Passenger fare for the newly reopened ferry service between Cavite and Manila will be free for a whole month, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
The service launched on December 8 serves the Cavite City Port Terminal going to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay City, and from Cavite City Port Terminal to the Liwasang Bonifacio Terminal (Plaza Lawton) in Manila, and vice versa.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade said the service will be free for the riding public until January 9, in coordination with Shogun Ships Co. Inc. and Seaborne Shipping Company Inc. Tugade said the free fare is the government’s “pamasko” (Christmas gift) to commuters this Christmas season.
Two vessels will initially serve on the two routes. Shogun Ships’ MV Island Sabtang can accommodate 57 passengers, while Seaborne Shipping’s MB Seaborne Mercury can accommodate 27 passengers. Two or three more ships will be added next month.
Travel time from Cavite City Port Terminal to Liwasang Bonifacio Terminal is estimated at 40 to 45 minutes, while travel time between Cavite City Port Terminal and CCP is expected to take around 15 minutes.
Fares for both rides are still under negotiation, as DOTr is still pushing for lower rates.
Cavite City mayor Bernardo Paredes said the ferry service can help ease road traffic to and from Metro Manila, and serve as an alternative travel mode to road travel, which can take about two to three hours.
Aside from the ferry service, DOTr and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) also launched high-priority maritime-related projects. These are the opening of the MARINA Central Office Processing Center (COPC) at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange for Filipino seafarers, and the faster registration of recreational boats to boost tourism.
MARINA COPC will handle all applications—from seaman’s books to ship licensing and registration and other MARINA-related transactions—as part of efforts to decentralize the agency’s frontline services, MARINA said.
Meanwhile, the registration process for recreational boats has been shortened to a maximum of three working days through MARINA Memorandum Circular 2019-DS-01. MARINA said this aims to promote maritime tourism by encouraging recreational boat owners and operators to engage in the leisure activity business. This is also to regulate and monitor the operations of recreational boats on Philippine waters to ensure they are not used for illegal practices.