Tartanilla hit by PUJ draws outrage from netizens

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Here’s an issue that we need to ponder on: Do you think horse-drawn carriages, locally known as tartanilla, should be relegated only in tourist sites?

Should they stop plying the routes frequented by modern transportation vehicles such as jeepneys and cabs?

This is a relevant issue raised in the thread of a video which showed an unfortunate incident involving a tartanilla and a jeepney which happened on August 3, 2019.

Jane Villasor Pila, 42, secretary of Barangay Kalubihan, shared the CCTV footage of the accident which happened along Leon Kilat Street in downtown Cebu City.

The CCTV footage showed that the jeepney driver attempted to overtake the horse-drawn carriage but was not able to do so because of the presence of motorcycles moving towards the jeepney.

The jeepney driver then maneuvered his way back to his lane but the jeepney hit the side of the horse. The animal slid off and bumped into a car parked along the street.

Villasor said the incident was reported to the police.

She said the police went to the barangay hall of Kalubihan to retrieve the CCTV footage. The footage showed that the jeepney driver lied to the police.

“They (police) saw that the jeepney driver was really at fault and so they got a copy of the footage and brought it back to their station to show it to the driver who was detained at the Carbon Police Station,” she said.

Villasor said the police assured them that the jeepney driver will face the consequences of his action.

CDN Digital shared a copy of the video on its Facebook page.

Comments from netizen mostly called on the government to reassess the  presence of horse-drawn carriages on Leon Kilat Street and the areas where they travel.

Facebook user Chadwick Go Llanos said, “I hope the jeepney driver got penalized both for harming persons and the horse. But beyond that, I hope the city government will find a way to ensure that the cultural value and the economic input to the sector of the tartanilla is preserved without putting man and animal at risk.”

Llanos said he prefers a “carless historical corridor” where the tartanillas can travel without putting much pressure on the horse and where the coacher can also earn a decent income. 

Another Facebook user, Andy Gabrielle, said that the issue is not about the mode of transportation, emphasising that the accident could have happened to any vehicle.

“It’s more on the issue of driver’s road knowledge and discipline,” wrote Andy Gabrielle. 

Others commented that it is time for the horses to rest and for horse-drawn carriages to retire as a mode of public transportation.

READ: Tartanilla Cebu’s fading chariots

Many netizens said the horse-drawn carriages should just be placed in tourist sites where those who want to experience a ride can pay a particular fee.

Ronnie Nadera, spokesperson of the Cebu City Transportation Office, told CDN Digital that he will personally look into the accident.

He said will check the areas which allow horse-drawn carriages to pass.

Nadera said CCTO’s planning section will also check on the areas plied by the carriages to check if they are still needed and if they are not contributing to road congestion.

Watch the video here:

https://www.facebook.com/cdndigital/videos/2113618082280806/

/ celr