Jeepneys are an integral part of the Filippino culture, playing an important role in the national transportation system. Therefore, I really think that if you’re in the Philippines, traveling in a Jeepney is a must. The jeepneys are the gleaming and glittering vehicles on the street and were apparently inspired by the locals the Americans left army jeeps behind after World War II. These jeepneys proudly symbolize the culture of the Philippines, attaching colorful and flashing decorations to their shiny chrome bodies.
Jeepneys cover practically all the streets in Baguio, picking passengers up at every corner of the main road. Jeepneys can easily accommodate more than 15 people (around 18, if we squeezed tightly). Charging a mere 6 pesos for students (or 7.5 for non-students), it is definitely a riveting and intriguing experience. Speaking from experience, sitting at the back of a jeepney, as the driver presses hard on the accelerator and never lets the gearshaft go, smelling the inevitable fumes was painstakingly torturous and at the same time, unusually fun. I was shocked when I saw people easily jumping on to the Jeepneys, even though it was full and just holding on to the side of the railing. According to a reliable source of information, accidents do not occur often. Amazing!
The unique thing about these Jeepneys is that each Jeepney is different compared to another. Each Jeepney is a work of art, as it's important to make an name for ones self on the streets. The ability to be creative in designing the Jeepneys is essential for Jeepney drivers because these vehicles are basically their pride and joy, as well as their source of income. It is known to this transportation culture that these Jeepney owners name their Jeepneys, often after their family name or sometimes, with tacky and unusual names such as ‘Tom Jones’, ‘Igorots’, ‘Billy Bob’, ‘I will pick you up’(Ed: there were a ton of Christian related phrases too) and etc. Jeepney owners took a fancy to decorate their Jeepneys with colorful paintings of American symbols too, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones and there were others who preferred to stick closer to their traditional designs.
I was told that Jeepney drivers depend upon the honesty of the customers when it comes to paying them. Sometimes, there are costumers who just hop into the Jeepneys, and once they reach their destinations, they just hop off without paying a single cent to the driver. However, I am proud to say that Monash students are not among these dishonest people especially after finding out that Jeepney drivers only earned an average of 300-350 pesos on a normal day. If it was school holidays or a rainy day, they can earn a shockingly low amount of 200 pesos. Many Jeepney drivers from the lowlands, especially from Manila, often do not become Jeepney drivers in Baguio because of the mountainous terrains. It is too difficult for them to get used to it.
Jeepneys are by far one of the coolest rides I have ever been on. It’s like riding a ‘tuk tuk’ in Thailand, but as a much more comfortable ride. Jeepney drivers are incredible drivers, put them into a F1 ring and they can easily defeat Michael Schumacher or even Fernando Alonso. Whoever has ridden on a Jeepney, would agree.
By Susan
Jeepneys cover practically all the streets in Baguio, picking passengers up at every corner of the main road. Jeepneys can easily accommodate more than 15 people (around 18, if we squeezed tightly). Charging a mere 6 pesos for students (or 7.5 for non-students), it is definitely a riveting and intriguing experience. Speaking from experience, sitting at the back of a jeepney, as the driver presses hard on the accelerator and never lets the gearshaft go, smelling the inevitable fumes was painstakingly torturous and at the same time, unusually fun. I was shocked when I saw people easily jumping on to the Jeepneys, even though it was full and just holding on to the side of the railing. According to a reliable source of information, accidents do not occur often. Amazing!
The unique thing about these Jeepneys is that each Jeepney is different compared to another. Each Jeepney is a work of art, as it's important to make an name for ones self on the streets. The ability to be creative in designing the Jeepneys is essential for Jeepney drivers because these vehicles are basically their pride and joy, as well as their source of income. It is known to this transportation culture that these Jeepney owners name their Jeepneys, often after their family name or sometimes, with tacky and unusual names such as ‘Tom Jones’, ‘Igorots’, ‘Billy Bob’, ‘I will pick you up’(Ed: there were a ton of Christian related phrases too) and etc. Jeepney owners took a fancy to decorate their Jeepneys with colorful paintings of American symbols too, such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones and there were others who preferred to stick closer to their traditional designs.
