Photo screenshot from Cebu Tabang Express Facebook group
MOALBOAL, CEBU — Because most people are asked to stay indoor amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a group of motorycle riders based in Cebu decided to start a free delivery service for those who need essentials.
The group is called the Cebu Tabang Express, which consists of motorcycle riders dedicated to help those who are unable to leave their homes because of the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The group accepts delivery services for food, water, medicine, groceries, payments, and package transport for free.
Harold Ian “Hush” Aguelo founded the group on March 28, 2020. He started all by himself.
“It was just a one-man initiative. The name before was ‘6045 Express’ mainly as a way to serve the people of Talisay, where I live,” he said.
Aguelo shared to CDN Digital why he came up with such initiative to help his Cebuanos.
“I observed that there are people like the old, the and the pregnant who need to go out and buy their stuff. Not all of them can go out. That’s where CTE (Cebu Tabang Express) started. So basically, CTE primarily encourages people to stay home ‘coz there is already a middle man for them to do their [errands],” Aguelo said.
The group grew when some of his motorycle rider friends noticed his cause and asked to help in his campaign. Among them is Khaloy Navaja, who CDN Digital also featured in an article for helping a homeless man reconnect with his family in Mindanao.
Read: Cebu netizen helps ‘homeless’ man reconnect with his family in Agusan del Sur
Aguelo said that the group now has more or less 20 volunteers stationed in three different clusters: North Cluster, Cebu Central, and South Cluster.
“Cebu Central City [covers] Lahug, Labangon, Talamban etc.; North cluster [covers] Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Liloan, Consolacion, and Compostela; while South cluster [covers] Talisay, Minglanilla, and Naga,” he said.
“If layu, mag pasa-pasa rami border to border by coordinating sa amoa volunteers from other clusters. Sample, Padala Medicine Talisay City to Lapu-Lapu City,” he said.
(If the location is far, example Talisay City to Lapu-Lapu City, what we do is we will pass it border to border.)
Aside from the free delivery of essentials, Cebu Tabang Express together with the Cebuano Youth Foundation, also distributes food packs to the frontliners stationed in different borders in Cebu. | Photo courtesy of Hush Aguelo
He the group continues to work with the help of some non-government charity groups like the One World One Nation, a US-based charity group.
“Naa say mga beneficiaries ig human nila ug sugo namo, muhatag silag tip for gas. Balibaran mana namo, pero naa man mu insist, amo nlang dawaton,” he added.
(There are some beneficiaries who give us tip for fuel. We reject it but some really insist, so sometimes we just accept it)
To avail their service, Aguelo said the requestee should visit their FB group and fill in the request form given by the group.
The volunteer riders also follow rules and safety protocols such as proper wearing of helmet, bringing sanitizers and quarantine pass, and wearing safety gloves.
To those who wanted to join the group, Aguelo said that they need to visit their group page, Tabang Express, and ask for inquiry.
“Remember, one of the key points to become a CTE Volunteer is by actively participating by servicing the requests of our beneficiaries. Not just a one hit wonder,” he added.
Aside from the free delivery of essentials, Cebu Tabang Express together with the Cebuano Youth Foundation, also distributes food packs to frontliners stationed in different borders in Cebu. /bmjo