Riders of Change: The campaign trail from startup to service

When we started Angkas, it felt like we were throwing ourselves into the unknown – just like now, as we dive headfirst into the world of public service with the Angkasangga Partylist. The transition from running a startup to leading a political campaign has been exciting, humbling and daunting all at the same time. But if there’s anything I’ve learned from years of pushing Angkas to where it is today, it’s that building something meaningful always comes with birthing pains. And that’s where we are now. This campaign feels like a startup, one that’s bootstrapped, full of ambition, and powered by ingenuity and grit of the Filipino people.

The campaign may have just started, but it already feels so familiar. The same principles that guided us through the early days of Angkas are the same ones driving us now. There’s a deep sense of mission – this time, not just to provide safe motorcycle transport but to serve millions of Filipinos more directly through public office.

Like any good startup, Angkas wasn’t built overnight. There were times when the odds were stacked against us, and failure seemed imminent. But in every challenge, we found opportunity. The idea was simple: give Filipinos an affordable, efficient and safe way to get around. But executing that vision wasn’t simple at all. We had to fight for regulation, earn the trust of commuters, and prove to the public that Angkas wasn’t just another “habal-habal” operation. It was a legitimate solution to our country’s traffic problems.

Similarly, in launching the Angkasangga Partylist, we’re not just running a campaign. We’re building a movement. The movement is about empowering the underrepresented sectors – the informal workers, the daily commuters, the riders who are too often left behind in national conversations. This isn’t just about putting up posters or rallying for votes. It’s about changing the way we think about governance. We need leadership that listens to the people, that brings them into the process, and that genuinely cares about the challenges they face every day.

When you’re building a startup, you often start with very little. You bootstrap. You hustle. You do whatever it takes to keep things moving forward, even if that means working out of a garage, stretching budgets, or wearing multiple hats at once. In a political campaign, it’s much the same.

We’re not a campaign backed by big money or traditional political machinery. We’re bootstrapping this movement, relying on the power of community, on the strength of our shared vision, and on the belief that ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they come together. Much like in the early days of Angkas, we’re doing things differently – lean, scrappy, and resourceful. Every peso spent is scrutinized, every resource maximized, and every team member is giving 200 percent to make this vision a reality.

Our Angkas riders are more than just partners in this campaign. They’re our front-liners, our foot soldiers. They know the streets better than anyone, and they know what it means to be resilient in the face of adversity. After all, these are the same people who weather the sun, rain, and traffic jams day in and day out to provide a vital service to commuters. Now, they’re helping us take this message to every corner of the country.

In this campaign, that same ingenuity shines through as with Angkas’ early days. From grassroots strategies that bring our message directly to communities, to innovative social media campaigns that amplify our platform – everything we do is powered by the resourcefulness of the Filipino spirit. We have something more powerful than money or machinery: the trust of the people and a shared vision for a better future.

Our mission is clear: to fight for the informal workers, the underserved, the riders who brave the streets every day, and the commuters who are just trying to get home. This campaign, like a startup, requires us to solve problems creatively, pivot when necessary, and stay laser-focused on our goals.

What I’ve always loved about being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to create something out of nothing – to turn a small idea into something that can change lives. In the same way, this campaign is fueled by belief. Belief that we can make a difference, belief that we can bring real change to the lives of Filipinos, and belief that the power of ordinary citizens can transform governance.

We’re not just running for seats in Congress. We’re running to lift up the voices of the informal workers. To fight for better policies that support nanopreneurs. We want to create a country where people don’t just survive – they thrive.

The road ahead won’t be easy, but then again, nothing worthwhile ever is. Just like building a startup, running a campaign requires grit, determination, and a relentless drive to serve. There will be obstacles – there always are – but we’re not afraid of challenges. We’ve overcome them before, and we will do it again.

We’re in the business of hope. Whether it’s through Angkas or Angkasangga, we’re here to show that a better future is possible. We’re here to build a country where no one is left behind, where everyone who works gets the support they deserve, and where leadership is defined by compassion and action.

At the heart of all this, we’re simply doing what we’ve always done – giving people a way to move forward. This time, it’s not just on two wheels.