I was told that Jeepney drivers depend upon the honesty of the customers when it comes to paying them. Sometimes, there are costumers who just hop into the Jeepneys, and once they reach their destinations, they just hop off without paying a single cent to the driver. However, I am proud to say that Monash students are not among these dishonest people especially after finding out that Jeepney drivers only earned an average of 300-350 pesos on a normal day. If it was school holidays or a rainy day, they can earn a shockingly low amount of 200 pesos. Many Jeepney drivers from the lowlands, especially from Manila, often do not become Jeepney drivers in Baguio because of the mountainous terrains. It is too difficult for them to get used to it.
Jeepneys are by far one of the coolest rides I have ever been on. It’s like riding a ‘tuk tuk’ in Thailand, but as a much more comfortable ride. Jeepney drivers are incredible drivers, put them into a F1 ring and they can easily defeat Michael Schumacher or even Fernando Alonso. Whoever has ridden on a Jeepney, would agree.
By Susan
1 comment:
Assalamualaikom! I am Ms. Nesreen C. AbdulRauf and a Filipino-Muslim. I proudly study Mass Communication in the University of the Philippines (U.P.—up/above J), Cebu City. I, my twin Tasneem and my elder sister Nihal know your Professor Daniel Yeoh. We met in Baguio last Dec 2005.
This would be my first time to comment on a blog ‘coz I really don’t read blogs. For me, blogs are personal experience and subjective write-ups for public reading.
So here goes my violent reaction. Hehe, kidding…
Let me first point out something on the history of my motherland. There was a clash on the roots of the Filipino race but the Filipino anthropologist from UP, F. Landa Jocano, disputes Prof. H. Otley Beyer’s assumption that the Malays migrated to the Phil. and now constitute the largest portion of the population and a have a Malayan culture. She maintains that Filipinos, Indonesians and Malays of Malaysia are the “end results of both the process of evolutions and the later…movements of people. They stand co-equal as groups, without anyone being the dominant group, racially or culturally…” But of course, I know that Philippines is now lagged behind the economic race. I guess I would no longer be living when my country will be in the Second World. Elusive it is.
I have a notion that tourists wrongfully take traveling to another country as if going to Heaven. By this I mean, I sort of feel that when you’re a foreigner, you have high expectations as you are excited about the trip. Hence, you are allergic of observing behaviors or practices you’re not used to see at home and judged as improper or impolite. For me, wherever you go, you always carry with you your ethnocentrisms. It’s certainly inevitable. I have never been overseas and I’d surely love to. But I would primarily want to pilgrim in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Next is to roam Southeast Asia then Europe and least is America which is loca over the oil of Middle East. I wish Bush would be ambushed. Sorry for the language!
As communication student, I know about issues on the national coverage. Philippines is very heterogeneous or diverse culturally and religiously but the newsrooms are not well constituted accordingly. Majority rules indeed. The advocacy of NORDIS is true and worthy.
Moreover, Baguio is the Summer Capital of the Phil. and thus flocked by locals and foreigners. People in Manila take refuge from pollution to Baguio’s cool climate and they carry with them the pollution. Kidding again… Seriously, yes, air pollution is a dilemma the Baguio government is dealing with.
I haven’t been to Sagada but I saw it in Piolo Pascual and Juday’s movie few years ago.
Speaking of movies, I really love to watch nonwestern films now! I can relate to Bollywood cinema industry esp. on its religious content. I wanna watch Asian movies too. Sir Yeoh lent us a Malaysian teenage, feel-good CD in Baguio. It was about the sport futsal. Liked it!
Do you know that the market in Baguio is the cleanest I’ve been to? The floor is dry. In other cities, mmm, I’d rather let you see it for yourselves.
