Memories stuck in that three-wheel drive [sic]
By Medora Quirante • Nov 12th, 2007 • Category: FeaturesIn Thailand they call it “tuk-tuk.” Some Cebuanos refer to it, with the side cart or without, as “habal-habal.” The rest would call it, tricycle.
The tricycles I grew up with had loud engines, unlike the dry-cough-like sound of those found in neighboring regions. My uncle who works for Norkis once told my mother that it was a big loss for their company that most tricycles in Borongan used Honda motorcycles.
They would refer to the tricycles as “mag-aringasa.”
The tricycle in Borongan was, unlike those in Manila and Tacloban, a 6-seater. Whenever Lola, Nanay, my brothers and I visited my grandfather’s grave in Bugas, we rode the loud tricycle.
Lola and Nanay would be seated beside each other in front, directly facing the mirror on top of the windshield of the side cart. My two brothers would seat at the back facing each other. I, being the girl, would be on the seat directly beside the wind shield because there was usually a “paragbulang” seated at the back of the driver.
I did not like the seat very much because if there where craters on the road, the one on “that” seat felt most of the bumps. After the 30-minute ride, my butt was most often half-dead.
In high school though, the six-seater tricycle was hired everyday to go “all-around.” This term was coined by brilliant high school cliques who could never go on separate rides.
My all-around barkada’s tricycle (my barkada is not the one that appears on the photo) went from St. Mary’s to Baybay2, then Baybay1, then Bato, then Tarusan, then Royal, then Balud1 and finally Songco. This was during lunch break. On afternoons though, the Php5.00 minimum fare could go up to Php15.00 depending on the extent of the “strolling.”
As in other cliques’ travels, “sea wall” and “pantalan” were included in the stops.
During special days, the 6-seater could load as many as 20.
Some would stay on top, 5 was the most number of boys the roof could tolerate. This narrowed down to 3 when we reached 4th year because the boys were almost 6 feet tall.
There would be two boys who would “kapyot” on the front of the tricycle, their bellies against the wind shield of the side cart. Then another two would be on the side wheel. There could also be as many as 3 boys seated at the back of the driver. The others would make themselves fit inside the side cart that normally fits only five.
Despite the not-so-comfortable position we teens were in, we almost always laughed the ride away. The heat, noise and everything else tucked in between mattered the least.
Maybe, the tricycle in Ormoc is as unique but it was not just its uniqueness that has made me love that of Borongan’s.
[Credits:
Photo of tricycles by Jonathan;
Tricycle with students by Kim Barredo.]
Medora Quirante is a writer for people who don't know how she looks like. She wants to learn how to ride a bike before she turns 30.
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I love sitting behind the driver, at the ‘backseat’ and at the side where they load bags, sacks, etc.
You gotta love strolling around with them trikes.
Yeah. To this day, I do. The front seats are the most comfortable.
I hate sitting behind the driver. One bad experience, ginbukod kami hin ayam, an nakada han luyo han driver an ibos tukbon. Hahah.
in thailand, taking the tuk-tuk is such a luxury… like spending 120 Baht from my apartment to MBK (a big mall in Bangkok)! it’s cheaper to take a cab instead. cabbies are more emphatic than tuktuk drivers though…
unlike thailand, trikes in ES are overloaded… where one could carry more than 10 passengers! sitting in front is so off for male passengers as it is always “reserved” to ladies or elderly women…
This article is perhaps what the author remembers when she hear the word tricycle.
In my observation here in Borongan City, riding in a fully loaded tricycle is the most conventional gimmick for the high school teenagers. And perhaps, our sentimental writer draws inspiration from her high school years! Heheheh
By the way Meds, are you still in Catbalogan City? O nagpapa-enroll ka na yana ha Cebu?
Fhen, yup. Grabe gad it nga strolling han high school. Pinakaharayo nam nga gin-stroll after class was San Julian. Di pa it upod dida an am pagpinanmatronon,pinakaharayo an Sulat.
Adi na Cebu and finally, estudyante na.:)
San Julian? Ngan Sulat?
Wow! Kahirayo gud. So far, ha sakob la han Borongan an akon pinakahilaba nga na-stroll, sakay ha tricycle. Hahah
Matindi it iyo naging trip, or may I say, tripping. Heheheh
Anyway, it’s nice that you’ve finally made it to enroll!
Good luck Meds.
[...] Memories stuck in that three-wheel drive [sic] [...]
…Not to mention that some drivers are friggin’ hot! hehehe.
from doctors come new lawyers…
hats-off to atty. rolan tiunayan of taft and atty. girlie aserit of sulat for successfully hurdling the 2007 bar exams! may you guys be instrumental in bringing out justice and progress in eastern samar…
wow it has been three years since my high school classmates and I took a tricycle for an “all-around-ride” for P15/student….
the sight of the place and the tricycle is SOOOOOO nostalgic! How i love sawang… And most of all the tricycle. Nothing in this country would match the tricycle of Borongan – comfort and style. Been in CDO and here in Manila but ours is the best!!!!
I hope I can go home nah… Could you let me???
Save up. Haha.
I just love reading this, my place was mentioned, i miss you and the strolling..it was really fun!fun!fun!