A female tricycle driver recently went viral and has earned the admiration of netizens for her determination to work in this field, often considered as a job for men.
Isn’t she amazing?
Netizens Admire Female Tricycle Driver
When you think about tricycle drivers, the first thing that comes to mind is a guy. That’s because nearly all the tricycle drivers in the Philippines are guys. It’s rare, even nearly impossible, to find or meet a female tricycle driver.
That’s why when Melanie Maravilla Arela posted a photo and her short story about being a tricycle driver to the Facebook page “Tricycle Group Philippines,” a lot of netizens were impressed.
Photo credit: Melanie Maravilla Arela / Tricycle Group Philippines
“Barya lang daw kinikita ko sa pag Tricycle🤭 Yes tama po kayo..☝️ Barya lang talaga kumpara sa mga naka aircon.🥶 Iba kasi ang trabaho namin kumpara sa mga pumapasok ng 8 hrs/day.! Eto ang literal na kailangan mong kumilos para kumita, 💪🏼Pag tamad ka NGA NGA ka.🥺,” she wrote.
(They say that tricycle drivers only earn coins. Yes, you’re correct. Indeed, it’s just coins compared to those working in air conditioned jobs. That’s because we have a different job from those who are working 8 hours a day. Here, you have to move, literally, to earn. If you’re lazy, you get nothing.)
She added, “Naka depende sayo kung gusto mong mag ulam ng tuyo o pag uwi mo ay may bitbit kang masarap na ulam para sa pamilya mo.🤗 Kung wala kang pambili ng bigas at ulam bumyahe ka.”
(It’s all up to you if you want to bring dried fish or delicious foods for your family. If you don’t have money to buy rice and food, you have to go out and drive your tricycle.)
She also added that people shouldn’t discriminate their job because these folks have no idea how difficult their job can be. It’s physically demanding, and they have to work under the heat of the sun or through the rain.
Arela added that she salutes all the other tricycle drivers like her. She advised that the other tricycle drivers must also be more patient to the people who judge them, and to love their job because it’s what brings food to their tables.
Requirements for Tricycle Drivers in the Philippines
Most of the time, tricycle drivers don’t have to pass a lot of requirements to find a job. More often than not, they only need to have a driver’s license to become one – and some don’t even have it.
Some tricycle operators also require the drivers to submit a negative drug test result plus clearances from the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) and/or the PNP (Philippine National Police).