Backpacking Philippines: Manila: Pasig River Ferry Experience

Manila: Pasig River Ferry Experience

Finally after much delay, the Pasig River Ferry became operational and with the usual flair of the tutubi in organizing trips, hopped on to the nearest terminal in Guadalupe, Makati on J.P. Rizal St (vying for the highest concentration of billboards per square meter in the world can be seen leading much to urban blight).

UPDATE: This Pasig River Ferry service was discontinued in 2011. Government is mulling reviving the service in 2014 to aid in declogging the Metro Manila of heavy traffic but it needs additional capital and investors to revive it.

The sky was cloudy, unlucky me, so I half-heartedly took pictures inside the airconditioned catamaran with blue plastic seats through glass window after asking permission from a man in uniform whose job, I already know, is to ensure we don't take pictures of the Palace of the Small Iron Lady of these islands i.e. Malacanang.

Ayala Bridge with its steel trusses and rivets presently undergoing repair work (left)
Signspotting mode (below)somewhere near Sta Ana displaying the Philippines' vaunted ubiquity of the English language with the river-choking, mosquito-sheltering, floating water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) natives of South America on the foreground. Most pinoys erroneously call them water lily with their beautiful lavender-colored flowers (that I have yet to capture on "film").

Here's hoping someday I get to see how the Nilad tree, where Manila got its name, and the cuyapo (kuyapo/kiapo, lulluan in Tagalog ), a floating plant where Quiapo was named, look like. Both those plants are the places named after them.

With the return of the ferry plying the once pristine river where the city of Manila was founded, may those eponymous flora also return when the river breathes life again.

There's hope; I saw fishes and various species of birds!

Information (as of March 24, 2007): Only Guadalupe, Hulo and Escolta terminals are completed. Each trip costs P25 and takes almost an hour only from Guadalupe to Escolta, unbeatable by any form of land travel unless you're with the Iron lady convoy. Ferries are airconditioned catamarans (double-hulled). Trip schedules are spaced 55 minutes apart starting at 5:30am with last trip at 9:05pm

I have blogged about the Pasig River before on a trip with Ambeth Ocampo, historic bridges, lighthouse, structures and
riverine inhabitants.

To all my legions of readers (too few, actually), I'm thinking of organizing an "unplanned" trip to Manila on board the ferry one of these days. Let me know what ya think! :)

Related Pasig River Posts:

Pasig River Ferry
Pasig River Cruise,
Pasig River Lighthouse,
Pasig River Structures,
People of Pasig River,
Pasig River Bridges History and Pictures

Labels: Ferries, Manila, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, Pasig River

posted by GingGoy @ 8:45 PM,

15 Comments:

At Mar 28, 2007, 1:27:00 PM, carlotta1924 said...: sama naman ako jan sa inoorganize mong trip, sana before holy week hehe. =)

kala ko quiapo came from another chinese name. ngayon ko lang nalaman na meron palang halaman na cuyapo ang pangalan =)
At Mar 28, 2007, 11:13:00 PM, Sidney said...: Maybe it is better to wait till the end of the year when the other stations along the Pasig river will open.

I wonder if the security guards are afraid we might catch a glimpse of GMA in bathing suit swimming in the Pasig River in front of Malacañang. ;-)
At Mar 29, 2007, 3:03:00 AM, Wil said...: hey that's promising news. will it get people out of their cars? One can only hope.

btw, I read somewhere that the Pasig River revitalization project (i.e. bringing back the flora and fauna of Pasig, cleaning up the river, etc.) has been shelved. That would be a shame if true.
At Mar 29, 2007, 1:45:00 PM, Anonymous said...: uy, parang gusto kong sumama, pwede ba sa umaga.... 2pm kse start ng work ko eh.... :D
At Mar 29, 2007, 2:43:00 PM, Señor Enrique said...: Count me in, Tito!

When would the Marikina station be ready? Sana you can guide us around that area as well if and when the ferry reaches that point!
At Mar 30, 2007, 11:16:00 AM, Resty Odon said...: titobi, this is so galeeeeng. parang inq7.net itong site mo ah!!
At Mar 30, 2007, 12:31:00 PM, Anonymous said...: pwedeng pwede na gawing pang tourist ang pasig ferry, sa japan o sa ibang mayayamang bansa, isa ang ferry sa attraction pang turismo.

kung ano man titingin sa billboard na yan ma-e-enganyo ako kasi nakita ko favorite camera brand ko.
At Mar 30, 2007, 5:58:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Ayus ah! Bagong bihis ang bahay. Hehe. Onga pwede ba kami sumama?
At Mar 31, 2007, 3:55:00 PM, Anonymous said...: That's really great news. Thanks for this wonderful info. I hope this ferry would help unclog the traffic, develop and beautify the Pasig River and help us Pinoys to appreciate the metro (hope hope!).

I don't know what the Nilad looks like either.
At Mar 31, 2007, 6:33:00 PM, Anonymous said...: kelan ba yan dre? baka makasama din... april or may?
At Apr 2, 2007, 8:45:00 AM, jhenny said...: i agree pwede na nga natin gawing tourist spot ang pasig river..

bagong bihis :)

thanks for adding me :)
At Apr 11, 2007, 5:51:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Is it still operational? I really would like to try it too. I heard the river still thinks even with the ferry enclosed & airconditioned..ajay
At Apr 12, 2007, 11:48:00 AM, Anonymous said...: wil, the pasig river rehabilitation is not shelved although it's moving slowly :(

to all will post schedules once I learn other terminals are open

ajay, the river doesn't stink like it used to. you won't smell it from inside.

but maybe i'm just immune to it already :)
At Apr 16, 2007, 12:24:00 PM, Any given madness said...: i actually planning a trip like that eversince college, but nothing pushed through. i hope i could hop along.
At May 2, 2011, 6:12:00 AM, Anonymous said...: No more illegal settlers along Pasig river and in Laguna Bay please. It is highest time that big oil companies relocate from Pandacan to more appropriate location(s). Churchpeople (Catholic, protestants, reformed, muslims, buddhists including priests, pastors and imams, etc.), students from public/private institutions, government and private employees, vendors, jeepney, tricycle, taxi, bus drivers and their operator, restaurant owners, mall owners, establishment owners, actors/actress, gays, lesbians, heterosexuals, middle class, rich, super rich, poor and poorest of the poor must work hand and hand to help in clean-up drive. Calling on all the rich and very rich please socialize with the poor in cleaning-up our beloved Metro Manila.

Within the next 2 to 3 years, I am looking forward to see see tens of thousands of electric vehicles and bicycles plying the streets of Metro Manila. In view of this, authorities/our leaders should build several electric charge/swap battery stations within the mega-city. More planting of trees and plants and more greener and spacious parks (3 to 4 parks as big as 20 to 40 hectares each) in the city of Metro Manila.

Manila: Pasig River Ferry Experience

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