Yes, it's that cheap. But then the trip only took about 30 seconds.
During my trip to Olongapo City to visit family, we had the chance to cross the Santa Rita River in Kalaklan. It's a river that goes into Subic Bay. When I heard that we'd take the river as a shortcut, I imagined a large river and a big boat. Instead, a small outrigger boat welcomed us with a capacity of only 4 passengers. And the river wasn't that big. The other side was a few swim strokes away.
I stepped into the boat with my mother and my aunt. The water was calm but it looked suspiciously brown. There were houses lined dangerously at the edge of the river. I didn't sit down and held on to the long pole along the middle of the boat because I thought it would keep me more steady. I took a selfie with my phone and then the trip was over in a moment.
We had to pay 5 pesos (around 10 cents in USD) for the trip. I was shocked to know that it was that cheap but then again, the trip only lasted for a few seconds. It was worth it because we saved around 20 minutes of travel time if we took the long route. The only risk was falling into the brown river and getting wet.
📍 Santa River, Kalaklan, Olongapo City, Zambales