3 startups thriving amidst COVID-19 lockdown in the Philippines

...Surprisingly, there are a few tech companies in the country not only surviving but thriving in the midst of the current lockdown.

They are worth studying because their use cases point to examples of how businesses in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia can potentially become more impactful and integral to the lives of their users.

Basic needs go on-demand 

When the community quarantine took into effect in Manila on March 15, few people were prepared. As in other countries, there were absurdly long lines at groceries as people stocked up – or in some unfortunate cases, hoarded – essentials such as food, water, and sanitation items. But not everyone was able to get what they need.

Many Filipinos have since turned to the on-demand services platform, MyKuya.

According to founder Shahab Shabibi, MyKuya has seen triple the requests compared to the week before, with many people turning to the app for help with basic needs, such as getting a kuya (Filipino for “big brother”) to help deliver take-out or do personal shopping for necessities such as sanitation items.

Employed through MyKuya’s enterprise partners, these kuyas are themselves working completely voluntarily. For many Filipinos at the bottom-of-the-pyramid, the economic impact of not working during the COVID-19 lockdown – “no work, no pay” is a commonly heard refrain – is the worst part of the pandemic.

Read more: e27