JEEPNEY ARTS FESTIVAL: A Splash Back to the Glory Days of the Philippine Icon

Want to paint a Jeepney? All Filipinos including artists, students, local government units, the private sector, and concerned individuals are being called to help in the Jeepney Rehabilitation Drive by painting it with stunning tourism destinations that evoke the rich cultural heritage of the Pearl of the Orient, and awareness as to why it is more fun to travel around the Philippines.

Jeepney Tours, a tourism enterprise offering Daily City Tours onboard the cultural icon, furthers its vision as it embarks its latest corporate social art drive—Jeepney Arts Festival—set to bring back the glory days of fun and vibrant jeepneys spread through a series of events. In essence, it is an advocacy that pays homage to the Philippine jeepney as a true icon of Filipino artistry, ingenuity, resiliency, and entrepreneurship.

The first event is the Jeepney Arts Camp which includes the On-the-Spot Jeepney Painting set to happen on September 20-23, 2012 at the SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds behind SMX Convention Center. It is aimed to be a great educational experience wherein people—Filipinos and foreigners alike—can witness the art of Jeepney painting and even have a glimpse of an original WWII jeepney. On site, the Department of Tourism will be providing a free training program for jeepney drivers and operators which will cover value formation, the culture of tourism, passenger handling, and road safety tips.

“It has always been our vision to be able to bring back the Filipinos’ high regard for the Philippine jeepney as a cultural icon,” says Clang Garcia, Managing Director of the Jeepney Arts Festival. “This is why we spearheaded this social project to involve everyone in making Manila a roving museum of arts, culture and tourism by means of the rehabilitated Philippine jeepneys.”

Anchored in the concept of the Department of Tourism’s campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines!”, the On-the-Spot Jeepney Painting is set to foster the spirit of Bayanihan which brings people together to unleash their creative excellence for arts and to do their own share in reviving the once well-regarded status of the iconic vehicle, whether as a participant or a spectator in this game-changing event.

Volunteers will be provided with real jeepneys and quality painting materials from Nippon Paint, a leading brand of automotive paint, as way of reaching out to the Philippine industries of automotive and tourism. This corporate social responsibility project also includes other sponsors namely Hotel Intercontinental Manila, SM Mall of Asia, ManilART, MMDA, and FEJODAP, and is done in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Design Week Philippines and Smart.

With some of the country’s relevant and revered institutions onboard, this project allows the Philippine jeepney to showcase the country’s rich heritage—from its walls to its destinations—as it sparks hope and breathes life into that matchless feeling that can never be experienced in the comforts of an air-conditioned, music-filled, tinted car.

Putting to light this noteworthy revolution, the Jeepney Arts Festival is set to take us one step forward in reviving the Philippine jeepney, not only as the most popular means of transportation in the country, but as the Philippines’ bona fide iconic vehicle eminently bannering art and tourism.



To participate, kindly check out the merchanics and fill up the registration forms at www.JeepneyArtsFestival.com or email bayanihan@jeepneyartsfestival.com