I noticed that no one mentioned about the Ukay-Ukay in Baguio which is also called UK by Filipinos. Those are imported and most are branded used clothing sold at a minimum price. It’s one of the reasons Baguio is well-visited. Many believe though that those are actually charity to Third World countries but are commercially released.
Shameful it is but all those time I was in Baguio, I haven’t visited UP branch there. How I regret it. I’ve passed by it many times. UP system have many organizations in it. I’m surprised about the clusters in UP Baguio esp. the Legally Blondes. In UP Cebu, everybody knows each other. Everybody’s familiar. I’m not affiliated with any org ‘coz I believe it will only eat a slice of my time pie and anyway, I get along well with anybody. But yes, a UPian and a non UPian can tell if someone is a UPian with the way he/she appears physically: the slippers and a pambahay (home get-up). Of course, since most UPians are middle class or lower middle class and few elites. The grading spectrum in UP is 1.00 being the highest followed by 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2.00, 2.25, 2.5, 2.75, 3.00 (passed), 4.00 (conditional failure or incomplete), and 5.00 failed. There are teachers branded as smiling 5 since they are thought to have no mercy and free willingly give a student a 5.00.
I also want to clarify that the manager in McDonalds you mentioned is not accurate with what he said that they don’t serve pork. In fact, I am surprised with many Christians who don’t know that hotdog is pork. Unless, chicken hotdog. There is even a Beef hotdog in the market but when you see the label it enumerates: beef, pork. Astagfirullah! Muslims here in the Philippines, since a minority, are troubled with finding halal. McDonalds and Jollibee serve their spaghetti topped with hotdog slices. There is also a speculation on the gravy. It leaked that it is made of pig’s liver. Funny how others utilize every single part of a pig. Skin is made into a chicharon (crispy snack), blood is cooked into dinuguan, its oil into a lard or cooking oil. Its organs grilled in street eateries. Name it!
Admittedly, I wish I was born in a Muslim country where I am able to practice my religion unconstrained and eat freely but not greedily. J So yes, you are right that you’re lucky for living in a multi-religious country.
There are good values practiced in a jeepney such as the driver relying on the passenger’s honesty to pay in the absence of a konduktor (person in the rear entrance who collects payment and call out waiting commuters in the street). Having a konduktor is not allowed in some cities since it is dangerous for the person to fall from the jeepney. Also, passengers politely ask those near to the driver to pass the fare fee.
I hope you could also witness the Panagbenga (Flower Festival) of Baguio, Sinulog of Cebu and other famous parades of the Philippines. If Malaysia is truly Asia, Mindanao (southern island of the Phil.) is truly Philippines, for me. It was less colonized by the Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese because of the Moro Resistance. Yeah…! J
It was kinda funny about one of you mistaken to be a Filipino, a proof indeed that we have the same roots, to a certain degree.
I understand the feeling of confusion whether it is a complement or not. I and my twin and our youngest Princess Helwa Wafah are mistaken many times in Baguio, Manila and here in Cebu either to be Koreans most of the time and Chinese sometimes. We always answer that we might have a Chinese ancestry in our genealogy.
I’ll never forget that experience in Western Union Money Transfer in the upper Session Road where another old woman client asked how many years we were in the city. I answered in Tagalog, that we’ve been there in less than a year. She then made a loud shocked, amazed reaction. At first, I thought that that woman was insulting us. I thought she thought of us to be dumb and yet to know the language. Finally, she further remarked, “Wow, as short as that and you’re already fluent in Tagalog! You really studied it huh?” Then it became clear to me that she has taken me and my sisters to be Koreans (since Koreans are mushrooming in Manila, Baguio, and Cebu). I clarified that we are Filipino-Muslims and she shrinked and could really not believe it. The staff in the agency was also laughing ‘coz we are their suki (frequent customer or client).
I wish I could visit Malaysia and see Monash University and truly be in Asia!
Wassalam.
nesreen_a07@yahoo.com
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