Calesa queue at the city public market to get their “darak” assistance.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – No simple cultural curiosities but still extant as modes of transportation are the horse-drawn rigs – the beloved calesas – of the city.
Affected as much by the community quarantine thatstopped all public transport, are the cocheros, most, if not all, belonging to the poor working class of the local community.
With the calesas prized by the city as element integral to the city heritage, the cocheros and their families have been beneficiaries of assistance not only from the city government but also from its partner organizations.
Last May 28, the city agriculture and veterinary office distributed to the calesa drivers two kinds of rice bran – darak – to sustain the feeding their horses during these trying times.
According to city veterinarian Dr. Ryan Paul Manlapaz, 50 cocheros and 40 farmers benefitted from the distribution.
Earlier, through the Kalinga sa Kutsero’t Kabayo (KKK) program, an initiative of the Fernandino Student Tourguides (FEST-Pampanga) in cooperation with the city tourism office, the rig drivers were provided food packs for their families and tools for the maintenance of their calesas.
FEST-Pampanga founder Zab Jimenez, who comes from a family of heritage preservation advocates, said their assistance came from contributions of various groups and individuals with shared concern for the welfare of the cocheros and the upkeep of calesas of the city.
By the last phase of the KKK project in April, beneficiaries have received hundreds of relief packs, and equal number of food packs for their horses. –With CSF-CIO
Photos Courtesy of CSF-CIO
