As the Philippines continues to face increasingly severe climate-related disasters, mobility companies are being called to play a more active role in community resilience. Global ride-hailing platform inDrive, through its local social impact program inDrive Cares, is helping turn emergency relief into long-term, community-centered action — supporting both vulnerable families and the TNVS (Transport Network Vehicle Service) drivers who power its platform.
The initiative began with a series of relief efforts during the onslaught of Typhoons Crising and Dante, when inDrive partnered with Laban TNVS to distribute essential aid to evacuees. The team reached up to 160 families in Brgy. Bagumbayan, Brgy. Quirino 2A, Quezon City, and Brgy. Masambong Quezon City, providing ready-to-eat meals, hygiene kits, and other emergency items to those displaced by floodwaters.
This experience led to the launch of inDrive Cares, a program designed for long-term, community-driven solutions.
Laban TNVS President Jun De Leon shared, “Itong initiative natin with inDrive ang nagpapakita sa tibay at puso ng mga TNVS drivers. Sa partnership namin with inDrive, nakita ko na mas nagkakaroon ng tunay na pagbabago kapag hindi lang tayo nagbibigay ng tulong, kundi andiyan ka rin mismo sumasama at tumutulong kasama sila. Do’n nagiging higit pa sa ayuda ang suporta, nagiging pag-asa.”
Supporting Government-Led Climate Resilience
inDrive’s efforts align with the national government’s climate adaptation goals, particularly the Bayanihan sa Estero Program, aimed at rehabilitating flood-prone waterways in the National Capital Region. The program addresses critical drainage issues and waste buildup that worsen flooding during the monsoon season.
“We realized we were treating symptoms, not causes,” said Vanessa Taqueban, inDrive’s Driver Operations Lead for the Philippines. “The flooded communities we served were the same areas where our TNVS drivers couldn’t operate, losing income when roads became impassable.”
As part of its contribution, inDrive volunteers alongside local agencies joined the clean-up drive at the Caingin Estero, Barangay Caingin on the boundary of Valenzuela City and Meycauayan, Bulacan, and provided cleaning kits and protective gears.
“Ang clean-up initiative na ito ay tunay na diwa ng bayanihan nating mga Pilipino. Tulong-tulong ang lokal na pamahalaan, mga ahensya ng gobyerno, at inDrive para sa kalinisan ng ating bayan. Nagpapasalamat kami sa kontribusyon ng inDrive dahil ito ay nakakatulong hindi lang sa kalinisan kundi pati sa kalusugan at pag-iwas sa pagbaha. Makakaasa ang bawat-isa sa atin na magpapatuloy ang ganitong mga programa,” MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana said.
This shift reflects a deeper understanding of how environmental issues affect both the public and the livelihood of TNVS drivers. By investing in long-term rehabilitation, inDrive Cares is helping create safer, more accessible roads while strengthening community ties.
From Bayanihan to Sustainable Action
The bayanihan-inspired approach to urban waterway rehabilitation underscores how deeply rooted Filipino cultural values can be mobilized to meet the Philippine Government’s environmental priorities, with private sector partners like inDrive contributing capital, technical expertise, and long-term support through its inDrive Care program, blending the long-standing Filipino tradition and innovation in advancing community-led, climate-resilient urban development. Crucially, inDrive Cares is not a standalone campaign. It is rooted in the company’s global social impact arm, inVision, which leads inDrive’s non-profit efforts across education, gender equality, arts and sciences, and youth development. Where inVision funds schools and programs worldwide, inDrive Cares grounds that mission in the realities of the Philippines, investing in clean waterways, driver support, and disaster-prepared communities.