Kamaruddin Bin Alawi Mohammad

PS 399 (Research Methods in Philippine Studies)

UPD Chancellor Michael L. Tan
Riding Jeepney
As usual, I rode a jeepney today going to my work in UP Diliman. I noticed that there has
been an increase number of jeepneys going to UP. By the way, I stay near Tandang Sora Avenue
and for the past few weeks I observed that there has been few jeepneys heading for UP. In fact, I
experienced waiting for almost more than an hour. I always took a ride near New Era High
School main gate because that is one of the good spots where you can easily ride. Jeepneys
would seldom not to stop there because they carry with them students. Disembarking of
passengers, the students, would mean a chance for me to ride because there will be "space" to sit.
It was 7:20 am and after 10 minutes of waiting, I was able to embark and enjoy the ride to
UP. I sat beside an old man that does not care for his seatmate breathing all the smoke from his
cigarette. The driver noticed him and said, "Manong, bawal po ang manigarilyo sa loob ng dyip"
(Sir, smoking is not allowed inside the jeep.). The old man murmured something before throwing
the cigarette into the window. He said something again but it was almost a whisper. Since he is
close to me, I heard it clear. He said, "Pakialamero" (Interloper). Suddenly, the vehicle stopped
and a fair young lady embarked. I immediately noticed a young guy sitting in front of me looked
at her with a grind. I turned my face towards her and I saw that she was holding the neck of her
shirt. I was thinking that she was just protecting herself from anybody that might peek into
"something in there" that shouldn't be exposed. She sat beside me and tried to get coins in her
pocket. She handed it to me while saying "Pakisuyo po" (Please). I took it and handed it to
another lady that happened to be closer to the driver. I reached for her hand and said, "Pamasahe
po niya" (It's her fare).
When we reached a church, most of my fellow passengers were doing "sign of the cross."
Anyway it was not new to me because even though I'm a Muslim, I have a lot of Christian
friends and they told that doing so is some sort of a respect while others would say it is
acknowledging the presence of Christ in the church. I always observed this wherever I go. Then
suddenly the vehicle stopped again but this time no one is coming in rather someone is
disembarking. It's the old man. The one that smoked earlier.
After few minutes of ride, I reached my destination. I looked at my wrist watch and it
says 7:46 am. That means going to UP took me a 16 minute ride today. How I wish it would be
the same tomorrow and the rest of my week days or even earlier. It should be noted that the
travel was quite smooth and the traffic was good. I'm using the word "traffic" here not in its
"colloquial" rendering rather in its proper context of being a noun that means "vehicles moving
on a road". The word "traffic" in Filipino culture is something to be concerned with or to be
worried with especially when you ride everyday to school or work. You are going to be late when
it's "traffic". In other words, the word "traffic" in Filipino culture means "traffic jam."
As I was disembarking the "dyip" (jeep or jeepney) today, after all the experiences that I
have encountered along the way inside the "dyip", I felt relief. Why? It was because I was few
minutes earlier in the office and there was no "trapik". To top them all, thanks God, I arrived
safe.