THE TRANSPORTATION department is expecting to get the approval for the Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake (MAPALLA) ferry system project by the first semester of the year with the expected completion of the project’s feasibility study.
“We are seeing the completion of the feasibility study by the first half of the year. We are also expecting to secure the approval for this project by the middle of the year,” Transportation Undersecretary for Planning and Project Development Timothy John R. Batan said in a statement.
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) together with the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center are working on the project’s feasibility study which will determine ridership forecast, number of ferry stations, and final project cost.
The project is expected to cost between P15 billion and P20 billion, the DoTr said previously.
According to Mr. Batan, the MAPALLA project’s first phase is a 30-kilometer ferry service route stretching from the Marikina River and Pasig River. It will have at least 32 ferry stations.
The project is envisioned to utilize an all-electric ferry fleet or around 40 electric ferries, which can accommodate up to 150 passengers per trip.
“Through a high-capacity, high-quality mass transit ferry, the MAPALLA Ferry System will have intermodal transfers with other transit systems and active mobility networks,” DoTr said.
The PPP Center said the project as envisioned will involve private-sector construction and development of the infrastructure and facilities, including landings and passenger terminals.
The first phase of the project will serve the Pasig and Marikina rivers while the second phase is a possible extension of ferry services into Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
