Log of the Katie Lee: Tricycles of the Philippines

In third world countries transportation is not like home. Most people do not have a vehicle at all. They depend on public transport. That is not like home either. Long distance is by bus. A few buses might be mistaken for Greyhound, but these are the nicest and few of them. Next are the converted or homemade buses with homemade seating. 1" angle iron frame with 1x4 slats and seats (soft?). I could do a whole story on the width of the seats in the Philippines, as most of the folks are under 100 pounds and less that 5' 2". Being old, fat and tall, I qualify for handicapped seating on the buses. Next are Mulitcabs. This is a model of mini-mini bus made by Nisson. They take a sort of pickup model and put a roof and a 2x8 board down each side over the wheel wells and go into the bus business. Then the tricycles. A Honda 155cc with a side car. next would be the hoble-hoble or huba-huba depending on local. This is a standard 100 or 125cc scooter they put 4 Filipinos on. Sometimes they modify the seat for more, others just have you sit on the taillight. Last is the pedicab. This is a bicycle with a sidecar, usually a 20" bike, but sometimes a 26". The roof for the passengers is always too short for me.

The long distance buses charge by the kilometer with a fixed minimum, but the rest are about 25 cents for their standard distance. Across town in a multicab, 4 or 5 miles for a tricycle, 2 miles for huba-huba and 6 or 8 blocks for a pedicab.

Because the tricycles are custom built in each area, and they are a lot of artistic work, they differ in size and style across the country. Here are photos of most of the different types we have seen in cronilogical order as we wander around. Being mechanical, I enjoy seeing the differences in them.

This was our first encounter with tricycles. These are in Danao, Cebu. Inside one bench seat and two fold down stools (6x6 inches!) and room to sit sidesaddle behind the driver. Filipinos= 4 adults, 1 child inside, 3 adults behind driver. Trinda and I fill it up.

Larry in Danao, Cebu not much head room, but I can't fit inside.

Trinda in Danao, Cebu. Usually they fit 5 Filipinos inside, but only 3 with Trinda.

When we went with Jimmy to Bogo to see the trike he was having made we saw these. They look like a little stagecoach. 2 front facing seats for 4 plus space behind the driver. Still no windshield for the driver's side.

A couple in the distance Bogo, Cebu Is.

Malapascua did not have tricycles.
So on to Santa Fe on Bantanyan. Here they had motorcycles with a 2 wheel trailer. 4 passengers each side, but none behind the driver. They seemed real underpowered if full!


Santa Fe, Bantayan

Santa Fe

Next on the tour is Roxas, (pronounced as Spanish rojas). Here they were really different. Only one inside seat (good for two Filipinos, but Trinda and I could barely squeeze in the larger models. We sat in front of the grocery store by the line and waited for a big one. These also have a standing platform on the back and a seat made on the sidecar wheel fender. I didn't get a chance to ride out there. The all wanted me inside (maybe because of weight distribution!)

Roxas

Borocay was the first to have a windshield for the driver. The others had a piece of plastic with a board and string to tie it up in the rain. The driver tied it high enough he could barely see over it. They also have the 2 seats in the back.

Borocay, Pinoy

These are in Coron. They are very open feeling and most were clean and newer looking. These are to me the nicest design yet. One like these is what inspired Jimmy to build his own in Danao. He saw one on Negros Island and took photos. Then had a shop in Bogo make one from the photos.