'Pope Jeep' back in spotlight as Filipinos mourn Pope Francis' passing

As the Catholic Church mourns the death of Pope Francis, the jeepney-inspired popemobile during his 2015 visit to the Philippines has drawn renewed attention from the public.

- ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

Built in 2014 by a Filipino team under Special Project ATPI, the vehicle was designed as a donation at the request of then-Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

Emiliano Lorenzo, a member of the team, recalled in an interview with GMA that the jeepney-inspired design, which was submitted to the Vatican and later approved, reflected its connection to Filipino tradition.

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, was known for his desire to remain close to the faithful and consistently refused bulletproof popemobiles.

He preferred a non-armored, open-air vehicle so he could shake hands with the crowd and reach out to children, Lorenzo said.