Metro Ferry

The proliferation of water lilies in the Intramuros-Binondo segment of the Pasig River.

In 1990, Filipino shipping conglomerate Magsaysay Lines began operating Metro Ferry as an alternative mode of transport along the Pasig River to alleviate the traffic problem in Manila.^[3] The Metro Ferry operated a route from Guadalupe in then-municipality of Makati down to Escolta Street in Manila, spanning a total length of 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) using river-side sheds as stations and piers constructed by the Philippine Ports Authority. The service, however, lasted only for a year, closing in 1991.^[2] Its short-lived operation was beset by problems such as the proliferation of informal settlers along the route, water lilies, garbage and other debris clogging the waters. Aside from the foul odors permeating the environs, these problems also prevented the boats from traveling at normal speeds.

StarCraft Ferry

In 1995, the StarCraft Ferry Corporation submitted proposals to provide passenger services on the river. A year earlier, however, Uniwide Sales-owned Marilag Transport Systems also submitted a proposal for ferry services not only along the Pasig River but also to and from the province of Cavite and the Baclaran area in Parañaque using foreign-made boats. The company hoped to use its Pasig River ferry services to provide transport services between its shopping centers but eventually dropped its proposal after the Philippine government prohibited the use of foreign-made boats, rendering the project unattractive.^[2]

In response to concerns about competing ferry operations along the river, President Fidel V. Ramos formed an inter-agency committee composed of national government agencies and local government units to prepare guidelines for ferryboat service on the Pasig River and plan future interconnections with ferry services in Laguna de Bay.^[2]

Eventually, StarCraft Ferry was awarded the project, with operations beginning in October 1997. The company operated a 16.2 kilometers (10.1 mi) route spanning the seven stations of Escolta, Lawton, PUP, and Punta in Manila, Hulo in Mandaluyong, Guadalupe in Makati, and Bambang in Pasig. The total trip duration from end to end took an average duration of 45 to 50 minutes, with an average headway of 30 minutes during off-peak hours and 15 to 20 minutes during peak hours at operating speeds of 18 kilometers per hour (11 mph) to 27 kilometers per hour (17 mph). The service operated with an average load factor of 80 percent and had fares ranging from ₱10 to ₱30 pesos (equivalent to ₱27 to ₱81 pesos today)^[4][2]

The company had a fleet of 30 locally constructed Manta boats (the same type used by the current Pasig River Ferry Service). Each boat carries a seating capacity of 32 passengers. By 1999, however, only 19 such boats were still in operations as many of StarCraft boats were damaged by chipped debris or had clogged propellers.^[2]

Ridership of the StarCraft Ferry at the time was recorded at 900 to 1,200 passengers per day, with the most common trips being recorded between its Guadalupe station in Makati and the Escolta or Lawton stations in Manila.^[2] Additionally, StarCraft Ferry also operated a ferry service between Escolta in Manila and Los Baños, Laguna from 1998 onwards until its license was revoked by the Laguna Lake Development Authority due to insufficient paperwork.^[2] StarCraft's ferry services in the Pasig River lasted for almost three years until it closed in 1999, facing the same problems with foul odor and debris along the river that hampered its operating speeds.

Current iteration

Initial reopening

Passengers in one of the boats of the ferry service in 2008

A catamaran boat used on the Pasig River Ferry Service in 2009

The current ferry service, the Pasig River Ferry Service, was inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 14, 2007, that initially covered 15 stations, namely Escolta, Plaza Mexico, Quezon Bridge, PUP, Lambingan, and Santa Ana in Manila, Valenzuela and Guadalupe in Makati, Hulo in Mandaluyong, San Joaquin and Caniogan in Pasig, Riverbanks, Santa Elena, and Marcos Bridge in Marikina, and Napindan in Taguig. The service launched with an initial fleet of three catamaran boats operated by a private operator.^[5]

Unlike the previous Pasig River ferry services, the Pasig River Ferry Service planned to use air-conditioned boats with faster travel speeds and onboard amenities such as payphones, a security system, and a ticketing system with single journey and storage value RFID ticketing.^[5]

The Pasig River Ferry Service, however, operated at a loss, with the Pasig River Ferry Service ceasing operations in 2011. A Commission on Audit report in 2011 revealing that the operating expenses of the service amounted to ₱101.4 million against a revenue of ₱7.33 million. This resulted in the service being highly dependent on government subsidies. In response to the report, the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission stated that ferry revenue declined due to a dwindling number of passengers and frequent cancellation of regular trips in order to accommodate river tours.^[6]

Current service

Water bus-style boats used by the MMDA for the Pasig River Ferry Service in 2017.

