THE Philippine jeepney, dubbed the "King of the Road," has always been part of our daily lives. To most Filipinos, the jeepney took us to our first day of school, to our first job, to our first date, and to our first family outing. It has become part of our daily routine, from going to the market to going to work and to doing our daily errands.

As a backpack traveler, the jeepney is the cheapest mode of transportation to explore the country's popular as well as hidden attractions. The jeepney took me to my first climb to Mount Pulag, to my first pilgrimage to Antipolo, and to my first exploration of Batanes.

Binangonan Church Sunrise at Muntinlupa baywalk View of the lake from Jala-Jala Siniloan jeepney terminal. PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BAUTISTA Sta. Cruz town hall Panguil Church Catch of the day Panguil landscape

The news that the jeepneys will soon be phased out because they are old, slow and dilapidated makes me sad. I wanted to make one last travel using the jeepney, and this old man selected the 210-kilometer Laguna de Bay loop. I wanted to see not only the places but the people who travel by jeepney around the lake.

210-km Laguna de Bay loop

I have made the Laguna de Bay loop on the country's biggest lake driving a private vehicle, but is it possible to do this using the jeepneys?

I started in Alabang very early in the morning so that I could catch the sunrise at Baywalk in Bayanan, Muntinlupa. I took a jeepney from Starmall, alight in Bayanan, then walked to Baywalk. At 5 a.m., Baywalk was already filled with people who came to either walk or jog. I came to watch the sunrise, and it did not disappoint. A burst of amber and orange illuminated the dark sky to guide the fishing boats coming back to the shore, bringing the fishermen and their catch of the day. It's hard to believe that this fishing community by the lake is just a few kilometers away from the posh Ayala Ayala.

I returned to Starmall Alabang to catch the modern jeepney going to Alabang. This modern alternative has all the right features, is more comfortable, and meets all the safety and emission requirements, but it is not the jeepney experience we all grew up with — no people carrying big baskets, no children eating fishballs.

Calamba to Sta. Cruz by jeepney

I arrived in Calamba, Laguna, in 45 minutes as the modern jeepney I took used the expressway. I walked to the terminal and found the jeepney going to Sta. Cruz, Lagunis mostly filled wily workers from the nearby industrial estates. I saw peddlers selling peanuts, chargers and earphones, sandwiches, and even cooked "ulam" (viand) to passengers who were hurrying to get home to catch some sleep after working the night shift. This is the jeepney experience we are familiar with.

I arrived in Sta. Cruz two hours later and started exploring Laguna's capital. I visited the city hall, its plazas, the local market and the old houses that stood side by side with new buildings.

Sta. Cruz to Siniloan by jeepney

I found the terminal for jeepneys going to Siniloan, a block from the church. I was the first to board the jeepney with the Siniloan signboard. I saw people coming in to board the jeepney going to Siniloan: from a sari-sari store owner who loaded boxes of "paninda" (items to sell) to people who came from a bus with huge pieces of luggage to people who came from the nearby municipio (municipal hall). The jeepney to them is an integral part of their daily lives.

As the jeepney drove to Siniloan, I decided to stop by the Paquil church to see the statue of the pregnant Virgin Mary, which is said to be a gift from King Carlos 3rd of Spain, before heading to Siniloan. In Siniloan, I had lunch at the public market before heading to the jeepney terminal.

Siniloan to Jala-Jala by jeepney

The jeepney bound for Jala-Jala is the longest I've seen, possibly carrying 14 passengers on each side. They carry goods between Siniloan and Jala-Jala and also people who cross the provincial boundary of Rizal and Laguna. On that mid-day, I saw the jeepney filled with students coming home from school in Siniloan. They brought with them fishballs, cheese corn, scramble, and soft drinks in plastic bags, which they consumed inside the jeepney. Another familiar sight we all grew up with.

I was the only one left when the jeepney arrived in Jala-Jala. Envious of what the students were eating, I headed to the local carinderia (eatery) and bought banana cue before exploring the town on foot. I wanted to see the lake from this side and discovered an unusual marker dedicated to Paul de la Gironiere, who I later found was a French traveler who stayed in Jala-Jala during the 1820s. I promised to return to Jala-Jala and retrace the adventures of this original French backpacker.

Jala-Jala to Tanay, then to Binangonan, then back to Manila

I found an empty jeepney going to Taytay, Rizal, and I asked the driver why he continued to drive even when there were not enough passengers. His reply: "We are mostly busy in the morning taking goods and people to the market in Tanay, but we need to continue all day to take people out of this place." The jeepneys in remote places go beyond the usual transport needs.

I arrived in Tanay market, had merienda of pancit palabok, then hopped on to another jeepney going to Binangonan, Rizal. I visited the church before heading straight to the port to watch the sunset. It was a beautiful sunset overlooking Talim Island and Metro Manila. It was a fitting tribute to the last days of the jeepneys, as this mode of transportation that I successfully traveled with on a loop will soon be replaced with a much more modern one. But modernity will not be able to replicate our experiences with the jeepney. The "King" is dead. Long live the jeepney!

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