Why would you bother to own a car here in the Philippines?
What, with the great public transportation that’s available. First are the Victory Liner Buses and the other Bus if you know the name, Then the Mini-Buses with the wooden seats, Jeepneys in all sizes and colors, and of course the Trike and the very last are the intra-island ferries.
And one of these 4 types of land transport will be along every minute or two, the ferry, not so often.
For those who choose to reside in other areas of this Big Round Ball called Earth, I’ll try to explain the above modes of public transportation. Top of the food chain is the Victory Liner, which will come in two types and two prices. First the Air-Con bus used to travel vast distances from city to city. And the non- Air-con which goes the same places at the same time but with less comfort and cheaper. As with airline travel there are snacks you can purchase when the bus slows down and vendors jump onboard. If you cannot identify the snack by sight or smell you might want to pass on that, also like Sari-Sari stores they can change no bill over twenty pesos (approx. 50cents). But the warm drinks are okay, and you can buy a warm beer also. When you depart you will be close to a market or a place that sells cold beer.
Now if you really just don’t care how you get there or if you get there at all, take the Mini-Bus, these take you from one town to another dropping you close to a market or a place that sells beer. Most are homemade, built sometimes out of wood, and you are jammed into the wooden seats by a conductor. The windows neither go up nor down, as they were the first thing to stop working, after the bus was built. So the weather will help you choose your seat. Also check the tires prior to getting on. You’ll someday thank me for this, as I’ve seen them coming down the mountain and run off in to some poor guy’s nipa hut. Some tires so slick you can see the air inside. If you survive, again it will put you close to the market or a place that sells beer.
Next is the famous Philippine Jeepneys, which are used to travel rather short distances like from home to the market, or a place that sells beer. Jeepneys are an engineering marvel, handmade seating between 12-18 passengers plus “One More”, loudly decorated and blaring music you will hate. Here in Olongapo the Jeepneys were color coded years ago, and once you learn that coding system (and this time they do use color or colour if you’re British), you can get to the market or the place that sells beer, quite smoothly. Prior to color coding (mid 80’s) you had to ask the driver where it was going, and he always was going where you wanted (for a price) he would eject the other passengers and take you to the market or a place that sells beer. Picking the correct Jeepneys was easy for me, as I would only ride in one that had more than five horses on the hood. And back then they blared good Rock N’ Roll music.
And next to the last is the Trike, this is a motorbike (100-175 CC) equipped with a covered sidecar and for a few pesos will take you short distances to the market or a place that sells beer. The longer the distance will increase the price, but cheap and easy to ride. Grunting and pointing works for me. A friend and I back in the 70’s each hired a Trike from Olongapo to the Barrio to a place that sells beer that we liked. Like a fool I told my driver that I’d give him an extra 50 pesos if he beat my friend to the bar. Off we went uphill we passed the graveyard and then downhill towards the Barrio, taking all the turns on two wheels with my wheel being the one in the air. That’s when I told him I’d give him 100 pesos if he lost the race. I never did that again.
And last is the ferry boat between islands. It can be simple explaining their use. “DO Not! For any reason board this floating, soon to sink death trap” Fly, swim or learn to walk on water, but “Don’t ride a ferry!” Stay home, stay alive and have a beer.
Owning your own car: Two schools of thought on this subject, one is to buy new, and worry about it every time you drive or park it, or buy second hand and don’t sweat it! (Teach your wife to drive so you may enjoy a cold beer while out. “DO NOT DRIVE DRUNK” in The Philippines for any reason) after all that, I still choose both to live here and also to keep my second hand car.
Paul,
From my time in the Philippines the car has no place for my hands on the steering wheel. I thought the people here in Kuwait were bad, but I think I stand a better chance on their roads than I would in the Philippines. I have gotten around quite well on the various forms of transportation you have mentioned. I think it is funny when my family ask me “are you going to ride a trike to town?” When in the Philippines I do as they do! Never far from a place that sells San Mig’s or Matador!
Steve;
After driving a delivery truck in Boston, 10 years in Puerto Rico, and 2 years in Naples Italy, and both on left side or right side of the road all over the world, I can drive like a local. I just wear my hat that says “No Fear”.
Cheers Paul,
I just discovered San Miguel “Grande” – bit of a tight fit in a tricycle but OK on a bus. Thanks for the article – I’ve been experiencing all of them.
Hi John;
With all your traveling here in the Philippines, I’ll bet you’ve been on every type of transportation there is. I wish I could have spent more time with you when you visited.
Hi Paul – As for me, I’ll take a nice, s-l-o-w, horse-drawn kalesa in which there will be enough travel time to have more than one adult beverage of choice. Ah – life in the far out provinces! 😆
Hi Paul;
And the view of the North end of a South bound horse is to die for. I hired a kalese in Manila to tour around when my girls were young, and enjoyed it very much. They are fun.
Hi Paul – That North v. South issue may be true in Vigan (and possibly Manila) where passengers sit facing forward so they can see all the sites.
In Laoag, passengers sit facing each other (facing the buildings/houses/etc. on one or the other side of the street. 😉
Only the driver has the privilege of the view you mention. 😆
Paul K.
The driver has all the luck, and should be required to share.
paul . THe filipos are fantastic drivers take the wheels of the vehicle he can still drive it. Take the engine and gear box out he will still find a way to drive it. Disconnect the hooter he is finished he has no way to drive and would be completly lost.
Frank;
I agree, I seen some great driving here and I have no fear when I ride with a local, my wife is also a really good driver. You are right, if the horn is broken, you’re not going anywhere ‘till it’s fixed
I chartered a Jeepney for an 8 hour day at the cost of about $35 USD and that included the fuel. I filled it full of local friends and toured in and around Iligan City this way. I rode in the front passenger seat for best visibility for sightseeing. I also had the driver join us for lunch and he also patiently waited for us as we got out at the various places we visited.
At the conclusion of a full day of great touring both in and just outside of the city, My friends were shocked when I gave the driver a 500 peso tip. In fact at first the driver almost refused it ( it was about $12 USD to me ). I told the driver for that kind of driving, especially in the city proper and getting through what I considered very tight spots it was worth every peso to me.
I later explained to my friends that if I hired a vehicle where I live for that amount of time and offered a $12 tip, the driver probably would have spit in my face while yelling obscenities at me and then punching me out and tear up the paper money and throw it at me in disgust !
Yeah, I know over tipping by foriegn visitors is not recommended but if I had tried to do that driving myself in a rented car I think I would have spent more than 500 peso on Asperin or some stronger kind of headache relief or maybe a couple of cases of San Mig or Red Horse !
Is what you are calling a ” Trike ” here, also known as a ” Motorela ” ? I went on a couple of those in Cagayan De Oro, with a full load you could sure smell the clutch burning taking off from a full stop LOL !
For me it was a fun way to get around trying all of those forms of public transportation, including the horse drawn calesa .
Hello Bob;
You are so right, there is no better mode of transportation for a day’s sightseeing than a Jeepney. Even though I have a car I’ll still hire one for a family trip, to the beach or wherever. I think there was nothing wrong with your tip, if you were pleased with the service, than that’s a nice way to say thanks’.
A Trike is small motorbike with a side car, if that describes a Motorela, then maybe there the same. Check the picture above and let me know.(Or it could be a brand of cell phone?)
O the memories! Thanks Paul!
In Cagayan De Oro, I learned to use the Jeepneys quite well. I could hire one for the whole day in the city for about 300-400 pesos and the driver was happy with that.
When going up into the mountains, the large jeepneys run a regular route like a bus and the best seat is on the roof sitting on a sack of rice! Fresh air and a good view, plus if he rolls it off the side of the cliff, I have a chance at jumping off into a banana tree or something! 🙂 hahaha
I remember also in CDO that they don’t have trikes, but rather motorelas which are something like a minaturized version of a jeepney in the passenger seating. It is a little 125 cc motorbike pulling an attached trailer that seats six or eight on little benches. Four pesos to take me anywhere in the city from anywhere in the city.
I agree that the filipinos are very skilled drivers….They drive all day in complete chaos at distances of inches between each other and at speeds of 40-50 mph at times and I only saw one rear end bumper tap in 6 months!
Aaron;
Now I know that I should have referred Bob New York, to your description of a Motorela, if I’d only read further down prior to my answer. Did that bumper tap involve a Kano in the front car?
No, the bumper tap was in the downtown of CDO, bumper to bumper traffic at the busy time and it was one jeepney tapped another jeepney in front of him. He was a young guy and just looked away for one second, tried to stop, but couldn’t get it stopped before just a slight bump. I was in another jeepney and we weren’t moving at the time. No one was injured that I could see, but the driver made everyone get off and get on a different jeepney. I don’t why he did that: maybe so kind of regulation or something…
I agree about the ferries also. We took one from CDO to Cebu twice. They run thru the night and you get there in the morning. I hadn’t been in country very long at that time. I found out later that they pack the cargo hold to overflowing and load as many people on as they can….and they often capsize!
I do remember taking notice of the life preservers and recounting the techniques for water survival and treading water I learned in the military as I stood on the deck that night. Haha!
Aaron;
I believe they move the riders so there is less witnesses when the Police arrive, just kidding! I think it’s so the people don’t have to be held up and late for work. I’ve also seen that happen. I would have slept in the lifeboat, so me and the Captain could be the first off the ferry.
Hilarious! I enjoyed your article, Paul! A lot of your observations also apply for Bali, except that it doesn’t matter there, how many beer you had before you ride your ride, car, bike or whatever. Nice read and keep up the good work! Don’t support ‘Beer na beer’, though… 😉
Chris;
Beer Na Beer is not that bad, hell if you feet are dusty from wearing slippers it works great as a foot wash. I’ll have a drink if I’m a passenger, never if I’m the driver. It’s just not worth it! Glad I made you smile while reading this, that was my plan. Bali, great memories ‘nuf said.
Hello Paul
Seeing that boat side ways made me think of when I decided not to take the ferry from Cebu to Manila in 2008. It was the same boat that I saw at the docks before it left!
Jason
I was taking my wife and girls on a trip to another island, we boarded the Ferry to wait to cast off. I walked around the main deck looking at the poor repair of the safety equipment, plus the fact the ship was overloaded and top heavy. (Cargo stacked on the fore deck) After crewing ships for 30 plus years I knew this was a bad idea, I escorted my family to the pier and hired a driver to take us to the airport. After my wife wasted 30 minutes trying to get a refund, which I knew wouldn’t ever happen.
We live on the hwy, so when we take the equivalent of the Victory Liner here, they’ll drop us right off at the house on our return – then I just get the cold beer right outa my fridge 😉
Driving here’s not bad – you just gotta learn to make lefts from the right lane, rights from the left lane, zig when others zag, and all the while signal your intentions with the horn…
Hi Gary;
Ziging while zaging is just the way it is, and after awhile you just get used to it. I like extreme left turns from the far right lane, it just seems so normal. I’m a little weak in the horn department, but I’m working on it.
Hmm it seems all your uses of Transportation have one thing in common=Your constant pursuit if Beer. Does the term
“Drunken Sailor” ring a bell.
The other Bus I remember from the 80’s is the “Philippine Rabbit”.
You brought back some great memories with this subject. You gotta love when you get on the cheap Bus and a local comes on the bus with a Chicken tied to a string and or a Baby Pig.
How about when you make a stop and so many vendors approach the Bus that you think it is a Hi-Jacking only to have them try to sell you everything from Guitars, Miniature Eggs to Sweet Rice wrapped in Banana Leaves.
Hi Neal;
The Rabbit, I’ve not seen one on the road in awhile, I wonder where they went. You forgot you can also buy blow guns and Rolex watches (Batteries included).
Drunken Sailor, like all the Marines are at an AA meeting. Neal, I’ve never heard the phrase “Drunken Air Force Dude!”
Hey, I hope your weather is better; I was talking to my Brother up the road from you in West Wareham MA. He said it’s much better now.
Paul
Dam straight if you can’t take pride in your drinking to excess then why bother.
Yes the weather is a bit better, it has been raining alot but im not bitchin, its better than snow. Hopefully the weather will bring on LOTS of people to look at my house so I can sell it.
Neal;
Selling a house on a rainy day is a good idea, just look up and say “The roof is good!” Then close the deal. Good luck on the sale.
I rode Philippine rabbit buses in the late eighties – they were not the best maintained to put it mildly.On one occasion I could see the road passing through the rusted holes under my feet.They had one bus with the rear axle out of line and it would travel at about 20 degrees to the direction of motion!I recently travelled by bus for the first time in years and was pleasantly surprised – cheap, comfortable, air-conditioned and clean.Nice to be able to see an improvement.
Bryan;
I see it every Friday afternoon, the fleet of brand new buses entering Subic Freeport to bring the tourist from Manila for the weekend. If you want to re-live the old days there are plenty of old mini-buses that still fit the bill. But for the most part the buses are much better and safer than back in the 80’s.
Paul
I didn’t realize that Subic has become such a Tourist destination.
I cant imagine what that place is like now.
Hi Neal;
Two to three new Hotels and many new restaurants open every year and quite a few casinos’, Cubi Point is now an International Airport. Even a new Ford Dealership opens this month. A new Mall just outside the gate (Gordon Ave.) will be built this year. And the Barrio is all new hotels and tourist areas also. (I know where those other types of joints are located, but they are well hidden). I’ll bet you’d be surprised if you saw the area today, and you would still like it.
I did a lot of deliveris in boston so when i pulled out in to traffic in CDO. I just hit the horn an go an don’t look back ..my wife said “Honey you drive like you allways lived here ” I said ” It doen’t matter how you drive ,just don’t hit anyone and you’ll be fine ” so far so good, so far i’ve driven cross country,in the mountains( nasty rock roads ) and all over CDO roads doing great
Phil;
If you can drive in downtown Boston, you can drive anywhere!!!! I was stopped on Subic for going the wrong way on a one way, the officer explained they had not put up the sign yet and that’s why he was there. Made sense to me and he set me on my way with a smile.
Paul – Browsing around the site.. saw this post and OMG provinces still have Mini buses with wooden seats?! Death Bus! Too fast too furious too Mini! Too hard! I’d rather ride a Jeepney! These days, if you go to Makati, they have the eJeepneys . Not sure why it’s called that. Hybrid? Er, don’t know but they look like mini bus, w/o wooden seats, it’ has AC. Govt wants to eliminate old style Jeepneys.
Sugar;
We still have the old fashion mini buses, albeit they are rare. Years ago my wife tried to get me on one, I looked at the tires and I could see the air inside, as they were so slick. I’ve also seen them crash. That’s why I bought a car, I know it’s well maintained.