The iconic jeepney has taken many forms throughout the years. Arguably one of the most interesting versions, however, is Jeepito.
Our assistant managing editor Jason Tulio says it sounds like the man who created Pinocchio (ha...), but it’s actually the ‘World’s Smallest Philippine Jeepney.’ Its owner, Ronald Carlton Papa Tan, shares that the vehicle was built way back in 2015 for the purposes of making people happy, spreading smiles all over the Philippines, and promoting tourism.
To give you an idea of just how small Jeepito is, it measures only 2,336mm long, 1,067mm wide, and 1,397mm tall, making it way smaller than a Hyundai Eon. It has enough space for only four people including the driver, plus one sabit.
The vehicle is powered by a three-cylinder engine that can be found in multicabs. The entire frame and chassis, meanwhile, are custom-built. It has the whole jeepney look on point, and it even has a horse figurine mounted on the hood and a spare tire by the driver’s seat. The vehicle sports the Philippine flag’s red, white, blue, and yellow colorway along with the three stars and a sun.
These days, Jeepito roams the streets of Baguio City. We’ve no doubt that even seven years in, this dinky jeepney still turns heads and puts smiles on a lot of people’s faces each day. If you want to see more of Jeepito and its journey over the years, you can check out the video below:
