(Eagle News)–Senator Sonny Angara has proposed a revival of the Pasig River ferry service to ease the “terrible congestion” on Metro Manila roads, saying he was “open” to increasing the subsidy of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for this.
In a statement, Angara noted that next year’s proposed P74 million national government subsidy to the MMDA for running a ferry along parts of the river’s original 15-kilometer service route “is clearly not enough.”
“Yang 74 million pesos na proposed subsidy for 2020 , may nakapagsabi na limang kilometro lang ‘yan ng asphalt overlay sa isang lane ng EDSA,” Angara said.
He said to revive the service, a “master plan with yearly expansion, funding and performance targets” was required.
“We can pursue the modernization in annual installments,” he said.
In August 2016, the Department of Transportation said P2.65 billion was needed to purchase 20 new 100-passenger vessels, rehabilitate 10 passenger terminals, and conduct annual river dredging.
