With the rise of e-commerce and delivery platforms, transport partners have become part of the everyday patterns of our lives. What once meant battling traffic twice over, first to pick up an item and then to bring it where it needed to go, can now be done with a few taps on a phone. In that simplicity lies their significance.

These delivery drivers have become connectors of people and businesses, lifelines of convenience, and keepers of small but important promises that make everyday life run smoothly.

One of the platforms that made this possible is Lalamove, the on-demand delivery app that links customers with partner drivers. Its appeal is simple: fast, flexible, and affordable deliveries for almost anything that needs to get from one point to another. But behind the technology is a community of drivers who depend on it for their livelihood. For them, the app is an open door to opportunities, especially for their families.

To give honor to their drivers, Lalamove launched a global campaign called ‘Heroes Behind the Wheel.’ The initiative tells the stories of partner drivers whose hard work and perseverance have provided for families, funded education, and sustained dreams.

This global campaign is a video series that shares personal journeys and puts the spotlight on drivers as everyday heroes. As Djon Nacario, the managing director of Lalamove, put it: “Through these films, we’re not just telling stories of Lalamove partner drivers, we are amplifying their voices. By sharing their stories, we hope to foster a deeper appreciation for their role as unsung heroes and inspire more people to acknowledge and celebrate them.”

In the Philippines, the campaign took root through ‘Search for the Next Lalamove Hero,’ an online contest for partner drivers. It encouraged them to share how they have been heroes not just to themselves but to their families and communities.

The prize was a P20,000 cash reward, but perhaps more meaningful was the chance to have their stories turned into short films. Five drivers from Manila, Pampanga, and Cebu were chosen. Their stories became the centerpiece of a small film festival that honored them as the real stars of the road.

Each of the five winners carried with them a story of persistence.

There is Jerome Fugado from Cebu, who once braved an entire Valentine’s Day without breakfast or lunch just to deliver bouquets on time. His hard work allowed him to save enough to open a sari-sari store and start online selling for his family.

Jozel Opena juggled three lives — student, father, and rider. Wearing his college uniform by day and taking bookings by night, he used his earnings to pay tuition, proving that dreams can be achieved through sheer grit.

Michell Shane Culang, a former soldier, showed that discipline does not leave the man. One rainy night, he delivered vital documents needed for a patient’s operation. For him, being a Lalamove driver is another way of serving.

In Pampanga, Deogratias Celestino Gadil found fulfillment not only in supporting his family but also in helping fellow riders. Once, he assisted another driver whose motorcycle had broken down, showing that camaraderie runs deep on the road.

Finally, Mark Shervin Ohoy returned to the road after surviving pneumonia. Despite health restrictions, he chose to keep working to provide for his wife and three children, grateful for a second chance at life. He remembers one stormy night when he pushed through heavy rain and flooded streets to deliver flowers and chocolates to a customer’s loved one, only for the gift to be turned away. Yet for Mark, the effort was never wasted. Moments like these remind him that riders quietly bridge distances, carry emotions, and help people reach each other in ways that go beyond any package.

These drivers saw their lives unfold on screen during an exclusive film festival organized by Lalamove Philippines. It was about giving partner drivers a platform where their stories could be told, seen, and appreciated.

Delivery drivers today move more than just packages. They carry the weight of responsibility, the hope of their families, and the trust of the communities they serve. Initiatives like Lalamove’s Heroes Behind the Wheel make us pause to see them for who they truly are, men and women who keep our lives moving, one trip at a time.

Episodes of Heroes Behind the Wheel can be viewed on the Lalamove Liga ng mga Bossing Facebook page: facebook.com/LalamoveLigaNgMgaBossing.