Senator makes appeal for old jeepney designs

FILE PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — The design of traditional jeepneys, easily recognized as distinctly Filipino, should not be lost amid the government’s push for the public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP), Sen. Grace Poe said on Sunday.

“Let us allow our iconic jeepney designs to be used as long as they can keep up with the safety requirements … you can tweak the designs of these jeepneys to make it safer and more convenient for the public,” she said in a radio interview.

According to her, keeping the traditional designs in modern jeepneys could help in the country’s tourism campaign, considering that Filipino jeepneys are famous all over the world.

READ: Phaseout of traditional jeepneys will have ‘profound impact’ – Castro

“If they really want to help promote our cultural development, we can get the help of artists as consultants. They can help our drivers with the standard designs,” she said, noting that other countries’ public transportation vehicles feature their nations’ cultural trademarks.

“When you go to Bangkok, they have the ‘tuk tuk’; in the United Kingdom, they have the double-decker buses. Their transport vehicles really have character and value to tourism because of their uniqueness. Same with our own jeepneys, which has a long history dating back to World War II, that’s why they’re also very popular,” Poe said.

Poe described the proposed design for modern jeepneys as “ugly and [lacking] character.”

“Aren’t they ugly? They look like boxes[, which] I couldn’t understand. It lacks character. The designs do not have soul,” she said.

Buy Filipino

The senator, chair of the Senate committee on public services, said the government should prioritize local manufacturers, stressing that they could produce modern PUVs loyal to the jeepney’s traditional design.

“But then we have the free market, we’re saying that our economy is open to business. We can buy wherever we want … but clearly, it would be more affordable and dependable [when it’s from local manufacturers],” she said.

Poe cited Sarao and Francisco Motors as among the local manufacturers that, she said, should be revived.

“We should not just not modernize. We should also consider the value it gives to our tourism and history,” she added.

Meanwhile, Poe said transportation officials should be ready to face scrutiny on the impact of the jeepney modernization program, including the utilization of the P200-million fund for drivers’ livelihood assistance.

“The consolidation deadline is not the end of the road for raising our concerns on the jeepney modernization. We will keep an eye on its implementation,” she said.