Double the fun in air-con double-decker jeep with videoke, ref

AS GARISH as the original “King of the Road,” the double-decker jeepney is
displayed at the 25th Philippine Travel Mart at SMX Convention Center,Mall
of Asia. The travel fair closes today.

Talk about taking things to a higher level.

Who can resist riding a sleek double-decker jeepney—air-conditioned and with videoke aboard to boot?

Such jeepneys may soon be a usual sight in the streets of Manila as the first of their kind was launched at the three-day Philippine Travel Mart, a travel trade exposition at SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia, which began on Friday.

Known as the Philippines’ cultural icon, the jeepney was given a facelift by Jeepney Company Inc., a firm that has been taking tourists around Metro Manila aboard air-conditioned jeepneys since 2005.

The 40-seater, two-deck jeepney has been drawing the attention of prospective travelers at the Philippine Travel Mart organized by the Philippine Tour Operators’ Association.

Even Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., who graced the travel event on Friday, had his photos taken inside the jeepney.

The interior of the double-decker jeep can be likened to any spacious coaster, except that it has a refrigerator, two televisions, microphones and speakers for anyone raring for a videoke showdown.

Painted yellow and showing the Department of Tourism’s slogan, “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” on the front, its exterior has the trademark of the Filipino jeepney’s amusing design.

But unlike the usual “King of the Road,” the double-decker has enough vertical space so that passengers need not bend to get aboard or off. The double-decker has two doors on both sides and two stairs to the second deck.

“We are capitalizing on our cultural icon,” said Clang Garcia, managing director of Jeepney Company, one of the 245 exhibitors at the Philippine Travel Mart that closes today.

The aim of the double-decker jeepney was to serve a bigger market after the success of its jeepney expeditions to favorite tourist spots in Metro Manila, such as Intramuros and other parts of Old Manila, she said.

“It was difficult at first while we were starting. They thought I was going crazy. But our aim was to bring back the pride in our jeepneys,” she said.

“People look down on them. We want to change that,” she said.

The jeepneys in the Philippines have earned the reputation of being the Kings of the Road, as they are known to hustle through the busy roads of Metro Manila and even overtake other vehicles  to reach their destinations.

Poor man’s vehicle

Most consider it the poor and the middle-class citizens’ mode of transport.

The idea of a jeepney tour came to Garcia while she was traveling to San Francisco, California.

It dawned on her that unlike in the United States, no tour companies would fetch tourists in Manila from their hotels to bring them to places.

After that, she thought of setting up a firm and partnering with most hotels in Metro Manila. Since 2005, Jeepney Company has been using air-conditioned jeepneys for tours.

But since the demand for it has been growing, she said she thought about customizing the usual jeepney to accommodate more passengers and a large group of tourists.

Only in the Philippines

The double-decker bus was designed by industrial designer Mark Bautista, who also designed the buses plying Bonifacio Global City.

The double-decker jeepney is expected to make its first trip in October, as the company began accepting reservations on Friday.

Renting the jeepney would cost P11,000 to P18,000 for eight hours of use, Garcia said. The firm likewise plans to branch out to franchising to eventually reproduce the vehicle by next year.

“Tourists can always ride a van or bus in another country. But it is only in the Philippines that they can experience riding a jeepney,” Garcia said.

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