Two new Pasig River Ferry terminals will open soon to cater to passengers in Manila and Marikina City.
Lawyer Emerson Carlos, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority, said his agency is set to inaugurate next month a new terminal situated in Marikina City River Bank.
“This will boost the ridership of our ferry system. Our main purpose is to help our people to have alternative mode of transportation and to ease traffic in Metro Manila,” Carlos told The Standard.
The other ferry terminal, which will be built and finance by the city government of Manila, is situated right beside the new Quinta Market in Quiapo where a fishport is also located.
“We are supporting this move of Mayor Erap [Joseph Estrada] because the ferry patronage will increase. Pabor na pabor ito kasi malapit ang lugar na yan sa ilog, and also the good thing is they will be the one to finance this project, not us,” said Carlos.
The new Quinta Maket with a fishport connected to the ferry terminal is envisioned by Estrada in line with the city government’s urban renewal program to generate more jobs and help poor residents of Manila.
“This is a good project, and I think Manileños would love it to have their own fishport because there is no need for them to go somewhere else,” said Carlos.
Manila City engineer Roberto Bernardo said the new Quinta Market is envisioned to spark the development of a new commercial hub in the capital city as the new market expands trading opportunities via the Pasig River.
“These planned Quinta fishport and ferry station will be complemented by a planned project of the government to improve and rehabilitate this river. It is a big advantage to our project because Pasig River is just near this market,” he said.
Benardo said the three-story establishment will be making full use of the Pasig River Ferry route to attract traders and consumers from Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
He added Mayor Estrada also wants the fishport near the market to service barges coming from various locations especially Navotas.
“The ferry station is an alternative if not even faster transportation means for commuters traveling to and from other places within the city and even nearby towns via the Pasig River,” said Bernardo.
The construction of the modern Quinta Market is expected to be completed April next year.
The MMDA revived the Pasig River system in April last year as a means to decongest Metro Manila’s major roads affected by road construction projects being implemented by the Aquino administration in the next two years.
At present, the Pasig River Ferry has at least 11 stations/terminals—Pinagbuhatan and San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadalupe and Valenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong City; and in PUP-Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta, and Plaza Mexico all in the city of Manila.
