Sarao: A Pioneer of Jeepney Manufacturing Since the 1940s

In this article, Leonard John Sarao of Sarao Motors, explains how the Jeepney Manufacturer’s roots and how it has evolved over the years.

Written by Erika Anne Sulat

Sarao Motors’ main assembly plant in Las Piñas, Metro Manila. (Patok Magazine/Erika Sulat)

If you’re someone who has ridden a jeepney before, or even just walked past one, chances are that it’s a jeepney made by Sarao Motors.

Sarao Motors, located in Las Piñas City, is one of the first and biggest jeepney manufacturers in the Philippines. From the 1940s to now, Sarao Motors has been involved in the manufacturing of jeepneys, bearing witness to its evolution from an American military vehicle to the iconic public transportation vehicle.

Roots from War

In a sit-down interview with the grandson of Sarao Motors founder, Architect Leonard John Sarao, he states that the manufacturing company first got its start from the abundant supply of American Jeepneys in the Philippines after the Second World War.

A 1940s Willys Jeepney model preserved at Sarao Motors. (Patok Magazine/Louise De Pedro)

A partially assembled jeepney with an extended chassis and body. (Patok Magazine/Louise De Pedro)

“—After the war, there’s an abundant supply of these units here in the Philippines. So, what my grandfather did, along with other Filipinos who also built jeepneys, was convert the Willys Jeepney. They extended the chassis, and they extended the body in order to fit more people.”

From the severe damages that the Philippines received after the war, the jeepney was utilized as a cheap public transport to make travel easier for those who needed to reach their destinations.

Designing the Jeepney

Originally, the jeepney didn’t look like the vehicle we all know and love today. The primary changes after the war were just to extend the jeepney’s body for more space.

But in 1955, just two years after the manufacturing company opened, Sarao decided to add more designs, incorporating western styles from the Chevy Bel-Air, Cadillacs, and muscle cars. Unfortunately, creating these variations took too much time from the designers and vendors, leaving them to revert to the classic styles.

However, some modifications were still made to the vehicle as time went by. “—May mga konting binago lang kami like the flares, the side of the body, then kalamitan yung mga modifications na ginagawa nila. It’s mostly aesthetic na, yung mga artworks, yung mga accessories, but the body style has been constant ever since.”

Evolution to a Vessel of Art

Leonard John Sarao explains that just like how the jeepney went through evolutions of change, the art associated with the vehicle also evolved along with it.

A privately owned Sarao jeepney decorated with both hand-painted and sticker art styles. (Patok Magazine/Louise De Pedro)

Initially, jeepney art started with hand-painting using brushes, then in the 90s, the style evolved to sticker art. “Yung mga jeepneys na yun, they made use of reflective stickers. Then we had an artist who would, may gustong design, ili-layout niya kung anong colors.”

Sarao explains that plain colors with the shape of the design are cut out and layered onto the jeepney, reminiscent of vector art.

A close-up of the detailed hand-painted design on a jeepney. (Patok Magazine/Louise De Pedro)

After stickers came the airbrush. Through airbrush art, drivers or operators who own the jeepneys can get to request the designs they want. “Yung airbrush, makikita mo yung mga painting ni Jesus Christ. If religious, yung may-ari, yung iba Avengers o kung ano man yung trip nila, yung mga anak nila naka-airbrush na sa jeep.”

Some customers have even walked into their shop wanting designs of famous Filipino landmarks like Bohol’s Chocolate Hills or the Mayon Volcano, while others request Fernando Amorsolo-inspired landscape paintings.

A Christmas-themed Sarao jeepney displayed at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in December 2024. (Facebook/Sarao Motors – Jeepney)

A vinyl-wrapped Sarao jeepney created for Ayala Malls Manila Bay’s 2024 Christmas installation, showcasing the growing use of decorative wraps in contemporary jeepney design. (Facebook/Sarao Motors – Jeepney)

Now, Sarao states that vinyl wraps’ popularity among vehicles has bled into jeepneys too. The process includes wrapping a painted car with a decorative sticker, both protecting the original paint and adding another layer of design. He cites an example from a jeepney utilized by Ayala Malls Manila Bay last 2024 during their Christmas installation.

Hand-painted pieces are still the favorite among clients, but if a client wants the production on a tight deadline, they recommend vinyl wrapping instead. However, some clients still insist on hand-painted designs, with some even paying extra for real brush strokes on their jeepneys.

A hand-painted jeepney commissioned by a client from Belgium. (Patok Magazine/Erika Sulat)

In Sarao’s garage, a small painted jeepney can be found parked. Sarao explains that the jeepney actually belongs to a client from Belgium who is interested in jeepneys.

Where the Sarao Jeepney Stands Now

Now, with the PTMP modernization looming over the traditional jeepneys, what’s next for Sarao Motors?

Sarao states that it’s a learning curve, but they have started manufacturing e-jeepneys and have even gotten an artist to decorate them. “We have to keep up with modernizing the vehicles, kasi eventually, hindi talaga nila papayagan na i-register. So, in order to stay alive in this industry, we need to adapt to the regulations given by the government.”

He explains that modern jeepneys that look like buses even had vinyl wrappings for designs, but what they’re working on is the preservation of traditional jeepney artistry.

“Okay naman kinakalabasan, but you know, to keep the essence of jeepney art alive, ito ginagawa namin, yung modern na unit, but with traditional artwork on the jeepney.”