How to Ride the Jeepney in the Philippines

Would like to share video about our means of public transportation. It maybe funny but very useful for those who wish to come and visit the beautiful islands of Philippines.

Jeepneys are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. They have become a symbol of Philippine culture.

Jeepneys are usually manned by two people, the driver and the conductor. If present, the conductor manages passengers and takes care of fare collection. At designated stops, a dispatcher/barker will usually also be present, calling out route and destination and ushering in passengers. In some vehicles only the driver is present, and passengers have to ask the adjacent passengers to pass on the fare to the driver. The driver in this case, relies on the honesty of the passengers to pay the proper amount of fare, as he has no way of checking how much is paid by each individual.

To ask the driver to stop the vehicle, passengers can rap their knuckles on the roof the jeepney, rap a coin on a metal handrail, or simply tell the driver to stop. Modern jeepneys often install buzzers and buttons to make it easier for the passengers. The usual parlance for asking a driver to stop is para, from Spanish 'stop', a word that is rarely used outside of this context in recent days. It is also preferred that the passengers call out the words rather than knock, as evidenced in the common admonition from drivers: Ang katok, sa pinto; ang sutsot, sa aso; ang `para', sa tao (Knocking is for doors; whistling is for dogs; para for humans).