I can’t remember a day not seeing a jeepney. It has always been a part of the landscape.
This gaudy, brightly painted, and folksy vehicle is found only in the Philippines. A mestizo, half local and half foreign, the jeepney is reflective of our national character.
After World War II, the U.S. soldiers left us thousands of non-serviceable jeeps, which helped solve the transportation problem. But not before we gave them a new, unique look—stretched, roofed, and benched into what we all know as jeepney, the “king of the road.”
This proudly Pinoy creation has symbolized the Filipino’s resilient and optimistic spirit.
A miniature jeepney is what I proudly give as gifts to foreign guests who gush, “Oh, what an unusual vehicle!” It's a conversation opener about our beloved country.
Seventy six years later, during the term of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the jeepney is in danger of becoming extinct. The Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), launched in 2017, is aimed at making public transportation system efficient and environmentally friendly by 2020. Each jeepney replacement is estimated at P2.1 million (payable in seven years).
Came 2020, bringing along the Covid-19 lockdown. In one fell swoop, the jeepney was pushed off the road, garaged and rendered useless, leaving over 200,000 drivers jobless.
We’re now on the 126th day of quarantine in Metro Manila, and very few jeepneys, have been allowed to ply the roads.
Where have all the jeepneys gone? And the drivers?
Still on the road—not driving, but begging. It's one of the options they have with zero income.
What’s in store for these jeepney drivers at the end of the road?
That’s just one of the many hard questions I have been asking myself since the onset of the pandemic, which has plunged our country into recession.
With no answers on the horizon, I run to Scripture for help and hope:
“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT)
Oh, that by God’s merciful grace, I pray I can.
Photo credits: Rappler. Inquirer, Philippine Star, and and Facebook posts
2 comments:
The modernization maybe a good thing but couldn't they wait after we get the vacxin? Then they slowly phase out? Nowadays unemployment is rappant.
I totally agree with you, Rita. The jeepney drivers have been living on nothing for four months now. There has to be a program to help them transition from their old jeepneys to the new modern vehicles--AFTER the pandemic. Meanwhile, they badly need government support to feed their families.
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