When you are in the Philippines, you will never miss seeing one of them. They are these bulky, silver metal-plated, roaring vehicles that ply the roads of the Philippines serving as the primary means of land transport of Filipinos. The ominous look of these vehicles is tempered by their colorful stickers and labels - in different style and forms - attached to their heavy frames. They symbolize the Filipino's ingenuity to create something extraordinary out of simple objects.

The Philippine Jeepney

Hours before dawn, they may serve as your alarm clock (if you don't have one), especially if your house is near a major thoroughfare as their often thunderous, roaring engines fill the morning air; each jeepney racing with each other to get their seats with passengers, young and old, professional employee or street vagabond. The jeepneys' moist morning air is filled with the whiff o cheap perfumes, colognes, cigarette smoke, and even body odor. The driver turns on the radio with a blast of 80's rock music that awakens the still lethargic passenger. Colorful blinking lights dance with the music to give the air a disco vibe. This is a normal jeepney ride while one plies every streets in the Philippines; pathways, avenues, decrepit roads and major highways.

Passenger fees are cheap sometimes causing each jeepney to overflow with passengers. Accidents sometimes happen for the reason that passengers fall with a slight nudge of the jeep due to boulders in the road, because all that the passengers cling to are slippery metal railings on the sides and front ends of the jeepneys. Of course, it's not always a hustle riding one because there's some kind of a relaxing allure to it. In the late evening in the Philippine provinces, you get to feel the cool wind caressing your face and shoulders as the jeepney's frame allows for the entry of big amounts of wind drafts.

The Philippine Jeepney's history dates back to the 1940's. The vehicle's predecessors are the ones used by the American soldiers as troop carriers during World War II in the Philippine setting. Since then, the Filipino jeepney's style and design have undergone revisions, innovations reflecting the style and taste whoever has a hand in designing one.

With the advent of newer vehicle designs, the King of the Road remains a classic. Sometimes, it is a contrast to the backdrop of Philippine highways where newer cars and vehicles ply. Yet, the Philippine Jeepney evokes a feeling of nostalgia and remains an integral part of Filipino society and national identity.