The Calesa of Manila: Situating a Transportation Icon in the Past, Present, and Future of a Philippine Metropolis

Abstract

The study ventured into investigating the situation of the calesa throughout the Philippine’s past, present, and future. This study employed a case study approach and has also made use of secondary resources to ensure the well-roundedness of the results, especially in the matter of situating the calesa in the past. Besides focusing on history, the study also draws concepts from heritage studies to situate the calesa in the broader discussion of the situation of culture and heritage in the country. For the data collection, the main method for gathering was the interview, and purposive sampling was used to identify the most relevant stakeholders (institution, cochero, passengers) whose input about the calesa can greatly inform this study. The findings of this study elaborate the situation of not just the calesa, but the cocheros themselves, a key stakeholder in the operation of these vehicles. It was found that the cocheros, and the calesa, have greatly suffered due to the modernization of the mode of transport, and there is not much benefit for being a cochero in the 21st century. Passengers have put forward worries about the status of the horses and have also questioned the relevance of these vehicles in the current era of transportation. The future situation of the calesa will greatly depend on the decisions and plans of the cocheros and the institutions that manage them. There is a need to make sure that the negative connotations surrounding the calesa be addressed, and each of the two parties will take a great part in ensuring this goal is achieved. Therefore, recommendations on the study must be put forward to mainly the institutions, as they have the capacity to enact changes.