DEMAND A BAN ON HORSE CARRIAGE IN VIGAN

Please email Vigan Mayor Carlo Medina at [email protected]. and MR. MARTIN S. VALERA, Director, Regional Office I (Vigan and Laoag) on: [email protected] to ask them politely to put a ban on horse carriage in Vigan. In this picture and other videos I took, It is clear to see that the Department of Tourism's Rules & Regulations on Accreditation of Kalesa horses are not enforced. The rules and regulation states that a) the maximum number of passengers per kalesa should only be two (2) people excluding the coachman, b) to ensure horses are given regular rest which is to be unshackled from their carriage, harness and other contraptions on their faces and heads. This is to allow them to stretch their heads downwards, c) It also states that horses must not work any longer than 8 hours per day.

In my recent visit to Vigan this June, 2019 I witnessed numerous incidents of maltreatment of carriage horses. Routinely coachmen are not adhering to the Department of Tourism Rules & Regulations on Accreditation of Kalesa horses. Commonly, there are 6 adults to include the coachman being pulled by these petite horses. The already heavy carriages are often overloaded with large people, far too much weight for the size of the horses. I witnessed a couple of them struggle to get going, slipping on cobbles as they strain themselves to pulling a weight that's easily three times their body weight. I also observed that horses are left in the scorching heat without water while coachmen take their shaded break elsewhere. Horses are often dehydrated, frothing at the mouth and tongues hanging out as they trot through the hot and heavily congested city. Furthermore, on one occasion, a parade of poor horses are left getting drenched during a downpour while their coachmen are nowhere to be seen. Horses are forced to dodge traffic which is mostly gridlock in most part of this small city. Through their working hours, they are forced to inhale fumes from cars and tricycles. They are parked and exposed to fumes as they wait for their passengers at the perimeter of the Plaza Salcedo and along The Vigan Tourist Park from early morning till dusk. Horses are made to work more than 8 hours a day. They are not given rest periods as the kalesas and other contraptions are attached through the duration of their working hours, preventing them from a much needed rest and their need to stretch their necks downwards.

Horses are being deprived of their basic needs and they are blatantly being abused by coachmen who are insolently breaking the animal welfare law for capital gains.

Horse carriage rides are cruel, unnecessary and exploitative and it should be banned.