The Kalesa is a horse drawn wooden carriage. As the European and Amrican horse-drawn carriages have four wheels the Kalesa has only two. The carriage is akin to the Chinese Rickshaw. Indeed, the Kalesa can best be described as a horse drawn Rickshaw. The “driver” of the Kalesa is called the “Kuchero”. It was popularly used during the Spanish era.

Like the Jeepney, the carriage of the Kalesa is often laced with various colorful decorations. Even the horse pulling the carriage is most likely to be decorated and adorned with myriads of ornaments. With the rise of the popularity of the Jeepney as a public transportation, the Kalesa lost the limelight of being the top civilian mode of transportation. The Kalesa in now relegated as a form of transportation often catered to tourists. Such Kalesa’s can often be found in the brick roads of Vigan Province in Ilocos Norte and along the pavement of Roxas Boulevard in Manila. However, Kalesa’s that still serve as a mode of transportation for everyday commuters can still be found in the busy streets of Quiapo and Binondo in Manila and in some parts of Cebu City in Cebu.