Reviving the vibrance of Phl waterways

The ferry is a blessing to the commuters of Cavite, as well as Metro Manila, as operations started yesterday just in time for the holiday season

For a typical Caviteño, the trip to and from Manila takes two to four hours. That’s a lot of time wasted for any commuter — time that should have been spent with family and friends.

But now, you can forget all that because we offer you a solution: water jeepneys.

What if I told you the so-called water jeepneys can transport you from Cavite to Metro Manila in 40 to 45 minutes, and from Cavite to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay in just 15 minutes?

On Sunday, 8 December 2019, the people of Cavite received an early Christmas gift from the Duterte administration as Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade led the launch of the

Cavite-Manila Ferry Service.

A project of the DoTr, through the Maritime Industry Authority, with the help of the Philippine Ports Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard, the ferry service was formally launched to revive ferry operations in Cavite, offering an alternative mode of transportation to get to key areas in Metro Manila.

Ditching the heavy traffic on our main thoroughfares, the ferry service was promoted under the hashtag #OkayKaFerryKo, with the theme “Mabilis, Maginhawa at Panatag na Biyahe.”

And based from our experience, I can guarantee you that the ferry service stays true to its theme.

The ferry is a blessing to the commuters of Cavite, as well as Metro Manila, as operations started yesterday just in time for the holiday season, when most of us are out to do our Christmas shopping and spend time with our friends and loved ones.

If you are planning to go to Pasay City, where huge malls, amusement parks and grand hotels are located, the water jeepneys will take you from the Cavite City Port Terminal to CCP in just 15 minutes.

If you are looking to visit the heritage sites of Manila, taking a ride on the ferry service to Liwasang Bonifacio Terminal (Plaza Lawton) in Manila from the same terminal will be just around 45 minutes.

Concerned about the fare during the holiday rush? Here’s another early Christmas present for all of you. Secretary Tugade announced that in coordination with Shogun Ships Co. Inc. and Seaborne Shipping Company Inc., the ferry services will be free of charge until 9 January 2020. Later on, the free ride was extended until 31 January 2020 for passengers riding the MV Island Sabtang.

Moreover, the Pasig River Ferry System was relaunched yesterday by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for the benefit of the riding public. This is another gift from the Duterte administration that keeps on giving back, and I am confident that more presents will come soon, thanks to the joint efforts of the public and private sectors.

With these ferry systems up and running, our country can bring back the glory days of having efficient transportation through our waterways. In a time when cars are seen as the main mode of transportation, the thought of riding a sea vessel to go to our preferred destinations has now become a reality.

Indeed, Christmas came early, as the DoTr picks one of its treats for Filipinos out of its “basket of solutions”: ferry service as an alternative mode of transportation to enhance mobility and connectivity and reduce traffic congestion on our major roads.

Through our ferry systems, it is the hope not only of the DoTr, but the different government agencies under the Duterte administration, to use all possible means to bring an improved quality of life to Filipinos.

Now, it is time for the people to use our ferry service and happily say, “Okay ka, ferry ko.”

In a time when cars are seen as the main mode of transportation, the thought of riding a sea vessel to go to our preferred destinations has now become a reality.