MANILA, Philippines — It appears that Filipino ingenuity and innovation is truly limitless as local transport providers are now looking into the skies to deploy 'flying' jeepneys' to help commuters and travelers avoid the horrifying traffic situation along the country’s premier thoroughfare—the Epifanio Dela Santos Avenue or EDSA for short.

That's right, if you think the Philippine transport system had run out of surprises, think again—just like in a science fiction movie from Hollywood, experts in charge of our roads as well as transport providers have announced that passenger jeepneys will soon be equipped with retractable wings and turbo propellers to make them airborne and thus by flying, they will be able to avoid the traffic snarls on land (and even road rage that sometimes happen when vehicles bump and scrape while traveling back and forth.

Citing this innovative proposal, a government spokesperson described the concept as truly out of the sci-fi genre of novels. It is called 'SkyJeep' and was born out of frustration with EDSA’s perpetual gridlock and an inspiring binge of vintage sci-fi films during a long weekend.

Decades of trying to decongest Metro Manila’s infamous gridlock with bus lanes, bike lanes, carpooling schemes and more coding experiments than we can count, the authorities have apparently decided that the solution lies not on the ground, but above it.

“We realized that we’ve tried almost everything to fix the traffic situation, but the solution was right above us, Since we can’t widen the roads any more than we already have, we’re taking public transport to the skies,” he noted.

According to the Palace official, the SkyJeep program is expected to begin pilot testing some time in the middle of the next month, with modified jeepneys equipped with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities. These souped-up PUVs will have retractable wings, turbo propellers, and what authorities call 'adaptive flight tech' to dodge power lines and avoid hitting billboards of celebrities endorsing gambling and skincare products.

Despite their futuristic capabilities, these flying jeepneys will stick to their roots. The iconic 'sabit' culture will still be alive and well, with daring commuters now hanging on—literally for dear life—as the jeepneys race through Metro Manila’s skyline.

“We’re even keeping the classic ‘BARYA LANG PO SA UMAGA’ reminder, except now the driver might also ask for ‘seatbelt lang po’ before takeoff,” our government source enthused.

To prevent chaos in Metro Manila’s already-crowded airspace, authorities plan to initially limit the flying jeepney routes to key choke points: Antipolo to Makati, Alabang to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) and Mandaluyong to Manila Loop via Pasay City.

And for those worried about safety, fret not. Authorities assure the public that all SkyJeep drivers will undergo extensive retraining—with a focus on turbulence avoidance, airplane dodging and maintaining composure when passengers ask to be dropped off midair.

Surprisingly, the fares for flying jeepneys are expected to be competitive with regular ones. The spokesperson confirmed that passengers would only pay a slight premium for the “convenience” of avoiding EDSA, with a possible “extra charge” if the driver has to circle around to find a parking spot.

If flying jeepneys prove successful, authorities are reportedly considering a more ambitious expansion: jetpack-equipped e-trikes for delivery riders and drone taxis for the tech-savvy elite.