A student riding a horse to school in General Santos City caught public attention as the sight highlighted a call to revisit traditional modes of transportation amid the rising fuel prices.

Janjeric Arcibal, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Agriculture student, said he did not expect to ride a horse along the road from their agriculture campus to another campus in Barangay Lagao.

He said a school official asked who among them knew how to ride a horse, and he volunteered since he already had experience. He was then assigned to ride a school-owned horse named Arthur.

Arcibal said the school wanted to revisit and showcase a traditional mode of transportation that can still be relevant today, especially amid the continuing increase in prices of petroleum products.

“Imbes diri lang to, so ingon ni ma’am muadto na lang Lagao para ma-promote pud ang pagtaas sa gas ba. Mura’g panawagan, back to traditional ta. Ug naay way nga makasulod ka sa eskwelahan pwede mag-kabayo,” Arcibal said.

Arcibal assured that the horse was handled with care throughout the ride.

“Panan-aw sa uban kusog pero katung padagan hinay lang tu siya kay isa pud ana gina-ampingan ang tiil nila kay siyempre sa semento magasgas. Kung makulbaan ipatakilid nako siya. Maayo na lang gani nisunod siya,” he added.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is reaching out to the school officials for a statement, as of this writing.

The school continues to take care of the horse along with several ponies.