Loss of the Jeepney

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- Gorgeous traditional jeepney


There is a distinct shift in the metropolitan scene of Manila in the Philippines as the major mode of transportation has been forced to call it quits.  The jeepney is an “iconic mode of public transport that has chugged on the Philippines’ roads since the 1950s, when American military vehicles left over from World War II were upcycled into hybrids of buses and jeeps.” Thanks to the new Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Plan (PUV) implemented by President Duterte in 2017, there is an apparent shift in priorities for the Filipino government. The obvious environmental benefits from switching to diesel-powered engines to solar-powered vehicles makes a strong case for change, in addition to the incorporation of disabled and senior accommodations within the new vehicles. Another benefit to the change in public transportation is the increase in vehicle safety and rider safety as these new “e-jeepneys” are fitted with CCTV to deter robbers. While the modernization process is undeniable at all levels of society, it is relevant to note the negative effect the PUV policy will have on the families of former drivers, operators, mechanics of jeepneys. Some drivers and operators are no longer able to afford to buy a new vehicle and are not provided an opportunity to rent an e-jeepney or determine their own hours. Duterte has allotted till July of this year to fully convert the major mode of transportation to these new e-jeepneys. 

- New e-jeepney

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