MANILA, Philippines - This year’s Pinoy Ultimate Jeepneys (PUJ) are ready to roll out in style. Premier lifestyle destination Resorts World Manila (RWM) unveiled a new batch of modified jeepneys as part of its annual PUJ Design Challenge.
From designs and sketches to fully-functional vehicles, all 14 entries have been painstakingly customized by artists from different regions all over the country according to this year’s theme, Festival of Stars. The modified units are currently on display at the ground floor of RWM’s plush Newport Mall and at the Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill in Taguig until December 30 as part of RWM’s yuletide celebration, Grand Fiesta Manila 2014.
“The PUJ Design Challenge is a success not just in the field of tourism, culture, and the arts, but also of Filipino heritage as well,” says RWM Director for Corporate Communications Owen Cammayo. “Together with different organizations, we are able to revive this true Filipino icon while adding value to the works of the artists involved as well as helping improve the livelihood of the drivers and operators that benefit from these roving street artworks.”
The finalists for this year’s PUJ Design Challenge include “Taas Nuo ang Lahing Pinoy”, “Kapistahang Pilipino”, “Gypsy Star (Jeepsy)”, “Bikolarga!”, “Kinang Pinas”,
“Iluminadong Selebrasyon at Pasasalamat”, “LuzViMinda Parola”, “Larawan”, “Wooven Jeep”, “Pangarap Pinoy”, “Araw at Gabi Paskong Pinoy Lagi”, “Biyaheng Bituin”, “Ako’y Isang Pinoy”, and “Paglaum”.
The grand winner of the competition will receive P300,000 while the second prize will take home P200,000. The entry that gets the most number of online votes will receive the 2014 PUJ People’s Choice Award along with a P100,000 cash prize. The awarding ceremonies will take place on December 23 at The Plaza in Newport Mall.
With the help of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), RWM’s PUJ Design Challenge has produced 23 modified jeepneys since its initial run back in 2012. This project is part of Resorts World Manila’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts to revive and celebrate the prominence of the iconic Philippine jeepney as an initiative to further boost tourism, culture and arts in the country, while improving the livelihood of participating jeepney drivers and operators. So far, the initiative has contributed a 70% increase in the daily profits of the PUJ beneficiaries.
Aside from modifying the jeepney units, one of the goals of this CSR program is for Pasay City jeepney drivers to become “Tourist Drivers” through comprehensive training programs conducted by partner institutions Caritas Manila, Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).