The Toyota Tamaraw used to be the dependable workhorse of the Philippines. Back in the day, it moved sacks of rice and other small business cargo. It even transported an entire barangay basketball team to the opponent’s home court. I should know, I was once part of that ride.

Now, the Tamaraw is back. The Next Generation Tamaraw. But not in the way people remember it. Instead of just hauling cargo, Toyota has turned it into something more flexible. The new version comes with ready-made body conversions for food trucks, mobile stores, wing vans, ambulances, and even pet grooming units. The Tamaraw has transformed into something closer to a business partner on wheels.

One that stands out among the many new versions is the mobile pet grooming Tamaraw. Instead of pigs or palay, the cargo area holds grooming tables, blow dryers, water tanks, and bottles of dog shampoo. It is less like a truck and more like a spa.

People always want convenience, so it is logical and makes business sense to bring the service directly to them. Families can have their shih tzu styled without leaving home. The Tamaraw allows that by turning a parking slot into a grooming station.

The Tamaraw’s evolution reflects how Filipinos survive tough times. The old version carried goods to the market. The new one brings the market straight to the customer.

A converted Tamaraw starts at about P1.45 million. That number may not look very cheap. But compared to renting a commercial space and hoping customers drop by, a van with wheels looks like a smarter option. A pet salon in a mall costs a business owner far more than that. Toyota offers financing plans designed to make it easier for entrepreneurs to get started.

Filipinos have always been creative with vehicles. Jeepneys turned into rolling carinderia, famously called Jollijeep. Tricycles doubled as LPG or soft drinks delivery. The only difference is that Toyota itself is now supporting this kind of reinvention.

The Next Gen Tamaraw lineup today covers everything from food stalls to mini-clinics. In short, the van has gone from hauling sacks to handling entire businesses.

The other side of the story is that running a mobile business is not easy. Parking a pet salon-sized vehicle in a narrow street takes quite a skill. Generators act up at the worst times. Owners must maintain not only their equipment but also the vehicle itself.

A grooming van may need dozens of appointments every month just to keep up with payments for operating and other overhead expenses. A food truck must find a steady flow of customers in cities already filled with options. The Next Gen Tamaraw provides mobility, but the work and how it will succeed is still up to the owner. Just like in any other business.

It is interesting to note that the Tamaraw reflects how many Filipino communities have evolved. Once it was tied to farms and fields. Today, it speaks to small businesses. Where it once moved livestock and rice, it now trims pets or sells shawarma.

It all makes sense. The Tamaraw has always carried what Filipinos needed most. In the past, that meant farm goods. In the present, it can mean dog shampoo, pans and saucers, advertising LEDs or even emergency equipment. Someone, sooner or later, will surely turn it into a rolling party van.

If it has wheels, Filipinos will find a way to turn it into anything. And if that means a mobile pet salon that smells wet fur, so be it. That is the true magic of a shapeshifter.

Yesterday it carried goats, today it pampers poodles. Tomorrow, who knows, maybe a rolling DPWH satellite office with permits, contracts, an engineer, and a notary public on board.