THE Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Thursday it has suspended the operation of its Pasig River Ferry system due to a carpet of water lilies that clogged the river from Pinagbuhatan in Pasig City to Lawton in Manila.
“Due to water lilies along the waterway, the operations of the Pasig River Ferry System is suspended effective 7:30 a.m. today [Thursday] until further notice,” the MMDA stated in its advisory.
The water lilies, that clogged the river during rainy season, came from Laguna Lake and it has long been a problem to the ferry river system since they get entangled in a ferry’s propeller, preventing the boats from traveling at normal speed.
Propellers have to be elevated so that tangled water lilies and even pieces of trash can be removed.
“Our present cleanup resources is not enough to totally regulate their [water lilies] proliferation,” said MMDA officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos, who earlier called for an interagency approach to curb the problem.
Orbos said an interagency approach, with the help of concerned government agencies and local government officials, would better address the problem. “This include Pasig River Rehabilitation Center, Laguna Lake Development Authority, as well as LGU affected, including Rizal and Laguna.”
Last week, ferries failed to pick up passengers from the Pinagbuhatan Station in Pasig City due to carpet of water lilies on the route.
The MMDA, meanwhile, is set to open two new ferry terminals to accommodate more passengers in the commercial district of Quezon City and eastern part of the metropolis.
The opening of the Rosario and Eastwood stations will be coincided with the launching of two new ferries set to arrive from Cebu.
The arrival of the new boats brings to 16 the total number of operational ferries.
Last year, the MMDA introduced two commuter boats —MB Inocentes and MB Tolentino—named after former MMDA chairman Oscar Inocentes and Francis Tolentino. The new fiberglass ferries are capable of carrying at least 35 passengers, including crew, and can travel up to 12 knots.
At present, the ferry system covers 12 other terminals in Pinagbuhatan, and San Joaquin in Pasig City; Guadalupe and Valenzuela in Makati City; Hulo in Mandaluyong City; PUP Sta. Mesa, Sta. Ana, Lambingan, Lawton, Escolta, and Plaza Mexico all in Manila.
The system operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Mondays to Sundays.
The MMDA revived the Pasig River system in 2014 as a means to decongest Metro Manila’s major roads affected by road construction projects of the government.
The program also aimed to boost Metro Manila’s tourism and can be used for disaster and rescue purposes as well.
Reports showed that the government stopped the Pasig River Ferry operations in 2011 following complaints from passengers about the long waiting time at the terminals and the river’s foul smell.
