FERRY RIDES IN PASIG RIVER FREE/ MALA SPEEDBOAT SA BILIS/MARCH 2021 UPDATE

PASIG RIVER FERRY BOAT RIDES FOR FREE/ MALA SPEEDBOAT SA BILIS/MARCH 2021 UPDATE/ duterte build build build program/ philippine news2021,
The Pasig River Ferry Service is the only water-based transportation in Metro Manila, Philippines that cruises the Pasig River from Pinagbuhatan in Pasig to Intramuros in the City of Manila. The system was owned and operated by a private company, SCC Nautical Transport Services Incorporated. Although commonly referred to as a ferry, it is more akin to a water bus.
In February 2011, the service was suspended, but was reopened on April 28, 2014 and is currently operated by the Metro Manila Development Authority.[1]
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 The present Pasig River Ferry Service superseded the two short-lived ferry projects in the entire Pasig River in the 1990s.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 1990 and had stations from Guadalupe in then-Municipality of Makati down to Escolta Street in Manila (a total of 15 kilometers), using river-side sheds as stations. The service however lasted only for a year and closed in 1991. 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 (preventing the boats from traveling at normal speeds), aside from the foul odor permeating the environs.
Starcraft Ferry
In 1996 another ferry service was launched, the Starcraft Ferry. This service's fleet is the ancestor of the current Pasig River Ferry Service fleet since this service had 30 units of catamaran-type boats (the same type used by the current Pasig River Ferry Service) with a seating capacity of 30 people with air-conditioning. Unlike Magsaysay Lines, it had a smaller boat aptly named the M/V Tamaraw or the River Taxi, as during this same year the Tamaraw FX service became very popular. It offered a seating of 12 people, also air-conditioned, and could be hired like a taxi service for travel along the river, just like a Tamaraw FX taxi. The route stretched from Bambang in Pasig down to Escolta in Manila (a total of 16.2 kilometers). However, like the Magsaysay Lines, Starcraft Ferry only lasted for almost three years and it closed in 1999. Like the Magsaysay Lines, the problems encountered during the operation were informal settlers, water lilies (which prevent the boats from traveling at normal speeds), foul odor and garbage disposed on the river.
The project proponent, Eduardo Manuel, is an environmental conservationist and a licensed SCUBA Diver, who also owns a diving school located at Santo Sepulcro in Paco, Manila. The Pasig River Ferry Transport 2000 project was an improvement of the earlier service provided by the Magsaysay Shipping Corporation. During the course of the operations of the Pasig River Transport 2000, its service offered a fresh solution to the worsening traffic problem of the metropolis, but sadly, the local government units involved in the project fell short in its cooperation with the project proponent, which made it difficult to effectively provide the solution to the traffic problem of the Cities in the Metro Manila areas. During this time there was another business entity who was also interested to offer the same service, the Maharlika Transport, backed by the Uniwide Group of Company (Uniwide Sales, at present they are now the Puregold chain of groceries/superstores) of the Gao family. The two companies had a media battle as the Gao Group submitted the same project to the Philippine Marina and the DOTC.
During that same time, the two companies had a media battle that worked to the advantage of the project as it stirred the interest of the public, and the local government unit involved with the project. Later that same year of 1996, the media battle was won by the PR Group of the Pasig River Ferry Transport 2000, headed by Komfie Manalo, an independent PR Practitioner, and was also the Marketing Manager of the Starcraft Ferry Corporation, the project was awarded to the Starcraft Ferry Corporation, the boat manufacturer and operator of the Pasig River Transport Service. After barely a year of operation, the company ceased its operation due to losses in income, as the local government units involved with the project was unable to deliver on their commitments to make the project work.
Manuel's group also entered into a partnership with R-II Builders to operate the Laguna Lake Ferry Transport Service with terminals in Los Banos, Laguna and Binangonan, Rizal. The Laguna Lake ferry operation proved to be more profitable than the Pasig River operations and held more promise if only more boats were deployed for that route. But the falling out between Manuel and R-II Builders saw the collapse of the project with Manuel taking over full operations of the Laguna Lake ferry service in late 1998 until its eventual closure in 1999.