ADB-managed fund backs tri-city ferry project

MANILA, Philippines — The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) is providing technical support to the government’s Tri-City Ferry System Project aimed at decongesting the traffic flow in the northern part of the country.

CDIA, a multi-donor trust fund managed by the Asian Development Bank, granted project development support for the joint project of the city governments of Alaminos and Dagupan in Pangasinan, San Fernando in La Union, and the Public-Private Partnership Center.

CDIA is one of the long-time institutional partners of the PPP Center in providing support to various cities and boosting local PPPs in the country.

Consultant procurement for the feasibility study preparation is expected to commence next month.

The ferry system aims to connect the regional, provincial and city hubs, especially the government and commercial hubs within the three cities, with minimal stops to limit the overall transit time between main embarking and alighting piers.

This would allow traffic decongestion and also boost the tourism potential of the loop and the whole region and in turn, rejuvenate coastal communities and help environmental and urban renewal.

Meanwhile, the private partner for the project will finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the ferry terminals and floating piers.

It is also in charge of the provision of ferry services to traverse major demand centers, including maintenance of the vessels and existing rules and regulations on sea navigation.