One of the common transportation in the Philippines is the Habal-habal. It translates to motorcycle-for-rent-including-the-driver-and-you-the-passenger.

Etymology, Epistemology, and other Ologies

The etymology of the word comes from the local dialect term for animals mating: habal. It must be the position of the people on the motorcycle that is why it is called so. Interestingly, the word is repeated and it signifies in the local dialect that it is actually a pseudo mating. Usually, a stand-alone word that is repeated would mean that it is not the real thing. Enough of the epistemological dimension of the word.

How it Works, or How to Hire One, or How it Works

To the uninitiated, this is how a habal-habal works. You approach the driver, or most of the time drivers of habal-habals mob you, you tell them where to go, you mount onto the motorcycle, off you go to the destination, you get off, pay the driver, and go your way. Well, sometimes a driver would pick up other passengers if you did not pay the driver to be the only passenger. But it is more likely even if you paid more that you will be with other passengers if you are in a remote place where there are only a few transportation available. It becomes a duty for drivers to pick those passengers.

In the Cities

Habal-habals are abundant in cities. They serve as the bridge between inland housing of cities and the main roads where the route of the jeepneys are. In short, they supplement the limitations of the jeepney within the city, as the jeepney has only a specific route to follow. You would literally see them swarming a jeepney that halts at their stop to get the passengers, or them carrying the passengers to the jeepney stops.

In the Provinces

In the islands, like Camotes, Siargao, Guimaras, to name a few, it is the common if not the only mode of transportation. It also swarms in far-flung places like mountainous or cordillera-type places. This is because roads are small and precarious for four wheeled vehicles to pass, or if there are actual passable roads existing.

Types of Habal-habal According to Lakbaydiva.com

There are different types and shapes of habal-habal. This one at the left is a provincial-type habal-habal. It is a four-stroke motorcycle that is dependable for long distance travel. The one at the picture has an addendum: a make-shift roof. That indicates the travel is far, and the sun beats the road as there are no trees covering it.

Its city counterpart is usually two-stroked, and I would call it city-type habal-habal for obvious reasons. (Sorry I do not have much imagination). They are setup to be fast and sleek, (some even with stripped down bodies, and even fancy mufflers) to maneuver through the traffic during the day. It is not surprising to know that some habal-habal drivers involve in illegal racing games during the wee hours of dawn with their ride they use  for a living.

So, if you travel around the Philippines, be prepared to meet this curious sight, and perhaps an adventure for foreigners who get used to safety.

Skylab Habal-habal (appearing on top of the post) is named so perhaps because of it’s extensions from the main body, resembling the first US space station. Picture courtesy of jigs from pagtuki.blogspot.com.