Tartanilla A Symbolism of Cebuano Transportation Heritage

This study described the tartanilla’s existence in Cebu as a mode of transportation centuries ago. To answer this, the following objectives are raised: describe a Cebuano tartanilla, determine its significance to Cebu’s local history, analyze its enduring utilization in an urban environment, identify the challenges as a form of transportation and trade, and generate mechanisms how itsstakeholders resolve the identified challenges.The study utilizedan ethnographic design with naturalistic observation, interviews of key informants (KIs), field notes, and photographsas appropriate means for collecting information. The KIs comprised eightkuchero or tartanilla drivers identified through a snowball sampling to be known as KIks (key informant kucheros), in order to get the emic or inside views, and another eight KIps (key informant pasaheros) were selected, through a convenient sampling, in order to get the etic or outside views.Tartanilla symbolized a century old transportation heritage of the Cebu with the kuchero and the pasahero, as living witnesses along the narrow streets of Cebu City, Philippines then and now. This means of transportation used to be a luxury vehicle among the affluent members of Cebuano society in the past. As time went by, the tartanilla, regarded by the local government of Cebu as a means of transportation; but its status was introduced to simple means of transportation among the average masses in the Cebuano community. The pasahero’s interest in saving for money resulted in the existence of the tartanilla. Being a kuchero reflected a sentimental value in inheriting the job handed down across his generations. Part of his inheritance handed on him is the cart and the horse from his family. Though, driving a tartanilla met various problems, it has been a sustainable job for a kuchero to undertake for the daily subsistence. Its significance to the Cebuano history and culture, created an identity worthy of appreciation and preservation among the culture and heritage enthusiasts.

Keywords: tartanilla, kuchero, pasahero, transportation heritage