Rules of Commuting in Cebu.

March 17th, 2009

1. P500 pesos is actually acceptable by the konduktor when you don’t have enough sinsilyo to pay for your fare especially if you’re riding a taxi cab.

2. If you’ll travel during daytime, expect that during the rush hours, traffic will meet your ride.
You’ll have to have at least a bottle of water at hand to drown out your throat’s thirst.
It pays off really especially if the city heat pisses you off.

3. You don’t have the right nga mulingkod sa tumoy if bag-o pa ka nisakay.
You have to painstakingly walk down the small aisle made up of knees and feet towards the driver’s backseat.
This happens truthfully whether you’d be riding a multicab or a jeepney. So, take your pick.

4. It isn’t unusual to find someone who places a hand on your leg for support when they go in or out.
Just bring out the best smile that you can even if some kid’s sticky fingers (with a cone with melting ice cream on the other hand) brushes on your newly washed white jeans. Relax, it’s just a kid. Don’t be grumpy.

5. Good thing to know that due to the vast population in Cebu, you’d hardly get to ride on the same PUV with an acquaintance or a friend. Learn the importance of time and patience while you travel home or to work.

Sitting between the aisle is totally normal. There are actually two kinds of “middle seats”:

> QUEENLIKE - In between the driver and the front passenger. Where you get to play like a queen and face the people to your right and left as your slaves.

> “IN”TENSION - drop the ever so known “extension” which is a wide plank of wood (usually measured as 4 x 13 x 2 inches) normally found in double-tired jeepneys for extra passengers to sit on the back. Well here, it’s perfectly normal to sit on the aisle on an small bench which is the alternative for the known EXTENSION.

Scenes described above are based on real life experiences.
Piece of advice: Try to rub your knuckles on your temples and drink lots of water.