“Sakay na kayo!”
“Sakay na kayo!” (Let’s get in and ride!)
Nine years ago, when I first arrived in the US, the first thing I looked for was public transportation. I didn’t have a car then, or money enough for a taxi. Of course there was the bus, but I was scared of riding the routes for fear that I would get lost in the maze that was Baltimore City… so I pined after a ‘beloved’ –
And this March I got to ride it again… aahh… the joy of riding this king of the road. I had my head almost out of the window and took in the scenes of Los Banos, smelling the mix of fresh mountain air and polluted exhaust (yeah, that’s part of life in Pinas). And if you ride in the back end, you get to see everything better. I even made sure I had enough change for the fare, “bayad po, mama.” (Here’s my fare, mister.) And when it passed near our home, “Mama, para! Dito na lang!” (Mister, stop! I’m getting off here!) I was giggling quietly like a kid at the candy store, for the pure pleasure of getting to do all that.
:-D
Oh, and did you know something else?
The Philippine jeepney is a Filipino innovation of the G.I surplus jeep during the 1940s. The unique vehicle was the answer to the country’s scarcity of transportation after the war. It has the same strong engine of a U.S. army jeep but was resized and converted into a public utility vehicle. A typical jeepney would usually accommodate 20-30 commuting passengers.
The result was a time-enduring behicle with a combination of Filipino ingenuity and creativity in the midst of the post-war crisis. In terms of appearance, no jeepney is exactly the same. Each jeepney was designed with well-detailed artworks elaborately displayed on its bright chrome bodies and even in the vehicle’s interior. Every single one has its own unique design and is usually given touches often reflective of the common-man’s sentiments of the time.
Today, the Philippine Jeepney is the most popular means of transportation in the Philippines. It is a proof of the Filipino’s world renowned ability to produce efficient technology from scrap machinery and limited financial resources. Truly, jeepneys have become the country’s symbol of adaptation to global influence and change. [Source: philsouvenirs@hotmail.com]
And look what I found plying the streets of Roxas!
A jeepney limousine. Cool, eh?
(Part of a mini-series, “My Journey Home ” chronicles this balikbayan’s return after 7 long years.)
Tags: Philippines, jeepney, Los Banos, king of the road, public utility vehicle
Related Stories
POSTED IN: General: Philippine Culture, Lifestyle, Food and Transportation, Travel and Tourism
March 30th, 2007 at 3:03 am
[…] the jeepney, next on my list to re-acquaint with is the humble […]
April 2nd, 2007 at 3:29 pm
[…] King Festival in Manila celebrates the jeepney drivers every year this […]
May 1st, 2007 at 12:39 am
[…] there - our stay at Los Banos, UP and Trace Hotel, the Mall of Asia, and the thrill of riding a jeepney (again)! Maricar stayed one week more than I did, so she got to see more of Manila. She was more […]
May 15th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Wow, impressive!…A lot of changes i see…gara! i wonder if i can rent one of this jeepney limousine…hahahah…i will be leaving here on May 24 to go back home and visit my family and friends…
August 4th, 2008 at 12:08 am
[…] King of the Road. Only in the Philippines - […]
August 11th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Who brought the jeepney into public transport……what were the names of the company or companies and what year was it?