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Tech firm vows to help Davao City ICT sector

By Lilian Mellejor

March 7, 2019, 8:35 pm

<p>Rico Mok, chief technology officer and co-founder of Onerent Inc. leads the opening of the company's new office in Davao City on Thursday. <strong><em>(</em><em>PNA photo by lilian c Mellejor)</em></strong></p>

Rico Mok, chief technology officer and co-founder of Onerent Inc. leads the opening of the company's new office in Davao City on Thursday. (PNA photo by lilian c Mellejor)

DAVAO CITY – A tech-based firm offering real estate management services in the United States has committed to further contribute to the city's growth, particularly in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

At the opening and blessing of Onerent, Inc. in this city on Thursday, Rico Mok, chief technology officer and co-founder of the company, said he is optimistic in the growth of Onerent not only in the city but across the globe as the company continues to carve its own niche in the real estate management.

Mok said the move of the company to a bigger office is part of the commitment to pursue exponential growth.

This as Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag assured the business sector of the full protection of their investments and help to sustain their growth in Davao City by providing a peaceful environment and competent workforce.

Al-ag said this as the city is positioning as the ICT hub with the Philippines. He stressed that the ICT sector is the city’s fastest growing sector where over 50,000 Dabawenyos are employed.

Al-ag also recognizes Onerent for having selected the city as the location of its Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) office serving clients in the United States particularly the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles Riverside and Orange Counties.

Davao is the only Onerent’s base in the Philippines.

“You made the right decision to make Davao City as your home. We have competent people. We make sure, that here, you will have a long-term investment,” Al-ag said in his message.

Mok said Onerent in Davao started with only just five pioneering workers in 2016. Its workforce in Davao now stands at 180.

He recalled that Onerent started its startup business in 2014 in a garage. Together with his two friends, Greg Toschi and Chuck Hattemer, Mok said they developed a leasing platform using technology to help facilitate the leasing process for college students looking for a place to rent.

In the Philippines, Onerent started to hire the first employee from Davao as a freelance opportunity in October 2015. It added six more employees by December in that same year.

Its continued growth prompted the founders to fully transition Onerent from a freelance, work-at-home opportunity to an office-based company. It is now in its new office at the Mezzanine of Metro Lifestyle.

Mok said Onerent takes pride in its hassle-free rental service to modern renters and property owners. It is now managing over US$1 billion in assets in San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange Counties.

Its services include one-demand rental showings, instant tenant screening, autonomous move-ins, AI-powered rental performance data, proactive maintenance recommendations, guaranteed rent payouts, and reliable 24/7 support.

Onerent is now serving over 7,000 properties in over 75 cities. It has served over 30,000 renters and leased more than 200 properties in just 60 days. (PNA)

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