The jeepney is a recognized and adored icon of the Philippines, and Harvard College junior student Laurinne Eugenio adds that it is representative of Filipino ingenuity and resilience. This convenient mode of urban travel was born of leftover surplus American military jeeps post-World War II, and have since become a cornerstone of public transportation in the country. However, the controversial 2017 Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) aims to replace traditional jeepneys with more modern and environmentally friendly vehicles, a goal that has sparked debates about cultural preservation, economic viability, and environmental sustainability. 

Eugenio’s family has strong ties to jeepney manufacturing. Her father’s company LJE Motors, built a sense of community among family members, engineers, designers, and drivers. Although Eugenio’s family immigrated to the U.S. in 2015, they remain involved with jeepneys. She remembers riding jeepneys and being enamored by the art decorating the vehicles, which often featured family portraits and creative lettering. It is clear that the jeepney’s cultural significance extends beyond transportation. 

Eugenio’s research delves into the historical and cultural importance of jeepneys, how it became a national icon, and what consequences a potential phase-out entails for the Filipino people. It explores the challenges stakeholders face against modernization efforts, and argues that the jeepney’s legacy as a Filipino symbol of resilience was brought by the need to be resourceful in a post-war period. Her study addresses the conflicting sentiments between modernization and cultural heritage preservation, and advocates for a balanced approach that carefully considers environmental, cultural, and economic factors. 

In Eugenio’s research this winter, she visited Sarao Motors, an esteemed Filipino automotive manufacturer headquartered in Las Piñas, Philippines. The company was founded in 1953 by Leonardo Sarao, a former kalesa driver turned mechanic with a starting budget of ₱700 (worth ₱91,211 in the year 2021). Sarao Motors would go on to become a multi million-peso enterprise and one of the most important jeepney manufacturers in the nation.