Manila streets are normally busy with people and traffic, yet you call hardly see a bus, except the occasional school bus. For public transport the ordinary Filipino uses the hardy jeeps or jeepneys as they're commonly known here. And passengers can practically board and alight anywhere they want along the scheduled routes, except when the traffic policeman is around. The Filipino jeepney is a work of art as most of them are colourfully and beautifully decorated. It is specially constructed to be able to hold a heavy load. Each is given a special name and the one that I sat in can hold about 12 to 16 passengers. The fares are standard and cheap and for the two trips that I made from J.P. Rizal to Rizal Park, I paid less than 20 pesos, or about 65 Singapore cents. The various destinations along the way are normally painted on the sides of the jeep and sometimes in front as well. Jeepney drivers are in the main very skilful. They are able to negotiate their way among the crowded thoroughfare at breadthtaking speeds and yet hardly meet with an accident - at least I haven't seen one during my short stay in Manila. And they have eagle eyes to be able to spot the unexpected customer flaging them down from almost out of nowhere! The passengers are special too. They have learned how to make their way up the narrow jeepney to get to a seat in an orderly and efficient manner! And there is this unofficial cooperation among the passengers to pass the fare to the driver from a passenger sitting near the back and to return any change to him. The Filipino jeepney is simply unique!
loh what did you do in J.P.Rizal? you should check out the jeepneys that ply the provinces, they even carry passengers on top of the hood and on the roof they even allow people to hang on at the back of the jeepney (its called "sabit" tagalog for "hang on").
I was staying with a friend near Makati City Hall. J.P. Rizal is the main road which many of the jeepneys ply and it is where I took one of them to Leon Pinto? and transfer to another to take me to Taft Ave where I alighted to take a short walk to Rizal Park. Actually I wanted to try the LRT at Taft Ave but just did not have sufficient time. I suppose the train will lead me to some of the provinces? And yes, on one occasion I did see some young people hanging on to some railings at the back entrance of the jeepney. I spent quite a bit of time at Rizal Park, especially at the shrine of Dr Jose Rizal, your renowed compatriot who sought to free the Filipino people from the rule of the colonial Spaniards but was himself jailed and shot for his 'misdeeds'. Thereafter, I proceeded to visit the Intramuros and Fort Santiago was also on my list but I had to come back another day to complete my itinerary there on my way to Manila Chinatown. With the SEA Games badminton action at Philsports Stadium taking away too much of my time, there remains precious little to learn and see more about the Philippines. Perhaps there will be another opportunity.
actually they are smaller than buses, about the size of a......ford E-150 or a little bigger i think, depends on the capacity but they usuall start on that size and move up. they are owned by private individuals, usually its the owner who is the one driving the jeepney. its something like the lowriders or lo-lo's, where its colorful, has lots of silver and chrome, some artwork, some has the names of their family members painted on them, its full of the driver/families heritage and culture.
