Living in the Philippines when I was a kid, jeepneys were an everyday reminder of creative self-expression. Jeepneys can be found everywhere and are the easiest and cheapest mode of public transportation. The main thing that intrigued me about these humble former US military jeeps was the fact each jeep was original. Sure, the basic structure of the vehicle is similar but I have never seen two jeeps with the same design. The driver or the owner starts out with a blank slate and then peppers the jeep with a taste of their personality. I can always remember the bright and usually clashing colors that cover the jeeps from bumper to bumper. In my view, they were not purely decorating these vehicles for aesthetic purposes but for expressing themselves in the only creative medium that they have access to.
The jeepney provides both form and function. They give the sometimes grey and dull poverty stricken streets a shot of life and energy. It would be pretty hard to imagine a bunch of plain silver military jeeps running up and down Philippine roadways. The range of creativity can also be noted as well, some jeep are painted with one or two basic colors and most of them are lively decorated with intricate designs. Even until today, whenever I go back home and flag a jeepney down, I’m still fascinated its design. Whether it has colorful flags, family crests, or sculpted metal horses on the hood, it’s a pleasant reminder of self-expression in their daily life.
