FERRY RIDE ALONG ILOG PASIG

Mention riding a ferry along the Pasig River to most people, and you will almost always be met with a disgusted look, or a wrinkling of the nose. While the Pasig River has become legendary for its filth, that will not deter us from trying out the Pasig River Ferry, because the experience will not be as bad as one would expect. I decided to go on a Sunday, starting off at the Guadalupe station, which was just a few meters away from the MRT's own Guadalupe stop. Upon entering the ferry station, I was greeted by a rather clean, tiny structure--quite a contrast against the murky river. Tiles were new and clean, the waiting area was airconditioned, and everyone--from the security guard to the ticket seller--was friendly and courteous. It also had facilities for the handicapped, which makes this mode of transportation a good option than other commuting facilities. I purchased a ticket for P25, and found the ticket quite fancy. Printed on thermal paper, it looked like a receipt printed with a barcode, and you have to just swipe it over the sensor of the turnstile to enter the platform. Unfortunately, the tickets are coll ected before you board the ferry, so there are no chances of keeping it as a souvenir.

Most of you will be delighted to know that the ferry is airconditioned, which means you don't have to worry about the stench of the river. The twin-engine catamaran-type ferry employs blue plastic seats that are comfortable enough for the 50-minute ride to Escolta. It's been said that the ferry can accommodate 150 passengers at a time. A uniformed guard from the Presidential Security Group (PSG) is also on board, because the ferry passes by Malacanang Palace (there lives the president of the Philippines).

Escolta station If you're worried that the boat ride might get boring, you'd be wrong. The ferry is equipped with a flat-screen TV that shows music videos of Air Supply, or some videoke tracks that you can sing along to while on board.

And if that isn't your type of entertainment, the view along the route is actually pretty interesting. I will not fool you into thinking that it was grand or awesome or breathtaking, because it really wasn't. The river could really use a good cleaning, but the view along the riverbank is something you don't see every day.

Manila Post Office It gives you a different view on things. The houses that you don't normally see when your bus is hurtling past EDSA, the naked children swimming in the river who think nothing of the filthy flotsam on the waters, and the rusty barges that float alongside you on the river. It's not a glorious sight, but it's still a fresh perspective. Plus, the ride is so much calmer, especially compared to getting shaken around as your car criss-crosses its way to beat the traffic along busy Guadalupe.

Abandoned warehouses Truth be told, I see a lot of potential in this ferry. The ferry itself is great--it's airconditioned, it's clean, and it's quite fast. I was disembarking at Escolta after about 45-50 minutes. It's a great alternative to commuting by land or rail--especially when you think about the buses with drivers that seem to believe they're driving Kia Prides, or the number of people you have to fight off just to get precious space on the train. To date, there are six stations up and running: Guadalupe, Hulo, Lambingan, Sta. Ana, PUP, Lawton and Escolta. They're thinking of adding more stations in Marikina and San Juan to cover more areas.

Hulo station The fare scheme has changed since the opening of the Pasig River Ferry Project. It started out with a flat-rate of P25 (less than $0.60 or > 60c) to and from any destination. Weekends still have the P25 flat-rate, but because there seem to be very few patrons of the ferry plus with the high price of gasoline, fares are now at P25, P35, and P45 on weekdays, depending on the distance. Still the ferry is the fastest way to go places around Metro Manila within the Pasig River area NO TRAFFIC Ferry schedules start at 5:45 AM in Guadalupe, and end at 10:15 PM in Escolta. There are 30-minute intervals between departures. Aside from the novelty, riding the Pasig Ferry actually has a lot of perks. How else can you get to Escolta from Guadalupe in less than an hour? It's also a pretty good alternative if you're lugging plenty of purchases from Divisoria or Tutuban. You no longer need to fight for space on the jeep, or inconvenience other passengers with your packages. It's a great way to rest your tired feet after a long day of walking around Binondo. So next time you're thinking of a different way to travel, try out the Pasig Ferry.