarikina RiverThe San Mateo - Marikina River is a main river system in Eastern Metro Manila, Philippines. A river stretching from Rodriguez, Rizal, to Pasig City that connects to Pasig River as major tributary near Napindan Area in Pasig City.San Mateo - Marikina River used to be an important transport route...
- Maritime Industry AuthorityMaritime Industry Authority (Philippines)The Philippines' Maritime Industry Authority , abbreviated as MARINA, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation and Communications responsible for integrating the development, promotion and regulation of the maritime industry in the Philippines.-History:The...
- Pasig River Rehabilitation CommissionPasig River Rehabilitation CommissionThe Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission is a state commission in charged of the rehabilitation of Pasig River. The body was created on January of 1999 through Executive Order 54 to strengthen the government's program to rehabilitate the river for transportation, recreation and tourism purposes...
- Department of Transportation and Communications (Philippines)Department of Transportation and Communications (Philippines)The Department of Transportation and Communications is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the maintenance and expansion of viable, efficient, and dependable transportation and communications systems as effective instruments for national recovery and economic...
- Metro Manila Development Authority