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As I walked down Aurora Boulevard in downtown Manila, I spotted Alan and Dennis. They were standing next to their jeepney (a public transportation vehicle), which had an incredible custom paint job and was nicknamed “The Father.” I stopped and asked Alan where “The Father” had been painted. He told me that he was just about to start his usual route, and that the paint shop was on the way. “Jump in,” he said. So I jumped in.
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As we started up the road, Alan and Dennis began blasting music from their homemade stereo system: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (1st of Tha Month), Akon (Don't Matter), Journey (Faithfully), Dr. Dre (The Next Episode), Eminem (The Real Slim Shady), Eagles (Hotel California), and some other '80s love songs. The stereo, which reached an impressively high volume, appeared to consist of a CD-Rom, cheap speakers, and assorted computer parts.
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Alan acts as the "wingman" in their operation. His job is to yell out their route to pedestrians, invite them to get on board, and collect their money. It’s difficult work—they drive all day or all night in the smoggy, dirty, streets of Manila, with no air conditioning.
They also have to abide by rules and regulations that are selectively enforced. “Traffic officers are corrupt,” Alan said. “They like to play favorites.” Hearing the decibel level of our stereo, I got the feeling that they might be one of the cops’ favorites.
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The original jeepneys were refurbished U.S. military vehicles left behind after World War II—the name is a cross between “jeep” and “jitney” (a hybrid taxi-bus). The transportation infrastructure in Manila was destroyed during the war and the U.S. Army sold, gave away, or simply left behind many surplus jeeps. A few entrepreneurial locals painted them with bright colors and murals to grab the attention of potential passengers and began using them as taxis. Pretty soon, the fad caught on.
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Today, jeepneys are a central part of the public transportation system in Manila. They compete with hired taxis (mostly Toyota Corollas imported from Japan and jeeps that hold five to six people), a clean and efficient metro system, and motorcycles with sidecars that can hold up to two people. People use jeepneys to get just about everywhere, and some kids even ride them to school.
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In addition to heavily decorating “The Father,” Alan and Dennis had modified its interior to accommodate large groups of passengers—up to 20 or more. After just a few blocks, we picked up our first batch of riders.
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This lucky girl got to ride up front with Alan. He claimed that she was his girlfriend. I responded, “I don’t know, Alan, I think she is just using you for your nice wheels!”
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We traveled through Cubao, moving up Aurora Boulevard, one of the city’s busiest streets, charging a fixed fare of 7.5 pesos (16 cents) per passenger. Before long, the car was packed. Money passed from person to person until it got to Alan, and Alan passed the necessary change back. When it came to handling the money, there seemed to an unwritten rule of honesty among the passengers.
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Alan told me that there are reports of robberies and car jackings, usually at night and at gunpoint. He says these incidents are fairly common, but have never happened to him. “Don’t worry,” he said, flashing a smile. “If anything happens, I’ll take care of you.”
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We finally arrived at the paint shop, and I watched the artists and mechanics at work. Noel, an artist who specializes in custom airbrush artwork, was working on this project. His shop offers murals and mirror-bright chrome finishes, plus onboard color TVs, air-conditioning, power steering, and disco lights. Needless to say, extravagance is the norm when it comes to jeepneys.
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Religious icons are especially popular in the Philippines, where Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion. Some people say a painting of Jesus or Mary will protect their vehicle and ensure a safe ride for all passengers. Dennis chose the name "The Father” as a reference to God.
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Many jeepneys are also covered in advertisements for companies. With the amount of exposure the vehicles get on the streets of Manila, custom paintings are a highly effective and cost-efficient marketing tool.
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We left the paint shop and finished the route, coming back to where we had started—I was the first person on and the last person off. “What do I owe you guys?” I asked. Alan and Dennis both smiled. “Nothing," they said. "Just send us pics.”
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As I headed home, I spotted an overloaded jeepney—a common sight in Manila. So many people had jumped on back that the vehicle literally couldn’t hold any more. Wow! I thought. That’s dangerous! Then, I couldn’t help but notice the joy of the passengers on board. Stricter transportation regulations might keep passengers safer, but they would certainly take away much of the joy. I hold onto this image as a reminder of my time in Manila, where my philosophy became this: Life is a ride with many bumps and obstacles, but there's always a reason to smile.
Philippines
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Pete Tran
Comments
Posted on 11/30/2009 by
Michelle Saltis
This is a wonderful story! The pictures are wonderful, and I can just feel the experience oozing through your captions. Nice job.
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