Philippine jeepney drivers protest phase-out plan

Jeepney drivers and operators march during a protest against the jeepney modernisation programme in Manila on Jan 16, 2024. - AFP

MANILA: Philippine jeepney drivers staged a noisy protest in the capital Manila on Tuesday (Jan 16) over the government's plan to phase out the smoke-belching vehicles nationwide and replace them with modern mini-buses.

Jeepneys -- first made from leftover US jeeps after World War II -- are a national symbol in the Philippines, and serve as the backbone of the country's transport system.