Businesses and commuters

Commuter and Jollibee have had the kind of relationship that most parents would disapprove of, yet like any relationship, the lovers will always find a way to withstand all. We can never blame Jollibee, really; he's just everywhere. He's there for Commuter when rain hits her, when she heeds the call of nature, or when she wants to quench her thirst. She, in turn, will have to give in to his welcoming embrace, robbing her off some of her values.But she would always have a reason to come back.

 Now, how do I say that Jollibee has increased its meals by at least three pesos with that kind of introduction?

Sad.

It doesn't take a sociologist to determine the kind of people frequenting Jollibee. During weekends or pay day weekends, Jollibee has a reliable sample population that is representative of the Philippines' demographics. How I enjoy observing families, couples, and friends eating out. I especially like the sincere laughter and the joy in the eyes of the children as they gobble up their regular Yum Burger and play their Jolly Kiddie Meal toys that their parents indulgently bought for them. They make Jollibee their last stop before heading towards the bus and jeep terminal nearby.

Maybe, now, a bit of joy and laughter would cost three pesos more. I would like to think that I wouldn't mind paying extra for my small share of happiness.  


Will commuter still be coming back to him?
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Jollibee is but one of the many establishments powered by the wage-earning Filipinos. Another worth looking into is the enterprising Filipinos that bank on the patronage of commuters and drivers. Jeepney and bus terminals make a good specimen. The entrepreneurs know they certainly wouldn't run out of customers.

One concrete example is this store near a jeep terminal in Alabang. It was interesting to see a store thriving six feet above ground level. When I saw this, I was curious as to how transactions are made in this store. As far as I know, the average Filipino is five feet and few inches tall!
 

I took a closer look to see the merchandise. They had candies, bottled drinks and cup noodles! Amazing!

No one can seem to stop an enterprising Pinoy from doing his thing. In a covered walkway in Las Pinas, another southern Manila city, it is evident that he plans to make his fortune from the pedestrians. Towards the end of this walkway is a tricycle terminal. There used to be stalls along this walkway, but it's gone now.

Crime Seen

The driver turned off his engine; he finally gave up. The FX was not to move in the next five minutes or so. Passengers were anxious of what was going on; some were fanning themselves; others were trying to see the cause of the traffic. One lady looked very impatient, pissed. Her long face, however, got shorter when the FX moved a measly two meters. There was hope. The next twenty meters took ten minutes. Slowly, they saw the cause of the problem. An accident. Heads turned to see the wreckage. As the FX was maneuvering into the small space left for moving vehicles, the passengers, particularly the males transformed from being irritated passengers into crime scene investigators. " Kasalanan ng pula," referring to the smashed car said one. "Siguradong patay yan," concluded one person. "Nakainom 'yan, " added another. It was interesting to note how these people spoke with authority and certainty in spite of the less-than-minute view of the scene. Some tried to take a second look eventhough the FX was meters away.

Two minutes  after seeing the mishap, the passengers cease their CSI persona to return to their passenger roles. I, instead, would like to pray and thank God that it wasn't me nor my loved-ones whom my co-passengers were pronouncing dead. Amen.

Kahit Konti sung by Florante, written by Gary Granada

A supportive friend sent me a copy of this song, very apt in this blog. I am also including the lyrics of the song. Listen to the song and enjoy!

"Kahit Konti"

Maari bang, maari bang umusog-usog ng konti
Hati-hati dahil masyadong masikip ang upuan
At kung iyong kausapin, ako nama'y hindi maselan
At payag matabihan, umusog lang, umusog ng konti

Maari bang, maari bang umusog-usog ng konti
Madadaan sa usapan ang maaring pag-awayan
Sakali mang mayro'n kang napapansin, sabihin lang
At kung makatuwiran ako'y uusog din kahit konti

Hindi naman buong-buo ang hinihiling ko sa iyo
Ngunit kahit kapiraso mano'y magkasundo tayo
Iba't-iba ang katuwiran ng tao sa lipunan
Ngunit ang kailangan lang tayo'y huwag magtulakan

