MANILA, PHILIPPINES — On-demand delivery platform Lalamove celebrates International Women’s Day in recognition of the hard work and dedication of all women, especially the brand’s very own Pinay partner drivers, who contribute to the strength, growth, and success of the brand, both locally and globally.
Presently, Lalamove has hundreds and thousands of verified riders nationwide. Four among the thousands of women part of the brand’s wide variety of fleet share their experience and sentiments on the road, and how they are making changes one delivery at a time.
Four years of moving what matters
For Mary Abegail “Abe” Del Rosario, being a Lalamove motorcycle rider for four years has been her source of income. Back in 2018, she worked in Dubai as a waitress in a restaurant but was forced to go back to the Philippines after it closed. Her brother encouraged her to join Lalamove to be a partner driver, and she has learned to love the job since then, especially the long rides.
“Lalamove helped me survive the pandemic. Challenging [maging rider] pero kinakaya… Pinakagusto ko ‘yung long rides – nagro-roadtrip ka na, kumikita ka pa. Important ang tiyaga at pasensya dahil wala namang madaling trabaho, babae man o lalaki, sa biyahe man o sa pakikipag-usap sa customers (It is challenging to be a rider but I manage… My favorite [part] would be the long rides – earning while going on roadtrips. Perseverance and patience are important because there’s really no easy job, for both women and men, be it during deliveries or when dealing with customers),” Abe shares.
Balancing time for work and the family is possible with Lalamove
Further proving that women are unstoppable, Nora Ong, a solo parent of 6 kids and currently a 4-Wheel partner driver, shares her experience on the road after being encouraged by fellow drivers to give Lalamove a try.
According to Nora, some are surprised – in a good way – to find a woman partner driver picking up or delivering their items. “Babae? Magda-drive? ‘Di lang naman ‘to panlalaki. Kinaya ko, at may time ako sa pamilya ko dahil hawak ko ang oras ko dito sa Lalamove. Para sa mga babaeng gustong maging Lalamove driver, walang trabahong madali kaya kung anong hilig mo, gawin mo. Kung gusto mong kumita, pwede dito (Some are surprised and happy to discover that the delivery person is a woman. A woman? Driving? This isn’t just for guys. I was able to do it, and I still have time for my family because I manage my hours here in Lalamove. For the ladies who want to be a Lalamove driver, there’s no easy job so do what you’re interested in. If you want to earn, you can do it here),” shared the 46-year-old driver.
Newbies are welcome in a supportive community
Being a newbie delivery rider is not as challenging with a supportive community of riders, according to Bernadette “Drei” De Jesus. Working in Lalamove for less than a month, she enjoys the long rides and is still getting the hang of things. Before joining the on-demand delivery company, Drei worked as a service crew in a fast-food chain. She was laid off due to the pandemic, but the good news is she now serves as a Lalamove motorcycle rider.
“Tinuruan nila ako sa process, kung paano magtake ng orders kung anong gagawin sa iba-ibang mga sitwasyon. Bilang isa sa mga pinakabatang Lalamove riders, naninibago pa ako pero salamat sa mga kapwa ko riders na talagang matulungin (They taught me about the process, like how to take orders and what to do in different situations. As one of the youngest Lalamove riders, I’m still getting used to it [the job], but thanks to my fellow riders for being very helpful),” Drei said.
From MSME to being a Partner Driver
Lieza Ilagono, a Lalamove motorcycle partner driver in Cebu, remarks on a similar experience. From handling a food business, she decided to join Lalamove and is now also planning to register her Sedan. Long-distance deliveries are her favorites because of the road trip and the bonus of higher earnings.
“Hanga sa akin ‘yung mga customers bilang babae. Iba rin talaga ang nagagawa ng pagiging approachable o accommodating na attitude. Challenging man ang pagbubuhat ng mabibigat na packages minsan, pero para hindi madismaya ang customers, tinatawagan ko sila at sinsigurado kong kaya kong i-deliver ‘yung package. Nakakapagod, pero ganoon din naman ang lahat ng trabaho, pero good experience naman dito (The customers are awed when they find out I’m a woman. It also pays off to be approachable and accommodating. Carrying heavy packages can be challenging, so to not disappoint customers, I call them first to ensure that I can deliver their package. It is tiring, as with all other kinds of jobs, but it’s a good experience),” shared Lieza.
To hear stories straight from Lalamove’s Pinay riders is living proof of the brand’s commitment to providing partner drivers continued support and opportunities amidst any situation in any way possible, shared Lalamove Philippines Managing Director Dannah Majarocon.
“Empowering our partner drivers – both women and men – has always been our utmost priority. For five years, our battle-cry to move what matters rings true, and it’s all thanks to our dedicated riders,” she said.
Together with the rest of the world, Lalamove hails the heroic Filipina partner drivers who continue to break barriers, especially in the logistics industry that is known to be male-dominated.
