More Than The Usual: Wild Over Wheels

More than the usual mode of transport

• 112 airports, 50 in major cities, 6 international
• 2 flag carriers, both flying internationally
• Good-quality inter-island fast ferry and cruise ship service
• Exotic in-land transportation: the Philippine jeepney

JEEPNEY
The Philippine jeepney began as a post-war creation that had been inspired by the GI jeeps that the American soldiers brought with them to the country during the 1940s. Enterprising Filipinos salvaged the engines of surplus GI jeeps that were about to be disposed of, and used them to manufacture then much needed low-cost mass transportation vehicles. The engines were given an all-new body and design, and with an unsurprising touch of creativity and ingenuity, out came the uniquely Filipino jeepney.

Today, the jeepney is the most popular mode of transport in the Philippines, owing to cheap fare and the convenience afforded to passengers to board and alight practically anywhere they want. It is said to be comparable to the jitney, the taxi/minibus that travels along a fixed route, found in many countries. However, every single Philippine jeepney is personalized – each one dressed up and given little touches that are often reflective of common-man sentiments of the time.

TRICYCLE & PEDICAB
Short distance and feeder trips could not be more exciting than via quick modest transports that ply even the toughest and roughest roads in the Philippines. The tricycle is a motorcycle with a sidecar, and the pedicab is a bicycle with a sidecar. These vehicles, familiar sights traversing residential routes and arterial roads, have offered much relief to commuters – especially in areas in the provinces where there are insufficient bus and jeepney services. Tricycles and pedicabs go where the brave yet heavy transports dare not go, getting people around despite heavy floods, road construction, and extreme traffic conditions.

CALESA
The best way to go the scenic route when in the Philippines is on the calesa. A carriage being pulled by a horse, the calesa had been introduced to Filipinos during the period of Spain’s colonization of the Philippines. Looking nothing like the usual motorized vehicle, it is indeed a refreshing sight, often seen in downtown areas, especially in Manila, providing short distance passenger service. Due to its low speed, the calesa is a favored mode for sightseeing in selected tourist destinations.

Source: Department of Tourism