October 29, 2008

I’ve learned that the Jeepney is one of the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines, a unique way of travelling and that the Jeepney was originally made from left over US military jeeps which in time, became a symbol of the Philippine culture.

My first impression was that on the Island of Mindanao most jeepney's are festively decorated and are often named after biblical characters and women. Every single Philippine jeepney is personalized, no jeepney is exactly the same as another. These undisputed “Kings of the road” are famous for their fantastic illustrations, bright colours and notorious for their crowded seating and horn-blowing drivers. But I also found out that jeepney drivers can be, most of the time, an amusement to their passengers and the best guides one can find in any part of Mindanao.

It was clear to see that the jeepney is very popular, the seats inside were often filled with passengers and their belongings. Every trip made I was seated face-to-face and knee to knee, my personal space was minimized to almost nothing. However, to my surprise, always new passengers were added to the already overcrowded cabin. Here I experienced that Mindanaoans are very flexible and creative people. They will still get on board, eager to start the journey to their own destination, hanging from the tail bumpers and sitting on the top of the jeepney, balancing their way to the next stop.

One of the most interesting ways for me, in getting around Mindanao, was taking a local jeepney, it can take you almost anywhere you would like to go. It was obvious to see that these jeepneys mirror Mindanao’s proud culture and it’s rich heritage. At least I had the chance to take a good and close look at ordinary people in their daily life, and many times I wondered myself, who was looking at who?

It was evident that even my family and me were interesting subjects of the other passenger’s curiosity.

Standing aside the road and hailing a jeepney with a raised hand was enough to stop any Jeepney and catch a ride, once inside I could stop the vehicle by knocking on the jeepney’s ceiling-top or tap a peso coin on the roof. The various destinations were displayed on the sides of the jeepney and it’s windshields, so it was not really difficult to find the jeepney that was heading in the direction we wanted to go. Anyway, the fares were very inexpensive and riding one was always fun and exciting.

In places where there are fewer jeepneys, the tricyle is another popular way of transportation. The tricycle is a motorcycle with a sidecar combination, a canvas or metal roof stretched over a framework of metal bars, welded to the sidecar. A three-wheeled workhorse that carries passengers and cargo and which can easily reach the interior roads, narrow alleys and rural areas in Mindanao.

This people’s transportation mini vehicle can be seen in many different forms and length, it can serve passengers in almost any kind of weather, terrain, road and traffic conditions. It is rigged for the transportation of people, live animals, fish, furniture, charcoal, appliances and hardware and sometimes even used as an ambulance. Tricycles are often decorated with various mirrors, colourful banners and constructed with stainless steel and shiny chrome. But also in this vehicle, space is limited. I had to squeeze in like a sardine in a crowded pack, feeling every pothole in the road and bumping my head to the top every time we hit one. Nevertheless, it was a great experience inside a small motorcycle.

The colourful jeepney and the exotic tricycle both symbolize the Philippines…they perfectly reflect the carefree atmosphere of the Island of Mindanao and are the most recognized, most distinct and the most unique modes of primary transportation in this region.