Irineo Odoy, father of the UP Ikot jeep, passes away at 99
Irineo Odoy, the pioneer of the "UP Ikot" jeepney route, has passed away at the age of 99.
The news was confirmed by his grandson, Gerardo Lopez, through an announcement from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Irineo introduced the route of the now-popular UP Ikot jeep after seeing students walking under the heat of the sun on UPD's sprawling campus back in 1949. He began with a single large jeep that he dubbed "Dagul." Other jeeps soon followed suit and popularized Irineo's "Ikot" route by 1958.
"We admired how he hatched the idea out of compassion for the students who’d walk long distances in between colleges just to attend class. So he wanted to give them an easier time to get to class," his grandson shared.
"We remember him to be very appreciative of even the smallest things, telling stories of his experiences with gusto to anyone who’d sit and listen," Lopez added. Irineo was lovingly called "Lolo Neong" by his family.
He is survived by nine of his 10 children and their families. His wife, Marquita V. Odoy, also departed a decade ago.