VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) -- To boost its heritage tourism, the city government gathered some 126 “kutsero” (carriage drivers) or “kalesa” (horse-drawn carriages) operators in the city for its annual “kalesa” parade and competition on May 6.
In collaboration with various local businesses and establishments in the city, the “kalesas” were designed with various local products such as inabel (cotton fabric/cloth), burnay (clay jar), and Capiz shell windows, in the form of bahay kubo, heritage houses, and St. Paul Cathedral designs, among others.
This was part of its weeklong Tres De Mayo Vigan Festival of the Arts, which aims to showcase the creativity and artistry of Bigueños or its residents through various activities, according to Senior Tourism Officer Jo Anne Gutierrez in an interview on May 7.
She said, “It is one way of promoting and showcasing the kalesa as a mode of transportation, especially for tourists. Visitors can travel back in time and experience our unique history and culture by riding a kalesa.”
Hotel Salcedo's entry won the best-decorated kalesa, followed by the entries of the BCS Group of Company and the Ilocos Sur National High School for second and third place, respectively.
