Bayad Po! Isang Drayber Papuntang Pangarap Lang.

“Manong Al, bayad po! Isang estudyante po, sa may España lang.” 

In the heart of Manila, a discolored yet still vibrant jeepney cuts through the sea of vehicles big and small, all having different destinations to go to. Leaning back at the most important seat is Mang Al, a weathered Filipino jeepney driver of 20 years, whose eyes hold the stories of a thousand journeys.

As the sun begins its ascent, casting a warm glow over the city, Mang Al's jeepney becomes a sanctuary for weary souls in the already bustling streets echoing with the cacophony of daily life. Students, their backpacks heavy, chattered eagerly about what activities they will do in school. A businessman, his brow furrowed with the weight of responsibility, not looking forward to meeting his egotistical manager who prances around his offices that he doesn’t deserve. And a woman, her arms filled with groceries, deep thought etched into her face as if thinking what meal she will cook for her family.

With each passenger that boards his jeepney, Mang Al finds himself swept away in a tide of memories, each face a reminder of the countless lives he has touched throughout his years of service. He recalls the laughter of children on their way to school, the whispered secrets of young lovers stealing moments amidst the chaos, and the quiet nods of gratitude from strangers whose burdens he helped lighten, if only for a moment.

Mang Al also recalled the dire situations he was involved in during his journey of this job. From him almost hitting a child who randomly popped in his track way, to trying to stay calm and collected for his passengers when everyone inside his vehicle got robbed. He never forgets to thank the Heavens whether he survives those moments.

'Di lang buhay ko ang hawak ko, buhay rin ng iba.’ 

As Mang Al swerves the wheel to turn the vehicle around, he finds himself already lost in a haze of exhaustion despite his day just starting. His hands ache from gripping the worn steering wheel, his eyes heavy with fatigue after waking up early to ferry passengers to and fro. The weight of his responsibilities bears down upon him like a burden too heavy to bear, threatening to crush his spirit beneath its weight. 

It felt endless to Mang Al, an unceasing cyclical route of tiredness and mundanity. He felt like a hamster running on its wheel for hours but never leaving his place, after running so much or like Sisyphus working hard to push his boulder on top to a mountain only for it to fall back down from the start. Unaccomplished. Tired. That’s what Mang Al felt as he halted the jeep into a stop when the red lights flickered brightly. He started to think, when will he end this tiring cycle?

But amidst the weariness that starts to heave him, a flicker of light pierces through the darkness of his thoughts. For as Mang Al reflects upon his life—his purpose, he is reminded of the reason for his tireless toil, his children.

His children who were still in elementary school. His children who promised him to build a big house near the beach. His children who drew their family with crayons on paper with the biggest mansions and luxurious cars out there. His children, his sole reason that fuels his determination to endure whatever hardships may come his way. 

For Mang Al knows that every drop of sweat shed behind the wheel of his jeepney is a small sacrifice in service of a greater cause: the education and future success of his children. He remembers the dreams he once harbored for himself, the aspirations that were sacrificed at the altar of parental responsibility. But in their place blossomed a new dream – one born of love and selflessness, one that burns brighter than any star in the night sky. With the new profound strength to carry the heavy burden, he stepped on the gas pedal as the traffic lights turned green. 

Looking at his rearview mirror, another realization dawned on him as if someone suddenly hit the breaks of his mind. His passengers—whether the old or young, student or working, man or woman, everyone he drives with his jeep has dreams they want to achieve, and he was one of the reasons why they’re reaching them.

Mang Al is not only a driver of passengers to their destination, but an agent to help these people to be a step closer to their dreams, their purpose. He is not only a driver, but a catalyst for change in the lives of normal people, like him. 

As the sun continued to rise, touching every surface with its warm light, he raised his head up high while gripping the steering wheel tighter. Getting his head together, a new sense of purpose floods his body and soul, making him ready for what new ‘tsuper’ experiences he will encounter today. 

“Mang Al, salamat po at dito na po ako. Para po!”