When you come to a new place, it’s important to know the modes of transportation. Land traveling in the Philippines is easy. It’s great if you have you’re own private vehicle but it’s best if you could try riding public vehicles. Plus, knowing the common public transporation modes will help you go to your destinations if you don’t have a car.
I know that I’ve mentioned about horse-carriages (kalesa) in my other post. But a horse-carriage isn’t really a common mode of transportion here in the country. They are just used as tourist attractions and are common in Vigan City where there are still establishments that are built by our Spanish colonizers.
So what can you really ride here in the country? Let’s start with the basic ones.
The Tricycle
A tricycle is motorcycle with a side car attached to it. It is common in rural areas but they can sometimes be found in urban areas as well. However, they are only used for traveling a short distance in urban areas and are prohibited in major roads. Riding a tricyle is one of my favorites because you can really feel the wind.
The Pedicab
A pedicab is just like a tricycle except that a bicycle is used instead of a motorcycle. Pedicabs are the common modes of transportation in provinces. I also love riding pedicabs however I feel sorry for the driver if he would pedal the bike for many hours. Because of that I don’t ride pedicabs that much and I personally prefer tricycles.
The Jeepney
Who wouldn’t know about the jeepney? Jeepneys are the most popular public vehicles in the Philippines. They have become a symbol of the Philippine culture so be sure to ride one when you visit here. The fare for jeepneys depends on where you are and on the distance that you need to travel. But usually it’s around 8 or 10 pesos.
Jeepneys usually have konduktors which are considered as work partners of the drivers. A konduktor is a person who stays at the back of the jeepney and collects the fares of the passengers. Konduktors are usually guys but today I also see women who do the job. It’s because drivers bring their wives with them to help them earn money.
Bus
I guess everybody knows about buses because almost every country in this world have buses. In the Philippines, buses are used for long-distance traveling. Usually, they are the ones that are used to travel from one province to another.
MRT / LRT
MRT (Metro Manila Rail Transit) & LRT (Manila Light Train System) are train systems that can be used to travel long distances without touching ground by just hopping from one train to another. They are usually used by employees who don’t want to get caught in heavy traffic during work days.
Unfortunately, they can only be found in Manila but I hope that there will also be trains in other parts of the Philippines someday.
Even if you have your a private vehicle, it would be more fun if you could try the public modes of transportations here in the Philippines. And for those who love land traveling, I have a tip for you. You can actually travel by land from Mindano to Manila and vice-versa through RO-RO (Roll-on, Roll-off) highways.