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Let's take a ride.
Text and Images by Ronald de Jong
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Many things has been written and much is said already about the Philippine
Jeepney and Tricycle. I guess that most readers have not experienced travelling with this fantastic form of
local transportation at first hand. However I could not resist the temptation to give you my own perspective on these magnificent
vehicles, a personal reflection, seen through the eyes of a spoiled, but open minded Westerner visiting the wonderful island of Mindanao. 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transportation in the Philippines, a unique way of travelling and that the Jeepney was originally
made from left over US military jeeps which, in time became, a symbol of the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 these drivers can be, most of the time, an amusement to their
passengers and the best guides one
can find in any part of Mindanao.
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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
mirrors 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.
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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.
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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.Taking
a ride with these icons of local transport gave me the opportunity to get in
touch with the real countryside, it allowed me to mingle with the local and friendly population. For me it was an unusual,
amazing and inspirational way of travelling with these symbols of Filipino ingenuity and indigenous improvisation, that opened
new and personal frontiers.
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