A top banker and her daughter are introducing shared transport in the Philippines, beginning with personal mobility devices such as bicycles and e-scooters that are now available for rent through a mobile app in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Moovr PH, the first app-enabled bike and e-scooter sharing service in the country, aims to resolve the problem of road congestion, according to Anna Moncupa, who is also the founder of startup Keepr Storage PH.
"Our roads are getting more congested," Moncupa says during the launching of the shared mobility service in Fort Bonifacio. "We wanted to offer a safe and more convenient way to move around the city."
The service has long been available in European countries, particularly the Netherlands, but Anna says her team has developed an app that makes shared mobility work in the Philippines.
"With Moovr, we're aiming to solve space issues outside of our homes. Our roads are getting more congested and travel takes longer, so we wanted to offer a safe and convenient way to move around the city," she says.
"This concept is not entirely new. I'm sure most of you have seen them in your travels overseas, but the challenge here was really about making sure it's a perfect fit for the general commuting public in the Philippines. We really had to localize this entire service," she says.
EastWest Banking Corp. director and chief executive Antonio Moncupa Jr., Anna's father, serves as an adviser to the company and believes that its business model can be sustainable.
"As a banker, my first instinct was to ask if it could be sustainable," he says. "I am convinced this is an idea whose time has come for the Philippines."
"It is affordable and inclusive, and of course, it is green. It will be sustainable because people will find value in it. It is a response to the needs of the BGC community," says Antonio.
Anna says they chose to pilot the system in Fort Bonifacio because it has the infrastructure for bicycle and e-scooter sharing and because of the central business district's dedication to improving the quality of life.
She says once the model becomes successful in Fort Bonifacio, it can be replicated in other parts of the country.
"I am lucky and proud that my father is on board as an adviser. Together, we were able to develop a scalable business model that we wish to extend nationally in the years to come," she says.
"Definitely we should be able to expand outside BGC [Bonifacio Global City]," says Anna. "It marks the beginning of sustainable initiative and inclusive transportation to Filipinos everywhere."
Moovr PH is initially making available 14 single gear bicycles and 20 Segway Ninebot Pro Max e-scooters in Fort Bonifacio. These bikes and e-scooters produce just 1 percent of the carbon released by standard cars.
Renters can use them by downloading the Moovr PH app on both Android and iOS devices. They can rent the bikes for P60 an hour, with an additional charge of P15 for every 15 minutes, and the e-scooters for P150 an hour with an additional charge of P50 for every 20 minutes.
Anna says the service is being made available to the public while practicing safe physical distancing. The bikes and e-scooters are regularly disinfected and sanitized and can be accessed through Moovr hubs that are within walking distance anywhere in Fort Bonifacio.
At Moovr hubs, renters can select vehicle and unlock it by scanning the QR code. Vehicles can be rented for up to 24 hours, while e-scooters should be returned if the battery falls below 15 percent.
Fort Bonifacio has designated lanes for the personal mobility devices and the Moovr app guides the users to the nearest designated parking area.