MMDA to open 30 ferry terminals

The Metro Manila Development Authority is planning to open 30 Pasig River Ferry terminals to accommodate more passengers in the eastern part of Metro Manila and in the provinces of Rizal and Laguna.

Of the 30, seven terminals will be constructed around the Marikina River, Laguna Lake and in the City of Calamba, said MMDA deputy chairman Frisco San Juan.

“This will be built in the coming years,” San Juan said.

The MMDA made the announcement during the launching of two new fiber glass ferries at the Guadalupe Station in Makati City on Monday.

The arrival of new boats, capable of carrying at least 15 passengers, including crew, brings to 16 the total number of operational ferries.

“Our main objective really is to help the people find an alternative mode of transportation and to ease traffic in Metro Manila,” said MMDA officer-in-charge Thomas Orbos.

“Hopefully, we are looking to go beyond Metro Manila. In Taytay, you can imagine it will take you two hours from Taytay to Makati and we are talking 30 to 45 minutes,” he added.

Orbos said he will be having a meeting with Department of Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade and officials of the Laguna Lake Development Authority soon to discuss the opening of new terminals.

“The role of the government is to open up the routes. Hopefully when it becomes successful, the private sector should come in already,” Orbos said.

Aside from Rizal and Laguna, the MMDA will also open soon the new terminals in the areas of Eastwood in Quezon City and Riverbank in Marikina City.

“We are encouraging the people to try our ferry system. We can help in the environment and at the same time our travel will be faster, like from here to Manila it will take you less than an hour. So, please help us, the more that we use it, the more that we’ll become viable,” said Orbos.

MMDA records showed that the total ridership of the ferry system has reached more than 150,000 as of December last year.

The MMDA revived the Pasig River system in 2014 as a means to decongest Metro Manila’s major roads.

chaplet of divine mercy, apostolate of family consecration

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.



You died Jesus but the source of life gush forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.



O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, cover the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.



O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You! (3x)



Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.



Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.



I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.



Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.



For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.



Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.



Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself. Amen.



A Prayer for the Divine Mercy

O greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to your mercy---to your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out. Gracious God do not reject the prayer of this earth's exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our own power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You; anticipate us with Your Grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death's hour. Let the omnipotence of your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation's enemies, that we may with confidence, as your children await your final coming - that day known to you alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: Through His merciful Heart as through an open gate we pass through to heaven.

Gov’t to extend LRT-2 to Pier 4 as public-private partnership project

The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center on Monday said it has changed the scope of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) by including a 3.9-kilometer extension from Recto Avenue to Pier 4 in Manila.

“Before, the project scope was only O&M (operations and maintenance). So now, the DOTr (Department of Transportation) is looking at a component to build an extension, so there’s a construction component,” Frances Yani P. Domingo, officer-in-charge of the PPP Center told GMA News Online at the sidelines of the launching of the Development of Foreign Investment Framework Project.

With the project parameters of LRT-2 revised, the original O&M will be infused with private sector efficiencies together with line operations to raise the level of service.

The extension comprises three stations: Tutuban located next to the Cluster Mall, Divisoria at the intersection of Recto Avenue and Asuncion Street, and Pier 4 some 50 meters north of Zaragoza Street.

The current terms call for the private partner to undertake the O&M aspects of the existing LRT Line 2, the 4.14-kilometer East Extension, and any other extensions. The P1.17-billion LRT Line 2 East (Masinag) Extension – which is not a PPP project – involves the design and construction of the Emerald Station in Cainta, Rizal, and the Masinag Station at the Masinag Junction of Antipolo City.

With the planned amendments, the project may require a separate approval from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and as result may push back the timeframe, Domingo noted, but did not elaborate.

“The LRT will change scope so it might go back to the approval stage,” she said. Since it encompasses a construction component, the project would require bidders capable of putting up P12.5 billion in capital expenditure (CAPEX), she noted.

Nine companies have signified interest in the project – Light Rail Manila Consortium (LRMC), San Miguel Corp. (SMC), GT Capital Holdings Inc., Marubeni Philippines Corp., D.M Consunji Inc., RATP Development, APT Global Inc., Globalvia, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc.

However, only four submitted prequalification documents– the consortiums of the Aboitiz Equity Ventures and SMRT Transport Solutions, D.M Consunji Inc. and Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd., Light Rail Manila Holdings 2 Inc., and San Miguel Holdings Corp. and Korea Railroad Corp.

According to the PPP Center, 10 other projects are currently under procurement: the LRT Line 6 Project (P65.09 billion); the Regional Prison Facilities (P50.20 billion); the New Centennial Water Source (NCWS)-Kaliwa Dam Project (P18.72 billion); the Road Transport Information Technology Infrastructure Project (P298 million); the Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project (P18.99 billion); and the O&M of five regional airports (P108.19 billion). — VDS, GMA News