Filipino drivertoOn December 18th, a 12 day strike resumed to protest the government's gradual phasing out of the country's iconic public transportation system——JeepneyJeepney.

The Philippine Land Transport Authority previously stated that it does not meet the requirementsJeepneyAnd public transportation vehiclesOperating LicenseWill be available onDecember 31, 2023Post failure.Philippine President Marcos Minor stated that,The main purpose of this regulation is to eliminate vehicles with safety hazards.

Jeep is a unique public transportation tool in the Philippines, just like the yellow taxi in New York, and has become one of the cultural labels of the Philippines.Its price is low,Convenient to ride, it has been the main public transportation tool for Filipinos since its inception. On the body of each Jeep, there are colorful patterns painted, some depicting biblical characters such as the Virgin Mary and angels, while others depict superhumans like the Hulk from Marvel movies.

In addition to the bold and personalized car paintings on the body, each Jeep also has its own name, such as"Philippine Warriors," "Highway Ninjas," "Dark Angels," and others are all cleverly integrated into the body painting. Filipino Jeep drivers often proudly say that in the Philippines, you will never find two identical Jeeps.

The Jeep was originally based on the Willis Jeep from the US military during World War II, and was modified with a homemade rear compartment.The term Jeepney is formed by combining Jeep and Jitney.After World War II, local manufacturers in the Philippines made continuous modifications to the jeep by increasing the length and height of the rear compartment, replacing the seats with two parallel benches, allowing passengers to sit opposite each other in the compartment, greatly increasing the passenger capacity of the new style jeep.

But Jeeps have also brought many problems to the rapidly developing Philippines. In terms of road traffic, a large number of Jeeps stop immediately and even change lanes on the road to compete for passengers, which not only easily causes traffic congestion but also increases the risk of traffic accidents.In terms of environmental protection, the existing operating jeeps are generally outdated and have become the main source of air pollution from motor vehicles in the Philippines.

Since the launch of the modernization plan for public transportation in the Philippines, there have been multiple nationwide strikes by transportation groups. The plan aims to bringBus vehicles with over 15 years of age, including iconic Jeeps and buses, should be replaced with new environmentally friendly vehicles.about70% of Jeep drivers have promised to participate in the electric bus programIf the vehicle is in good condition and can ensure safety,They canContinue to provide services before the end of 2024.