A Young Man's Diary

10 QUESTIONS FOR A JEEPNEY BARKER

Jeepneys are considered as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. This form of transportation is usually manned by two people: the driver and the barker. The barker is responsible for calling out route and destination and ushering the passengers.

Meet JUN-JUN (left), a young jeepney barker.

QUESTION 1: Ilang taon ka na? (How old are you?)

JUN-JUN: Ten. (Ten.)

QUESTION 2: Matagal ka na ba nagtratrabaho bilang barker? (Did you work as a barker for a long time already?)

JUN-JUN: Kakasimula ko pa lang po. Nagsimula ako nung nine years-old po ako. (I just started when I was nine years-old.)

QUESTION 3: Nag-aaral ka ba? (Do you go to school?)

JUN-JUN: Hindi na po. Tumigil na. Nahihirapan po kasi sila nay at tay sa pagpapaaral sa aming magkakapatid. (Not anymore. I already stopped. My parents are having a difficult time sending me and my siblings to school.)

QUESTION 4: Lahat kayong magkakapatid huminto na sa pag-aaral? (You and all of your siblings stopped receiving formal education?)

JUN-JUN: Yung kuya ko na lang po. Siya po ung panganay. (My eldest brother still goes to school. He is the first born.)

QUESTION 5: Anong grade ka tumigil? (At what grade level did you stop?)

JUN-JUN: Grade 5. (Grade 5.)

QUESTION 6: Hindi ka ba nahihirapan kasi ang bata mo pa lang pero nagtratrabaho ka na? (Aren’t you having a difficult time working since you are still young?)

JUN-JUN: Tinitiis po kasi kailangan. (I suffer but I just deal with it since I need to work.)

QUESTION 7: Magkaano naman kinikita mo kapag napupuno mo ang isang jeep? Tapos, nakakailang jeep ka sa bawat araw? (How much do you earn daily? Then, how many jeepneys are you able to fill each day?)

JUN-JUN: Sa isang jeep, inaabot lang sa akin, sampung piso hanggang bente pesos. Depende kasi sa driver. Ung iba masungit. Marami akong napupuno na jeep araw-araw. (For one jeepney, I earn ten to twenty pesos. It depends on the driver. Other jeepney drivers are unkind. I fill many jeepneys averyday.)

QUESTION 8: Kung mabibigyan ka ng pagkakataon magaral ulit, papasok ka ba? (If you were given the chance to go to school, will you study?)

JUN-JUN: Opo! Gusto ko po mag-aral. (Yes. I want to study.)

QUESTION 9: Ano ang pangarap mo? (What is your ambition?)

JUN-JUN: Ganyan po kuya. Katulad niyo. Mga nagiinterview. Ung parang sa TV. Gusto ko po kasi magsulat. (I want to become an interviewer like the one on TV. I want to write.)

QUESTION 10: Masaya ka ba bilang isang barker? (Are you happy as a jeepney barker?)

JUN-JUN: Opo, basta natutulungan ko lang ang mga magulang ko. (Yes as long as I am able to help my parents.)

Source: thediaryofayoungman