Push Admin

FIRST PERSON: Biyaheng Antipolo, biyaheng patok

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="70 units of traditional jeepneys in PACOCUODAI from lower Antipolo. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/12/patok-1_1.jpg"/><figcaption>70 units of traditional jeepneys in PACOCUODAI from lower Antipolo. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin</figcaption></figure></div>Traditional jeepneys in Antipolo are built different.When I was in senior high school, I was often late for my 7 a.m. classes. My travel time from Lower Antipolo to Mendiola usually lasted two hours, sometimes three, whenever traffic was heavy.Just to make sure I wouldn&#x27;t be late, I would wake up at 3 a.m. and leave the house at 4. It was tiring and sometimes I would skip the early classes just to get enough sleep. I also discovered a life hack that would help me arrive on time — choosing the right jeepney.What’s better than having a “patok” jeepney to help you arrive on time?With travel routes covering Padilla, Cogeo, and Cubao, Patok jeepneys are guaranteed to cut down your travel time. An hour can be halved to 30 minutes, as a patok can zoom through a highway like Dominic Toretto on his fifth cup of coffee.Jerome, a CEU student who resides in Masinag in Lower Antipolo, said riding a patok can be quite scary particularly if the road is uphill. It&#x27;s like riding a roller coaster.When I asked him what type of jeepney he goes for when he’s running late, he said: “‘Yung mga intimidating tignan.’ Yung very creative at may iba’t ibang character na nakakatuwa minsan kasi katabi ni Papa Jesus si Spongebob.”I choose jeepneys the same way, too. Seeing Goku next to Jesus or an image of Mama Mary beside Harry Potter is a sure sign that you&#x27;re riding a patok.Aside from its colorful exterior, you can distinguish a patok jeepney by its blasting loud speakers often with OPM on repeat, and flashy interior lights that can make you dizzy. The challenge is how to pay your fare: you have to speak louder than the music so that the driver or conductor can hear you say, “Bayad po!” As an Antipoleño born and raised, I can’t imagine the streets without these loud and colorful vehicles. L.A. (Lower Antipolo) patok jeepneys are a trademark, a culture, ubiquitous as suman and kakanin.Sadly, these kings of the road may soon become a thing of the past with the government&#x27;s plan to replace them with modernized jeepneys. I paid a visit to the headquarters of Padilla-Cogeo-Cubao Operations and Drivers Association Incorporation (PACOCUODAI) and talked with some of the drivers who took part in the strike.For Kuya Daniel, a member of the association, traditional jeepneys are part of Philippine culture. “Sabi nga ng iba, unang-una ‘yung kultura dapat hindi raw mawala, ‘diba? Wala na tayo sa Pilipinas ‘pag wala nang jeep,” he said.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Kuya Vicente and his colorful jeepney on the first day of the strike. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/12/patok-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Kuya Vicente and his colorful jeepney on the first day of the strike. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin</figcaption></figure></div>Beyond being a cultural icon, the traditional jeepney also represents many Filipinos, at least according to Kuya Vicente, a driver and member of PACOCUODAI for 23 years. “Ang jeep ay para sa mahihirap. May nakita ka bang nagmamaneho ng jeep na mayaman?” he pointed out.From Antipolo, I took a trip to Katipunan to check out the main protest area of the jeepney drivers.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Drivers in Katipunan who joined the main protest on the first day of the strike. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/12/patok-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Drivers in Katipunan who joined the main protest on the first day of the strike. Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin</figcaption></figure></div>Inside the jeepney, I saw a woman in her late 50s carrying a bag of groceries, a senior citizen with a cane, a man in construction worker garb, a medical college student, and children laughing.And I thought, “Can these passengers afford to lose this vehicle?” Most of us rely on traditional jeepneys to bring us to our destinations. The same question can be asked for the long-time drivers — can they afford the transition to the modern jeepney?Kuya Ely, a senior citizen and a jeepney driver for 30 years from PACOCUODAI, said he cannot afford another set of payments when he’s already hard up putting food on the table for his wife and seven kids who are still attending school. Similarly, Kuya Lando from D.K. Toda in Katipunan cannot see himself doing another job aside from driving a jeepney. “May edad na kami. Dito na kami mamamatay sa trabahong ito,” he said.Traditional jeepneys are more than just a means of commuting. To get off the jeep, I would should “Para po! (Please stop!) but would be drowned out by the loud music. Thankfully, the other passengers nearer the driver would help me and shout in unison: “Para daw!” And the jeepney will stop. <div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Is this the end for the kings of the road? Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/12/patok-4.jpg"/><figcaption>Is this the end for the kings of the road? Photo by Hannahlyn Tomaquin</figcaption></figure></div>This is what the transport strike is like - jeepney drivers who are fighting for their livelihoods are shouting &quot;Para po!&quot; to those higher up except the music may be too loud. But they&#x27;re not alone it seems. A lot of people from all walks of life, those who have ridden a jeep at least once, are shouting with them: “Para daw!”- Written by Hannahlyn Tomaquin<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2493316" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Seeing Goku next to Jesus or an image of Mama Mary beside Harry Potter is a sure sign that you're riding a patok.