Good news to commuters! The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has revived ferry services for the Cavite-Manila route and reopened the Pasig River ferries as alternative and faster means of travel this holiday season – FOR FREE.
The welcome news are expected to significantly benefit the riding public who can now avoid road traffic jams and shorten their travel time this Christmas holiday season.
CAVITE-MANILA FERRY
Residents of Cavite can now reach Metro Manila faster by water travel as the DOTr, through the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and with the help of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) formally launched the Cavite – Manila Ferry Service on December 8, 2019.
The ferry service from the Cavite City Port Terminal goes to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay City, and to the Liwasang Bonifacio Terminal (Plaza Lawton) in Manila, and vice versa.
Two vessels have started operating on December 9, with two to three more to be added next month to serve the routes.
The Cavite to Manila ferry service started plying two routes:
- CCP-Cavite City route via MV Seaborne Mercury will take 15 minutes carrying 27 passengers and will provide free rides until January 9, 2020.
- Liwasang Bonifacio-Cavite City route via MV Island Sabtang will take 40-45 minutes carrying 57 passengers and will be free until January 31.
The Cavite – Manila Ferry Service is an offshoot of the “water jeepney” concept that was developed in Cebu, and was announced during the operational dry run of the Sangley Airport in Cavite.
At the launch, Cavite City Mayor Bernardo Paredes welcomed the revival of the old ferry route and the reduced travel time to Metro Manila from the current 2-3 hours on-road travel.
After January 31, fares on the Liwasang Bonifacio-Cavite route will cost ₱160 for regular passengers, ₱128 for students, ₱114 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and ₱80 for children aged four to 11-years-old, and free for children up to three-years-old.
The CCP-Cavite route after January 9 will charge regular passengers ₱200. Students will pay ₱160, senior citizens ₱143, and children aged four to 11-years-old are charged ₱125.
PASIG RIVER FERRY
The DOTr also relaunched the Pasig River ferry service on December 9.
The Metro Manila Development Authority provided 7 boats for the service, while the Pasig and Manila governments each donated 2 boats.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto joined Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and other officials to relaunch the Pasig River Ferry.
The river ride will be FREE until the end of January 2020. The ferry service is expected to benefit some 40,000 passengers, said the MMDA.
Passenger fares could still get lower as Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said negotiations are still on to possibly reduce fares on the ferries.
The Pasig River Ferry was offered earlier this year as a treat on International Women’s Month.
In January, the Manila-Bataan ferries increased trips to cover an all-day and all-night service.
SEND cheers to the commuting public and the agencies involved in the revival of the ferry services!
