JAIME MAYOR, an honest kalesa driver ("Kutsero")
Rizal Park or popularly
known as Luneta, is one of the historical places in the Philippines visited by tourists around the world. The park
was a tribute to the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal, a doctor and novelist. Charged with rebellion against the Spanish government,
Dr. Rizal was executed in this site by a firing squad on December 30, 1896. At the center of this park is the Rizal
Monument which contains
the hero's mortal remains and guarded by sentinels in full ceremonial uniform
known as “Knights of Rizal.”
The Rizal Monument
Situated in Manila, the
park now has become a favorite gathering and picnic venue for the Filipinos and
a famous tourist spot. The sixty (60)
hectares park houses an open-air concert hall, an artists’ sanctuary, an
observatory, a grand stadium, beautiful gardens, plaza, historical markers, colorful
and musical fountains, playgrounds, restaurants, food kiosks and the light-and-sound
sculptural tableau which is an open-air theater featuring the heartbreaking
martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal through eight life-size sculptural clusters coming
to life through the interaction of
sounds and lights.
Dr. Jose Rizal, Philippine National Hero
I talked about our
National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal but there is another hero that emerged recently
and had been featured on national television.
I am referring to the humble, 48 year-old Jaime Mayor who drives a “kalesa” (horse drawn
carriage) at Rizal Park. Being a “Kutsero” (kalesa driver) runs in his family. As a
kutsero he earns a commission-based salary ranging from Php 200-500 daily. One day, he encountered a group of French women.
They boarded his carriage and ask him to take them around the park. The women were in a hurry to get off the
carriage and one of them dropped her wallet.
Jaime noticed the wallet with a big amount of money and run
after the French tourists to return it. The women were very happy and one of them
gave him a big hug for his good deed.
The wallet was containing 4,000 Euros equivalent to around Php 200,000.
Jaime Mayor driving his kalesa
The Kalesa is one of the mode of transportation introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization. It is rarely use today. You can still see this carriage in the rural areas and some tourist spots like Rizal Park and Intramuros.
Jaime Mayor receiving his "Dangal ng Rizal Park" award from the officials of the National Parks Development Committee
For his honesty, the
National Parks Development Committee bestowed to him the “Dangal ng Rizal Park”
Award yesterday, September 14, 2012 in front of the Rizal Park Monument. Hooray and congratulations to Jaime Mayor. You
are a good example to everyone. We are proud of you. Mabuhay
po kayo !!!
