NCCA: Jeepneys to only become museum pieces, unless…

MANILA, Philippines — If Thailand has Tuk Tuk and Vietnam has Cyclos, what would the Philippines have as “king of the road” if Jeepneys are to be totally phased out?

Even Joseph Patrick Lee, National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Cultural Properties Regulation Division Chief, is sad about the government’s gradual phase-out of traditional Jeepneys.

“Ako, maybe I could speak for my personal opinion, well, growing up as a Millennial, kinalakhan natin s’ya. It really saddens me na i-phe-phaseout s’ya,” Lee told Philstar.com at a recent exclusive interview in NCCA office in Intramuros, Manila.

“’Di lang naman ‘yung hitsura ang phini-phaseout. I think, ‘yung presence.”

NCCA, said Lee and his fellow officials, including Executive Director Dr. Eric Zerrudo, might be the official government agency for culture in the country, but it has only been mandated to bestow grants and provide assistance for the preservation of the legacies of the country’s National Artists, National Living Treasures and other arts, culture and heritage components that have been officially declared as important on a national level.

“What we regulate are cultural properties that are declared,” Lee clarified. 

“Hindi po s’ya (Jeepney) kasama sa nireregulate ng NCCA bilang ito nga po ay hindi work ng National Artist and wala pong alam na Jeepney na 50 years and above for NHCP (National Historical Commission of the Philippines) to regulate.”

As popular art, the Jeepney has not been “declared” as a cultural property, said Lee.

“Wala s’yang declaration kasi iba-iba naman ‘yung hitsura ng Jeepney, ‘no? Parang wala s’yang affiliation sa any of our National Artists, ‘no?” he pointed out.

Lee, however, noted that it is not yet too late to have the Jeepney declared as a cultural “icon.”

“Pero sa tingin ko, sa field po s’ya ng icons, ‘no? At kung ma-preserve man po s’ya, siguro kung pwede sa mga medium po ng iba’t ibang artforms like visual arts or pwede s’yang maging design po sa mga industrial arts. Siguro ‘yung preservation n’ya sa ganu’ng paraan,” he explained.

“Pero I believe naman na over the years, ‘yung jeepney naman ay well-documented sa ating literature, comic books, books for children,