The Pasig River and its tributaries meander from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay for some 25 kilometers, passing the towns and cities of San Juan, Quezon City, Taguig, Taytay, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Manila, very much a prominent, or at least ubiquitous, part of those communities.
It was a major transport route for goods and people during the Spanish colonial era, and as such was immortalized in Jose Rizal’s novel El Filibusterismo: “One morning in December the steamer Tabo was laboriously ascending the tortuous course of the Pasig, carrying a large crowd of passengers toward the province of Laguna.”
However, since the 19th century that was the novel’s setting, the Pasig has become, in many parts, polluted with debris and virtually impassable.
It’s good news, therefore, that officials from ten government agencies conducted an inspection of the river ferry system at Guadalupe, Makati, yesterday preparatory to pitching at the afternoon’s Cabinet meeting the establishment of the Pasig River Ferry Convergence Program.
The plan, according to program manager Julia Nebrija of the Department of Budget and Management, is to increase the total number of ferry stations to 29 by 2022. Seventeen stations will be built in Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati, Taguig, Pasig, and Marikina in addition to the current 12 in Intramuros to Guadalupe.
One ferry stop is likely to be built at the commercial/residential Rockwell area, given the volume of activity there. There will also be stations at Ayala Circuit Makati, Pasig City, and Quinta Market.
There will be 24 air-conditioned boats fetching passengers every 15 minutes, to carry some 76,000 commuters a day or 19.8 million a year.
The government also plans to construct 12 more bridges on the Pasig River.
The ferry system is currently operated by the Metro Manila Development Authority. DBM Secretary Ben Diokno says that they are looking to bid out operations to a private operator by mid-year.
He also said that they plan to establish the new ferry system by December this year to provide ease to travelers at the start of the hectic holiday season.
As far as plans go, this is one of the best the government has ever had. There have been sporadic attempts through the years to make the ferry viable as a business, but it has been operating in fits and starts despite it being a logical and obvious solution to the motor traffic problem.
I rode the ferry on several occasions many years ago, going from Guadalupe to Binondo. It was always a pleasant journey, back then best taken when not in a hurry, but perfect for whenever I craved fresh oriental lumpia, Savory chicken, and other goodies from the area. The river was a faster and easier route than driving from Makati to the heart of Manila.
Stations added along Laguna de Bay would also give access to the lakeside towns and open up new possibilities in tourism. Day trips and weekend visits to Laguna would be more feasible particularly for those without private vehicles, and lead to a boost in income for handicraft makers, restaurateurs, and hoteliers there.
I assume that the ferry system program will go hand in hand with environmental rehabilitation of the river. It is considered eighth among the top 20 polluting rivers in the world, according to a June 2017 study conducted by scientists of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation.
And as a pathway for all sizes of plastic debris, the Pasig River contributes to the plastic waste that flows into the world’s oceans, more than half of of which “comes from just five countries: China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka,” said hydrogeologist Dr. Christian Schmidt.
A recent Rappler news item says that Presidential partner Honeylet Avanceña allegedly wants the rehabilitation of the Pasig River discussed at this month’s Cabinet meeting. That’s another good sign for the river’s revival but I hope that this time around efforts will be more effective, thorough, and lasting than those in the past.
And when the revitalized ferry system is established, new novels and stories will be written about it and the travels and adventures that will certainly take place.
Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communication consultant. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO