On any visit to the Philippines you can see people crowding into bright colored automobiles called the Jeepney. They are the most popular mode of public transportation in the Philippines! I became completely obsessed with the Jeepney upon my first visit to the country.

The Jeepney has become ubiquitous with Filipino culture. The more flamboyant the paint job and the decorations the better. Often times the decorations make absolutely no sense although religious references and air brushed portraits of family and children are common attributes. The brighter the better to attract the customers needing rides.

The Jeepney is a relic of WWII when the US military started to sell off the surplus jeeps to local Filipinos. Although I have heard many Filipinos tell me that a Filipino invented the “Jeep”… one of many claims I have heard during my visits to the Philippines.

Riding in a Jeepney is a cultural experience that should be had when visiting the Philippines but know that they are crowded, hot, and are often filled with exhaust fumes especially if you’re in Manila. They have also been known to be robbed from time to time, so a tourist visiting the Philippines would want to share this experience with locals that know the Jeepney drivers and their routes.