Jeepneys and other means of transportation
the most common form of public transport throughout the many islands of the Philippines. In
Manila they are so numerous, that there is almost constantly
traffic congestion. The jeepneys don't have air-conditioning. They have open
windows. Most of the time the jeepneys are constantly-packed with many
passengers. Jeepneys offer one of the cheapest ways of getting
somewhere. They seldom have a special place to stop. The drivers
will slow down enough to enable the passengers to jump on or out.
countryside the jeepneys offer possibilities to carry all kind of stuff.
Chickens, sometimes even a pork, 50 kg sacs with rice and so on. Passengers
are inside the jeepney, but more than once hanging on the back of
the jeepney. The jeepneys are many times overloaded. Overloaded?
There's always room for
"just one more". So, if someone asks you 'How many people can
you fit in a jeepney?', you know the only answer: " Just one more!"
the side of the jeepneys, the names are written of the two places which
are the outer places on the specific (fixed) route of the jeepney.
© Scott Williams
origin of the jeepney
One of the remnants of the American military presence in the Philippines during
second World War, is still to be seen in the whole Philippines, in many
colors and 'all over the place': the jeepneys! Jeepneys are of origin
old American jeeps. They were used in the war against the Japanese army who occupied
the Philippines during several years. After the Japanese army was defeated and the
American military mission was completed, the jeeps were left by ten thousands on
the islands in the Philippines.
The Filipinos saw possibilities to make out of these jeeps
real transportation means by making these jeeps about two meters
longer and by putting two long seats in it, one on each side from the
front to the back. Jeepneys are since then used as small busses
for cheap transport of people, goods and even sometimes little animals.
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