Dek: In cities where the cost of living exceeds what the gig economy can provide, workers offset the gap by renting on-demand delivery platform accounts.
AT THE break of dawn, a passing motorcycle faintly illuminates the still streets. Its handlebars hold two phones that flicker with delivery bookings—spanning Metro Manila and reaching as far as Sorsogon.
John Mark scrolls through one phone in vain, with the best bookings having been out-swiped by nearby drivers. Worried he might not meet his quota, he opens the other, which, with a single swipe, instantly secures a coveted booking.
For delivery riders like Mark, purchasing another person’s identity—which allows easy access to profitable deliveries—is driven by the need to make ends meet in the gig economy where algorithms enforce competitive free-for-all systems.
Upon arriving at the pick-up point, however, he is met with the customer’s confusion—the registered profile and vehicle details do not match his own, yet technically, they still belong to him. After all, he had been up-to-date with his rental agreement with a stranger from a public Facebook group where delivery app riders sell and rent out accounts for extra profit.
The road taken
Once a merchandiser at a mall, Mark grew to resent the physical toll of working for minimum wage. His former salary of Php 645 per day once supported his household of five. After resigning to be full-time as a Lalamove rider, he now earns his former wage in only an hour.
Mark strives to profit at least Php 1,000 a day despite how difficult it can be, especially with Lalamove’s ‘low base fare’ and the 20% commission over his earnings. “Tanghali mararamdaman mo ‘yung init, [sasakit] na katawan [mo], hanggang sa pag-uwi mo [sa gabi]—wala, lupaypay na katawan mo (In the afternoon you feel the heat, your body will hurt, and until you return home late at night, your body will not rest.),” he states.
Mark found that double booking, a practice common among riders, helped alleviate his losses. He would always take long-distance bookings and arrange additional ones to cover expenses the app’s rates overlooked. However, with no proper double booking system in place, Mark’s deliveries would get tagged as late, resulting in low ratings which gets him flagged as an “At Risk” account.
With an “At Risk” account, Mark has less chances to secure high-earning bookings. He explains that Lalamove’s system favors higher-rated accounts in bookings swiped by multiple riders. He adds that there are also financial incentives through achieving a delivery quota that is mostly offered to high-rated riders.
As ‘At Risk’ riders like him get frustrated by uneven booking distribution, Mark began renting a high-rated account for around Php 100 a day. According to him, the practice grew in popularity among fellow riders through a public Facebook group who seek better profits. The rented account’s benefits have helped Mark in securing deliveries that eased him into his personal quota.
Rather than addressing the shortcomings of its booking system, Lalamove imposed a facial recognition system in 2024 to deter account purchasing and renting. However, riders have bypassed this barrier by having the original owner log in first each month before transferring the credentials.
Unfortunately for Mark, the original owner chose to reclaim ownership, leaving him to once again fend for himself with an ‘At Risk’ account—exacerbated by what he believes to be the post-holiday drought where bookings are especially scarce.
Meeting by the gate
Standing by on the other end of the booking—unaware of riders’ buy-and-sell practice—a customer grows suspicious of the mismatched plate number listed on the app.
Out of all the services, Welcy Chua primarily uses Lalamove to deliver presents valued at around Php 1,000. However, her usage dwindled after a time when she noticed that the rider’s plate number was not the same as the one on the app.
Though she wanted to cancel the delivery, she pushed through with it as the rider’s name matched the app’s record and her package arrived safely. Regardless, the whole incident and another experience of a rider having entirely different details eroded her trust in the app.
“Matagal din bago ko siya ginamit ulit. [Ngayon,] mas alert na ko sakaling makakuha ulit ako ng driver na hindi nagmamatch ‘yung information. (It was a while before I used it again. Now, I’m more alert in case I get a driver whose information does not match.),” she shares.
In reality, others have had worse experiences with riders’ second accounts, as some even lose their packages entirely.
Mark recognizes this unfortunate concern that some riders buy accounts to remain unidentified when scamming, making customers wary of fake identities. In his case, however, his intentions for working around the system are purely for income. “Kahit isang katiting di ako na-tempt. (I have never been tempted even a little.),” he asserts.
Going the distance
As well-intentioned riders attempt to navigate the harsh industry, customers make small gestures in an effort to soften its blows. In Chua’s case, she chooses to be kind to riders and adds tips during the rainy season.
These gestures are greatly appreciated by riders like Mark, especially for long-distance deliveries. Alongside this, he further asks customers to be understanding of unwanted delays caused by jam-packed roads and long stoplights.
These efforts, however, are only small band-aids to a larger wound. The ‘inhumane’ delivery fares and high commission rate further harm riders, who are already disadvantaged by low ratings.
“[Kung] tanggalin nila ‘yung commission nila na 20%, o kahit nga bawasan nila, mawawala na [ang pagbibili ng account] (If they remove or even lessen their 20% commission, buying accounts would stop.),” Mark says.
For as long as the riders’ struggles remain, similar covert tactics will continue to surface and damage the industry, hurting both its workers and customers while the app continues to profit. As of writing, Mark is still looking for an extra account to get more bookings.
