Donation

My monthly obligation with 'LOVE' (PAG-IBIG) requires me to travel to Makati Atrium. The stretch of Makati Avenue is not very friendly to non-car owners. The stretch is not frequented by jeeps; cabs,  as you know,  are costly. So when a small green conveyance that looked like a jeepney stopped in front of me, I took notice. On its windshield was a marker of its route, and it said "Landmark." No Makati visit is ever complete without dropping by Glorietta. I hopped on it immediately only to be greeted with one more surprise! The ride was free! Hooray!

Glorieta

I was on one E-jeepney, an electric-powered vehicle,  plying a circular route around the Makati Business District. Its body is painted green and that particular jeep could accomodate 15 passengers. The ride was a thrill. You would probably never understand the excitement of a provinciano passing through all those skyscrapers. I did not mind being slightly late for my 10 am appointment at Glorietta. All throughout the trip, though, I kept my eyes alert for the 'Landmark' as most of the streets and buildings were foreign to me, being a 'southern' citizen and all.  The ride, I'd say, is not for anyone who is in a hurry for it takes its sweet time to go by all those streets.

One interesting observation I made was the passengers' attitude towards that  free ride. The driver was not demanding any fare; behind the driver's seat, there was a donation box whose opening was large enough for an unfolded bill. The box was placed conspicuously for a reason. I was so happy about it, and I supported it that I donated 10 pesos! That's three pesos more than a minimun fare! My donation will surely go a long way for the environment. Some dropped a few coins into box, too; others, I supposed, gave their donations in forms of silent prayers. There was one whom I  heard saying "Thank you" before going down.

The free ride worked like any ordinary jeep. The driver would ask if anyone was getting off at a particular street. The passenger would respond, and they would even inform the driver of their destination.

I got interested in this transportation and googled it up to find out that it had been around since 2007! I also learned that the E-jeepney was a result of the concerted effort of various environmental groups including Greenpeace. Reading about this, I was thrilled and saddened at the same time. I was elated to know we had technology for this, but was sorry to discover that Makati seemed to be the only place enjoying this.

I hope I'll not forget to drop an additional peso in my next use of the e-jeepney.

More on e-jeepney by clicking on this link and this.