New P20 billion passenger ferry system in the works

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will spend as much as P20 billion for its next brainchild project – a passenger ferry passing through Manila Bay, Pasig River and Laguna de Bay.

The DOTr is gaining headway in its initiative to put up the Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake (MAPALLA) Ferry System that will introduce another mode of transport in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said the DOTr would allocate up to P20 billion for the construction of ferry stations and procurement of electric-powered vessels.

“We are thinking of mobilizing P15 billion to P20 billion to put into a mega project. We are also thinking of an all-electric ferry fleet, with multiple stations,” he said.

Based on initial design, the DOTr will replicate the Chao Phraya River Ferry System in Thailand and the New York Ferry System in the US in building MAPALLA.

“This will not be a tourist ferry system. When you talk about ferries, there is the tourist and there is the commuter. This is going to be the commuter type,” Batan said.

He said MAPALLA can serve as one of the main modes of transport in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog, seeing potential in the project for daily use of workers.

“Some of the things that we can compare this with is the Chao Phraya River Ferry System in Bangkok and the New York Ferry System in New York, as those are the examples that we are looking to replicate,” Batan said.

As the project moves forward, the DOTr has started receiving proposals from the private sector to take part in the undertaking.

DOTr Assistant Secretary Leonel de Velez earlier said the agency plans to bid out the contract to develop MAPALLA in 2025.

Currently, the DOTr is working with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center in drawing up the feasibility study.

The agencies seek to identify in the study the projected ridership in the ferry system and the final cost of civil works.

In its entirety, MAPALLA will link the waterways of Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna, opening up an alternative transport in traversing the eastern and southern corridors of the metro.

The DOTr eyes to pursue MAPALLA through the PPP mode, meaning a private partner may be tapped in building, operating and maintaining it.