( CNN ) -- The streets of Manila can be an unforgiving place for the city 's taxi and public transport drivers . Chronic traffic jams and badly maintained roads are part of the daily grind but add in the possibility of floods during the annual typhoon season and a strong constitution is needed . But Josefina Barandon does n't mind , and as one of the city 's few female drivers will happily take to the streets in her electric jeepney as long as she is able to , come rain or shine . Barandon is one of three women driving Manila 's 20-strong fleet of electric public vehicles that ply the streets of Makati , the capital 's central business district . If her vehicle is a rare sight among the traditional diesel-spewing jeepneys on the roads , even rarer is seeing a woman behind the wheel of a vehicle of any description . `` All our passengers are happy if they see women drivers because they think the lady drivers are honest , '' says Barandon . `` Our jeepneys are better taken care of , we clean our own and decorate them at our own expense . '' Barandon was a taxi operator and then driver before switching from her petrol-powered cab to an electric jeepney in March . It was her good fortune that one of the fares she picked up from the airport last year was Yuri Sarmiento , CEO of Ejeepney Transport , who suggested she swap her taxi for an electric jeepney and with it gain a steady form of employment . Like other drivers of taxis and jeepneys , Barandon regularly used to work shifts of up to 24-hours in order to pay for the hire of the vehicle and then make enough money to support her family . Being an electric jeepney driver is the first time that Barandon has had the benefits and security that most people expect with a job -- a daily shift of eight-hours , health insurance and a weekly paycheck . The e-jeepneys of Makati are still officially a pilot initiative , but only bureaucratic red tape has prevented it from becoming commercial and charging passengers 8 pesos ( $ 0.20 ) per ride , says Reina Garcia , project coordinator for the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities , which organizes the Makati-based project . `` As well as the environmental impact , we wanted it to help women to have the same opportunity as male drivers , '' says Garcia . `` Economically and socially women are one of the most vulnerable sectors in society , we wanted them to enjoy the same benefits from the electric jeepney project , such as increased income . '' Statistics suggest that women in the Philippines have been successful in gaining ground against men . Ranked eighth on the World Economic Forum 's Gender Gap Index , the Philippines outperforms the U.S. , Germany and all other Asian countries in terms of gender equality in economic opportunity , health , political participation and education . According to the figures , women outnumber men in the field of senior officials , managers and professional and technical workers , but still lag behind men in terms of equal wages . Despite some gains for women in the workplace there are plenty of hurdles still to overcome , believes Florencia Cabatingan , chair of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Women 's Committee . `` Discrimination in hiring is something we 're aiming to work on . While jobs wo n't officially advertise for a man , there will be criteria which points to men and not women , like 'we need someone six-feet tall , ' or request a qualification that makes it clear men need to be hired . '' Notions that traditional diesel jeepneys are too heavy for women to drive are slowly being eroded , or completely bypassed with lighter electric versions , although Barandon says that even her family still finds it funny she drives a jeepney . Macho attitudes from male drivers could also still deter other women from wanting to get behind the wheel . `` Sometimes the male drivers , like taxi drivers , they bully women drivers , overtake unnecessarily and think that women drivers ca n't do what they are doing , '' says Barandon . But when it comes to fare-paying passengers , Barandon believes most would like to see more women on the roads . `` Attitudes have changed . Our passengers are comparing women drivers in other countries , and society in the Philippines already accepts that women drivers are much better ( than men ) , '' she says with a smile .
Women driving new electric jeepneys on streets of Manila . Public transportation in Philippines dominated by male drivers . Philippines ranks high on WEF Gender Gap index . Comment: