January 18, 2013

An Open Letter

To the jeepney driver:

     Whenever I set my foot on your vehicle and whether I like it or not, I entrust my life to you. I beg you to please be calm and if possible, refrain from driving like you're on a drag racing. It is your duty to make sure that the unloading area is accessible to you as each passenger may tend to say "para" anytime, thus, I urge you to stay on the right lane. And if and when someone says "para" while we're on the middle of the road, please don't stop right there and then. I don't want to die a double death (heart attack and car accident).

     And for all kind of sake, please refrain from texting while driving. Our precious lives were in your hands. 

p.s. it's okay to wait for passengers, just don't wait for the invisible ones.

To the passengers:

     Be reasonable to understand that the drivers can't just drop you anywhere you want. Don't be mad when they follow the rules. More so, always remember you're on a PUV, be considerate to pass the other's fare like they did for you. Sit properly because PUV's seats were meant to be shared. And for the girls with long free flowing silky hair, please hold it when the wind is blowing before it wiped out what's left of my face.


Jeepney -  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 They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. Wikipedia

Para -  the word we say that signals the driver to stop the vehicle so that we can get off. I don't know where it really came from and I am not in my utmost inspired mood to do the research but according to about.com it is a Spanish preposition to indicate a destination. That made sense, after all we were once a Spanish Colony.