MANILA -- Bicol region's Pandalivery -- a delivery service that is like a combination of Lazada and Grab Food -- began with almost nothing except a college student's drive to start a business.
"I started with just PHP500, using a Facebook page (as a platform), and my elder brother's motorcycle (to deliver products)," Pandalivery Chief Executive Officer and founder, Jude Salvador Buelva, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
That was in 2017, when his parents did not like his idea that it took him six months to convince them to invest. In January 2018, the Pandalivery app was born, which he outsourced.
Buelva described Pandalivery as a "minimized Lazada, but for the locals."
"It's a localized platform, not just for the (app) users. It really helps the province, online store owners," he said.
One could purchase various items using the Pandalivery app -- from over-the-counter medicines, clothes from "ukay-ukay", to groceries and food.
Pandalivery enables small businesses to have an app to expand their market and sell their products, he explained.
At present, Pandalivery operates in the cities of Naga and Legazpi, but Buelva targets to roll this out soon in Daet, Camarines Sur.
"We would like to uplift the provinces using our services," he said.
The third year IT student from Ateneo de Naga has 90 partners selling via the Pandalivery app. From being on his own and using his brother's motorcycle, he now has 15 driver-partners and 10 dispatchers. He gets an average of 120 orders per day, too.
Buelva said partner-drivers earn from commissions. "Some of them earn an average of PHP800, which is higher than our PHP300 local minimum wage," he said.
One could order via the Pandalivery from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., for a minimum delivery charge of PHP35, depending on the distance.
The items displayed on the app are those that are available in the store owner's stock. The buyer could also choose the expected time of delivery.
In case of a defect in the items purchased, Buelva said Pandalivery would pick these up and have these replaced by the store owners. As part of customer service, the items will be delivered back to the buyers, free of charge, he said.
Buelva was at the IdeaSpace event in Makati City last Tuesday, where Pandalivery and other startups showcased their products.
"I joined the (IdeaSpace) community because I like to learn from them. I'm still a college student and I don't have so much of an entrepreneurial mindset," he said.
The young entrepreneur said he would like to reach more provinces in the future, and give small businesses a chance to develop something without spending too much.
He said those who would like to partner with Pandalivery may give him a call and see the details in Pandalivery's website.
"(At Pandalivery), we prioritize the locals. We aim to provide them with more affordable local retail products," Buelva said. (PNA)