M/R E. Tolentino, one of the ferry boats of the Pasig River Ferry Service

In 2014, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) proposed a revival of the Pasig River Ferry Service to alleviate the traffic situation in Metro Manila in light of several infrastructure projects being constructed simultaneously. Ferry services were officially relaunched with four privately owned ferries and a MMDA vessel on April 28, 2014, with the service being operated by the MMDA in conjunction with the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.^[7]

Rehabilitation and current developments

In 2018, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) pitched the Pasig River Ferry Convergence Program, a plan to develop an additional 17 stations in the next four years to serve up to 76,800 passengers daily and to bid out a contract to operate the Pasig River Ferry Service to a private firm. The MMDA had also committed to build three more stations at Circuit Makati and Quinta Market, and Kalawaan in Pasig. The DBM also bared plans to put up stations near bridges across the river, use air-conditioned vessels with a seating capacity of 50 passengers each, to operate under all weather conditions, and a planned headway of 15 minutes.^[8]

The rehabilitated Pasig River Ferry Service was relaunched on December 9, 2019. Both Pasig mayor Vico Sotto and Manila mayor Isko Moreno have both committed to donate at least two boats to the ferry service.^[9] On March 4, 2020, Mayor Sotto led the turnover of two 57-seater vessels, the M/B Mutya ng Pasig 1 (lit. 'Jewel of Pasig') and M/B Mutya ng Pasig 2 to the ferry service.^[10] A 50-seater ferry, M/B Vicente, was also donated to the MMDA by real estate company New San Jose Builders in a turnover ceremony on March 5, 2021.^[11]

Stations

As of July 10, 2022, there are 13 operational ferry stations.^[17] Prior to the MMDA takeover, the Eastwood station in Quezon City and Riverbanks station in Marikina were operational. Though plans were laid out to eventually restore services there, these are currently not operational.^[18] The MMDA plans to repair and reopen the Riverbanks station once the Marikina River is confirmed to be navigable for ferry services, and has plans to construct an additional station in the vicinity of the Department of Budget and Management central office and Isla de Convalecencia in San Miguel, Manila, and Intramuros, Manila.^[19][20]

In September 2018, the Plaza Mexico station was demolished to give way to the construction of the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge. In its place, the MMDA is planning to reconstruct the station along Maestranza Street.^[19][20]

List of stations

Image	Name[21]	Distance (km)		Transfers	Location
		Between stations	Total
	Plaza Mexico	—	—	none	Manila
	Escolta†	—	—	Manila LRT Carriedo
	Quezon Bridge Lawton	—	—	Manila LRT Central Terminal Bus Routes  5   6   7   14   17   23   24   25   27   34   38   40   42   48   49   53   54  Manila City Hall P2P Bus Routes Manila Multimodal Terminal (Lawton)
	Quinta	—	—	Manila LRT Carriedo Bus routes  2   3  Hidalgo Street  13   19   20   21  Avenida  42  Doroteo Jose  5   6   7   14   17   34   38   40   49   52   53   54  Quiapo
	PUP	—	—	Manila LRT Pureza Philippine National Railways Santa Mesa Bus Routes  2   3  Pureza
	Santa Ana	—	—	Bangkaan Santa Ana
	Lambingan	—	—	none
	Circuit Makati (proposed)	—	—	Manila MRT 5 Circuit	Makati
	Valenzuela	—	—	none
	Hulo	—	—	none	Mandaluyong
	Guadalupe	—	—	Manila MRT 3 Guadalupe 5 Guadalupe EDSA Carousel  1  Guadalupe	Makati
	San Joaquin	—	—	none	Pasig
	Bambang (defunct)	—	—	none
	Kalawaan	—	—	none
	Pinagbuhatan Napindan	—	—	none
Marikina River branch
	Caniogan (defunct)	—	—	none	Pasig
	Maybunga	—	—	none
	Eastwood (defunct)[note 1]	—	—	Bus Routes  16   18   36   39   41   50   56   61  Eastwood	Quezon City
	Marcos Bridge (defunct)	—	—	none	Marikina
	Riverbanks	—	—	Bus Routes  36  Riverbanks Center
	Santa Elena (defunct)	—	—	none
Stations and ferry systems in italics are either under construction, proposed, or closed.

Active fleet

The Pasig River Ferry System has a fleet composed of more than 11 boats of varying passenger capacity.^[22]

4 vessels used and operated by the MMDA are notably named after past MMDA chairpersons.

Former fleet

The system formerly used twin-hulled, double-engine catamaran-type ships with a maximum seating capacity of 150 people. These ships were air-conditioned, had restrooms, equipped with radio, sound systems, a public address system, and utilized fixed plastic chairs. These boats were constructed by the Nautical Transport Services, Inc, and were approved by the Maritime Industry Authority on December 10, 2006.

The 2014 iteration of the Pasig River Ferry System operated 14 Manta boats manufactured by the Cebu-based Stordal Marine Corporation. Each boat can carry 15 passengers each.^[31]