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The kalesa (calesa or carromata) or
horse-drawn carriage is an anachronism in
Angeles and San Fernando. It competes
with tricycles for passengers and races with
jeepneys in the busy thoroughfares. In San
Fernando’s busiest streets, the kalesa is
allowed while the noisy tricycles are
banned; in Angeles, especially in the old
district (Sto. Rosario, Cutcut and San
Nicolas), the kalesa is the preferred and
sometimes the only mode of transportation
late at night, for teenagers coming home
from the disco and for others who are nocturnally
disposed.
Because the kalesa is still a viable vehicle
in these two cities, kalesa makers
(called karosaria) have also survived. One
of them is Virgilio P. Calilung, Sr. of Bacolor
(now residing in Angeles), who provided
much data for this article. The cost of con-
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Kalesang
Kapampangan
The horse-drawn carriage from colonial days plods on
in the hustle and bustle of the two cities of Pampanga
By Joel Pabustan Mallari with Janice Musngi, Krystle Ryan,
Stelyn Simbahan and Kimberly Anne Tañedo of the YKAMP class
structing the kalesa carriage is in the vicinity
of P49,000.00 mainly because it requires
hardwoods like apalit, guijo, iakal,
tangili, etc. and also because of the number
of skilled workers that must be assembled,
from carpenters to woodcarvers
to saw cutters and metal molders. They
use a wide variety of equipment including
indigenous tools like ritcho (lagari nang
cristo), iabe (monkey wrench), katam, etc.
which are no longer available in most hardware
stores.
According to kutseros Bert Ferrer of
Telabastagan (SF), Gonzalo Mariano of
Porac and Gerardo de Jesus also of
Telabastagan, the kutsero must always
bring 2 – 3 gallons of water (sweetened with
pulot or native honey; some horses are even
given Pepsi) for the horse, bundles of grass,
or darak (rice bran) already mixed with the
Ivan Henares
drinking water. Horses prefer the species
of grass called barit, muta and grama. Fort
Stotsenburg was first set up in Talimundoc
in Angeles because of the proliferation of
said grass for the cavalry horses; a part of
Brgy. Sta. Teresita in San Fernando was once
called Baritan for the same reason.
Deng kalakalakuti ning kalesa
(Parts of the kalesa)
Source: Virgilio P. Calilung Sr.
1. trapalina – pangambilia kng uran
ampong pali
2. karang – pekabubung ning kalesa
3. pilar – magdala kng kalesa
4. sandalan – pisasandalan ning
makalukluk a pasarus ning kalesa
5. pasamanu – pekabakud kng gulut,
pasabat
6. sintas – pangambilia kng pisuglung,
panakap