By Antonio Colina IV DAVAO CITY – The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put many businesses in the city, but certainly not for some enterprising start-ups here which seem to even be thriving in the midst of a crippling global pandemic by offering delivery services. The enforcement of more stringent 15-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from April 4 to 19, has given rise to startups offering delivery services to Dabawenyos, many of them office-turned-work-from-home workers, since the mass public transportation system has been halted to discourage residents from leaving their homes. ECQ also allows food and essentials delivery to continue even with the lockdown. These homegrown startups can pick up take-out food, deliver groceries, medicines, and even fresh fruits and vegetables, and other basic necessities. They can also be asked to pay bills and pick up documents. Davao journalist Rob Gumba, who has been working from home since the lockdown, said he found the delivery service more convenient because he was uncomfortable leaving home for supply runs as he could risk exposure to COVID-19. Gumba said he was impressed with the on-time delivery of his orders, perhaps owing to the fewer vehicles now plying on the streets, that on normal days would be congested. “With my order, what DabCap did was they consolidated the orders from other buyers before delivering them on a scheduled date. That means, its delivery partner, Oridoo, would also deliver the orders of other customers by schedule. But it was quick nonetheless,” he added. Ian Jermie Mayangao, senior treasury sales specialist at the Land Bank of the Philippines in Davao, said he also found the services very helpful since he can make his purchases inside the comfort of his own room, and have them delivered right at his doorstep. “It’s very convenient to have the food delivered right at our doorstep during a community quarantine,” he said. Radio broadcaster Aimee Guinita added she learned much from a cousin based in Spain, who had told her about surviving on delivery service as the European country dealt with the severe lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “My cousin said these delivery services are very useful in Spain because the outbreak there is really bad. She would only go down to pick up her order from her doorstep. When they buy fruits and vegetables, they will do so online. But before eating them, they would disinfect them first to make sure they are safe for consumption,” she said. Guinita said she was also wary of going to crowded places, and that she would rather make her orders through these services than risk herself contracting the virus. Law student Geraldine Sumamban, who is also a housewife, said these services were helpful during a crisis since it was difficult to get food in restaurants, which are mostly closed due to the outbreak. Some of these reliable startups that can do the usual errands, such as picking-up take-out food, buying groceries, vegetables, paying bills, buying medicines, sanitizers, alcohols, and other basic necessities.