TWO types of ferries, a 30-seater and a 100-seater, may be used for the planned tri-point ferry service that will take a tourists or travelers from San Fernando to Dagupan to Alaminos, or vice versa in a jiffy.

“Depending on the study, we will lease or purchase the ferry service units in the Pasig river,” Mayor Alipio Fernandez told media last week in an update on the announced tourism project.

He added that they are initially considering four units for the trial run and eventually work out a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines for the full implementation of the project.

He said if the project proves successful, the three cities are going to unload their investments and pass the project on to the private sector.

“We will just pioneer this project and invite private sector to continue with it later,” he said.

The ferry service is expected to cash in on foreign tourists who will be coming from Baguio and who may board at the passenger berth in Dagupan on their way to the Hundred Islands.

Fernandez said it usually takes five hours for tourists from Baguio to reach the Hundred Islands. With the ferry system, the travel will be only two hours.

If one is coming from San Fernando, he can visit the Hundred Islands in Alaminos in the morning and before going back to his point of origin, he can drop by Dagupan and so business and make some shopping, he said.

The ferry service idea was initiated by Mayor Hernani Braganza in order to hasten tourism and business activities in the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union.

Fernandez said Braganza, San Fernando City Mayor Pablo Ortega and himself have set up a technical working group to study the project that would be of mutual benefit to the three participating cities.