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Kings of the Road: Machismo and Manila's Jeepney Drivers
| Article
# : |
18663 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
8 / 1991 |
3,320 Words |
| Author
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Herminia Q. Menez
Herminia Q. Menez recently retired from California State
University. She is presently a research associate in the
Folklore and Mythology Center at the University of California
in Los Angeles. |
The jeepney carries the sign King of the Road. Its body is painted a brilliant red with streaks of magenta and peacock blue. Paintings of waterfalls, trees, flowers, and birds decorate the sides, hood, roof, and ceiling. Colorful plastic cutouts festoon the open windows on both sides of the jeep. Along the front window facing the driver hangs a tasseled curtain on which is embroidered the driver's favorite prayer: God Bless Our Trip.
On the dividing panel between the driver and the passengers is a big poster of the Virgin Mary. Beside it, prominently displayed, is a row of stickers showing cartoons of scantily clad women with oversized breasts. Hand-painted inscriptions appear in the interior and body of the vehicle, and on its bumpers and mudguards. On the hood are multicolored reflectors surrounding four miniature chrome-winged horses. A family crest in the shape of a coronet stands above the wind-shield on top of the signboard, which lists the jeep's destinations. Decorating the tall antennas are colorful plastic streamers that fly in the wind as the jeep zooms in and out of traffic.
The jeepney as a message
Anyone who has been to metropolitan Manila and other major cities in the Philippines must have noticed the gaily decorated vehicles that ply well-traveled routes. Until the advent of the railway transit system in 1984, these jeepneys dominated the urban landscape, providing cheap and convenient transportation to the majority of commuters--students, laborers, and office workers. Despite the competition, the jeepney has retained its status as a national icon, as evidenced by its representation in the fine arts and the mass media, and by the importation of the vehicle itself to international fairs.
The transformation of the surplus Eisenhower jeep of World War II vintage into a decorated public utility jeepney during the post-liberation period spawned a profitable industry specializing in custom-built vehicles. The major innovations on the American army jeep are an iron roof, an elongated body with two facing rows of seats for six to ten passengers, and open windows on either side with pull-down plastic covers in case of rain. Most of the jobs, from bodywork to customized painting, are done by skilled craftsmen and artists in family-run enterprises, all of whom pride themselves in rendering personalized service.
After the jeepney leaves the shop, both the owner and the driver who leases it from him purchase or make the
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