O kayraming suliranin, oras-oras dumarating
Dahil di kayang lutasin hindi na rin pinapansin
Subalit kung tutuusin, iisa ang dahilan
Kaibigan, ayaw nilang umusog ng kahit konti

(Repeat Refrain)

O kayraming suliranin, oras-oras dumarating
Dahil di kayang lutasin hindi na rin pinapansin
Subalit kung tutuusin, iisa ang dahilan
Kaibigan, ayaw nilang umusog ng kahit konti

At kung iyong kausapin, ako nama'y hindi maselan
At payag matabihan umusog lang kahit konti

Bravery

The day before this blog was written, I talked about taking pictures for the blog and my lack of courage for 'jeepney pictures.' The next day,  I attempted on taking pictures inside the jeep. I realized that apart from the danger of putting cameraphones out while on transit, there are also privacy issues that I had to consider. The difference between taking pictures on the bus and in the jeep is that jeepney passengers will be aware of what one is doing , while when a  discreet photographer is on a bus, there is less chance of people noticing; everybody on the bus faces the road and not in front of one another as the case of  the jeep. Jeepney passengers may find it obtrusive that someone is taking their pictures inside the jeep. I , too, would really mind if someone had taken my picture inside a jeep!  But, I thought of being 'brave'  in my part. 'Bravery' or courage is supposed to be second nature to jeepney riders. Imagine the day-to-day jostling, threats from criminal elements, exposure to pollution and life's uncertainties with the daredevil driver. These are everyday realties faced by a commuter that place the Filipino commuter among the ranks of valiant street warriors! hehe. And so I face my own spinelessness. My proof:

 

There. These five pictures were taken from the three of the four jeepney rides I take to go to work. There is a sense of fulfillment in my photography. It was hard, but it was definitely worth all the risks. These images are priceless. These people brave the streets of Manila every day. But it gives me a greater sense of fulfillment that I experience the same struggles these commuters experience every day.

Jeepneys and fares

In a third world country like ours, the Philippines, owning a car is a luxury reserved for the rich. Those who are not take the public transport, and, boy, there are so many of us who keep the various PUV's (Public Utility Vehicle) in business.

A certain jeepney-riding culture has been formed from our long relationship with the jeepney, initially called jitney, a military conveyance transformed into the ever-dependable 'service' of the people. Its existence has largely to do with Filipinos' honesty. It may raise an eyebrow, but our jeepney-riding public is honest. How would the operator continue without its passengers who hand their fare from hand to hand until the money reaches the welcoming hands of the driver, who , by the way, multi-tasks? I wonder how drivers are able to keep track of the payment. That's a great skill to master.

The jeepney-riding experience is a great equalizer. Once you hop onto a jeep, you are its passenger and no other social label could change your state at the very moment. So, physical contact should not be frowned upon, unless, of course, it is deemed inappropriate. By physical contact, I mean hand contact since it is the hand that literally transfers the money to energize the jeep. With the hand contact that transpires in the whole transaction, it would be nice to hear the words "thank you," which apparently are increasingly disappearing in jeepney vocabulary. I smile when I hear these precious words aboard the jeep. I remember one jeepney ride, a man who could obviously pass for a snatcher/murder sat opposite me. A plain-looking
woman handed him her fare and said thank you. He responded with the sweetest "You're welcome" I heard in years!That made my long trip eventful!

Having lived in Zamboanga and worked in Manila, I have seen how different passengers pay their fare. I notice in Manila that most passengers hand in their fare the moment they hop onto jeep. In Zamboanga, they normally pay when they are about to get off. Sometimes they stand beside the driver to wait for their change. As a result, this causes some inconvenience to the driver and other passengers and also to the other vehicles plying the street. But it's culture. Also, I notice in Zamboanga, their notion of fare is proportional to distance. They don't seem to follow the fare matrix. I see people handing five pesos to the driver when the minimum is seven, and yet the driver does not complain.The same cannot be said in Manila. You'll surely get your share of verbal barrage when that happens. I still would like that people follow the fare rates imposed. Mamang driver is like any other person working for a living. It's best we give what is due to them, in the same manner that we expect they bring us to our destinations safely.

to be continued...