Ebolusyon sa Laag: Tsinelas, Potpot, Sidecar… Karon, Racal

In the beginning, if you had nothing but your legs and your tsinelas, then you walked. Baktas, bay. Hilongos is flat enough for that — until it’s not. The moment you hit the heat or the tungason near Salog, you knew exactly how long a kilometer felt.

If you had a few coins, you flagged a tricycle — but in Hilongos, we didn’t call it that. We called it a sidecar, because it sounded better, somehow cooler. Fancier, maybe. Gasoline-powered, a bit noisy, and with fare that made you count your coins twice.

Then came the trisikad, or more lovingly, potpot. No gas. No speed. Just one hardworking driver, his sturdy bike, and a cab for two (or four, if nobody complained). It was the people's ride — slow, steady, and very much local.

Potpot drivers were legends in their own right. Shirtless, sweaty, with a towel slung over one shoulder. That was the look — until the munisipyo issued a guideline asking for a bit more dignity: a shirt and, if possible, rubber shoes. Still, they kept on — with a little more fabric, but the same heart.

And they didn’t just carry passengers. They carried sacks of rice, kopras, plastic tubs, kabilya from Cullence-Marie, even an occasional goat or two. If it fit, it sat. When the road tilted upward, like the dreaded climb to Salog, sometimes we had to step down and help push. That wasn’t awkward — that was teamwork.

Flat tires? Common.

Busted spokes? Always possible.

Bulkit ka Kokoy? Lifesaver.

At night, the potpot still ran. No headlight? No problem.There was always a flashlight taped to the handlebar, a kandila in a Coke bottle, or even just blind faith and good brakes.

Racal and the Ride In Between

Then came Racal — smooth, silent, and electric. Part trisikad, part sidecar, but lighter on the wallet. It ran not on sweat or gasoline, but on charge. Suddenly, you had the speed of a tricycle, the comfort of a sidecar, and the affordability of tsinelas life — all in one vehicle. That’s why it clicked. No roaring engines. Just a quiet hum through the potholed roads of Hilongos, weaving through market streets and barangay corners.Not flashy, not fancy. But very much today.

The Spirit Still Rolls

The potpot may not dominate the main roads anymore, but its resistance stayed. You'll still see it plying smaller streets and neighborhoods, especially near the baywalk — slowly, proudly, without need for a second gear.

The same goes for tsinelas. It never left. You’ll still find it walking beside you, especially when the day is short and the budget is shorter.

Racal may be the new ride, but it simply joins the story.Because wherever there are people who need to go somewhere, someone will find a way to bring them. That was true with tsinelas. That was true with potpot. It’s still true today.

So the next time you ride a Racal, remember the padyak that paved the road before it — with strength, patience, and just enough potpot to be heard.