Cultural recognition comes with certificate but no provision for the heat

The Honor They Deserved, The AC They Did Not Get

MANILA — The Philippine jeepney received UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status this week, a distinction that carries enormous symbolic weight and absolutely no structural improvement to the vehicle’s ventilation system.

Culture Secretary Alma Perspiration attended the ceremony, where she accepted the certificate in a crisp barong that had been pressed that morning and was no longer crisp by the time she reached the podium.

What Changes, What Does Not

Under UNESCO recognition, the jeepney may not be significantly altered, which heritage advocates call a victory and daily commuters call “the sentence.” Proposals to install air conditioning were reviewed and deemed “inauthentic,” a finding that carries less weight at 2 p.m. in August than it does in an air-conditioned conference room in Geneva.

“The jeepney represents the Filipino spirit,” said Dr. Andres Crowded, Professor of Vehicular Anthropology at the University of Santo Tomas. “Hot, packed, blasting music, somehow moving forward. It is a mirror of the nation.”

Drivers Respond

Jeepney drivers said they were proud of the recognition and asked whether UNESCO would also cover the cost of spare parts, which have tripled in price. UNESCO confirmed it would not. A driver named Mang Rodrigo noted that “intangible heritage” was an apt description for the engine warranty he bought in 2019 and had never been able to claim.

The UNESCO ICH program confirmed the listing is permanent. The commute remains indefinite.

SOURCE: https://bohiney.com