Benj Paz pauses between deliveries to feed stray cats along his route, using tips and loose change he sets aside for animal food.

At a gas station along a busy Manila road, a delivery rider pulls over -- not to check his phone for the next booking, but to reach into his bag, as a few stray dogs begin to gather.

He tears open a pack of dog food and pours it onto a piece of cardboard on the pavement. The animals inch closer, cautious at first, then eager. For a few minutes, the rush of the city fades into the background.

Then, just as quickly, he’s back on his bike, off to his next delivery.

This has become part of his daily routine.

Delivery rider Benj Paz feeds stray dogs during a brief stop between bookings.

Between orders, along streets near malls, and in gas stations he frequently passes, the rider makes time to feed stray dogs and cats, using nothing more than the tips and loose change he sets aside after each trip.

Paz told Manila Bulletin that his motorcycle compartment contains a few plastic bottles, each slowly filling with loose change and tips from every delivery.

“May ipakain lang ako sa makikita ko sa daan (Inside his motorcycle compartment are a few plastic bottles, each one slowly filling up with loose change and tips from every delivery),” he said 

The job itself is far from easy. Like many riders, he spends long hours on the road, dealing with heat, smoke, sudden rain, and days when bookings are slow.

“Mahirap talaga ang trabaho, init, usok, ulan, tumal (The job is really hard, heat, smoke, rain, and slow days),” he said.

Still, he says the extra effort feels lighter when he’s able to feed even a few animals along the way.

“Masaya pag nakakapagpakain ako  (It makes me happy when I’m able to feed them),” he shared

The reason runs deeper than the routine.

Every stray he feeds reminds him of a dog he once had, Echo.

“Naalala ko yung aso ko sa kanila (They remind me of my dog),” he said.

What started as a small habit of setting aside tips has grown over time.

For him, the work and what he does on the side go together.

“Pinasasalamatan ko na may trabaho kaming marangal (I’m thankful that we have a decent job),” he said.

He said he hopes pet owners treat their animals as family, not just as guards or something to keep outside, because they also feel and know how to love.

At the end of the day, he keeps things simple. He is thankful for the job, for the customers, and for the help he gets.

After his story gained attention online, delivery rider Benj Paz began receiving donations to help him feed more stray animals.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon at sa lahat ng customers na tumatangkilik lalo na sa mga tumutulong sa advocacy ko (I thank God and all the customers who support me especially those who help my advocacy),” he said

He also still talks to Echo.

“Echo, kung nasaan ka man ngayon, miss na miss na kita. Sana gabayan mo ako sa bawat biyahe (Echo, wherever you are now, I miss you so much. I hope you guide me and keep me safe on every trip),” he said.

On the road, his stops are brief. Feed, ride, move on.

But for the strays waiting at the same corners, it means they get through another day.