What is a modern jeepney? If you ask Elmer Francisco, scion of the famous jeepney makers of Las Piñas and who now heads Elmer Francisco Motor Corporation or eFMC, it must still have the features that made it the country's most popular form of public transit.

We're talking about a long hood, usually embellished with metal horses and stainless steel antennas; two long benches on each side with the passengers facing each other; and attention-grabbing designs with exterior surface that has ample space to accommodate artworks.

Most importantly, it must still be assembled by Filipinos.

Francisco said that the jeepney has long been associated with the Philippine public transportation, the way bullet trains have been associated with Japan or the double-decker buses with Great Britain.

"Even its modern iteration should retain these features as jeepneys define us. The jeepney is part of our culture, a symbol of the enduring spirit of the Filipinos and their sense of fellowship," he said in Filipino during a recent online presentation.

He is proud of how Francisco jeepneys have retained most of the features of the older generations that his father, Jorge "George" Trinidad Francisco, pioneered in the late 1940s.

"The body is still made up of sheet metal and stainless steel, lovingly shaped and assembled by our craftsmen. To conform to today's safety standards, the door at the rear, while still there, will only be opened to help passengers using a wheelchair (a retractable ramp will be used for their access).

"The main door, which is now electronic, is located at the right side of the driver (this also means no more front-facing passengers). There's an aircon, a CCTV, among other modern amenities. While the seats could accommodate 30 — 15 on each side — the high ceiling would now allow eight more to stand comfortably inside. We designed the ceiling height so that a person up to 5'9" in height could stand comfortably," described Francisco.