La Union cops use kalesa for patrol

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union , Philippines   – Due to the unstable rise of gas prices globally and the lack of budget for the fuel of patrol cars, policemen in this city along with local officials has launched a “Kalesa Patrol” (cart-riding cops) along the various tourist spots here.

Deemed to be the first in the country which is expected to lure tourists, cops will ride in a cart pulled by a horse while patrolling around tourist destinations here.

The kalesa patrol’s maiden public appearance was held Wednesday at the plaza here with its innovator, Superintendent Pedro Obaldo Jr., the city police chief, and Mayor Pablo Ortega, who enjoyed a short ride aboard the horse-drawn carrier.

Ortega, in elation, said that the project may be one solution to rising gas problems aside from being environment-friendly and tourist-booster.       – Jun Elias