When Dennis O. Ng started Mober in 2016, he wasn’t just trying to fix a broken delivery system — he was already thinking about sustainability.

“We started Mober 2016, we were already there for sustainability,” said Ng, founder and CEO of Mober Philippines. “Back then, if someone needed help moving houses, I had to call a friend.”

That early gap in logistics — where reliable on-demand delivery was more an exception than a norm — sparked the idea for what would become one of the country’s first tech-enabled logistics startups.

As with most early ventures, the road was far from smooth. “As a startup, it was challenging to raise funds, and I had no idea how to access funds,” Ng recalled. “I was in an industry that was still new to us at the time. It was really hard back then.”

A breakthrough came when Mober secured a partnership with SM Center to deliver appliances, shaving delivery time from five days to same-day — a move that helped redefine expectations in the retail sector.

“I was fortunate to get the account of SM Center to revolutionize the delivery of appliances, from the traditional five-day delivery to same-day delivery,” he said.

Different level

In 2021, Mober took another leap — this time into electric vehicles (EVs).

“Everybody is asking how we did it. For us, I always tell people that we’re not smarter than others — we just happened to already be an app,” he said. “So when we saw an opportunity, it was easy for us — we just kept buying EVs.”

From that shift, Mober built a 3,000-square meter EV charging hub. But growing demand meant even that space quickly became insufficient.

“When we first saw the place, it was still bare, but once the infrastructure was done, it could only fit 70 units,” Ng said. “So we had to look for another parking space — our client Nestlé gave us parking space.”

Ng emphasizes that Mober is not just in the delivery business. “For us, we’re not just doing deliveries — we’re building an ecosystem for green delivery.”

Looking ahead, Mober plans to grow its EV fleet to between 500 and 1,000 vehicles this year, and potentially to 2,000 in the coming years. “Our focus now is how to transition delivery vehicles in the Philippines to EV,” Ng said. “It’s challenging, but I assume that of the 500,000 delivery vehicles now, half are underutilized.”

To make that shift viable, Ng is investing in infrastructure, with new 10,000-square meter charging hubs planned in northern and southern Metro Manila, close to warehouse clusters. But he says infrastructure is only one part of the equation.

Ng’s strategy extends beyond infrastructure and technology. He emphasizes the importance of changing industry mindsets to embrace green logistics.

By training drivers and building scalable EV infrastructure, Mober is laying the foundation for a sustainable logistics framework that others in the Philippines can emulate. Ng’s ultimate goal is to create a system that evolves with environmental needs and sets a precedent for climate-conscious logistics in the region.

“Another long-term goal is the mindset — we will train drivers to use EVs and shape their mindset,” he said.

His approach combines practical innovation with a forward-thinking commitment to sustainability.

By addressing immediate logistical challenges while investing in long-term green infrastructure, Mober is not only transforming delivery services but also shaping the future of logistics in the Philippines. Ng’s focus on ecosystem-building through technology, infrastructure and mindset shifts positions Mober as a leader in the global push for sustainable logistics.

For Ng, building a sustainable logistics platform goes beyond just the vehicles or the tech.

It’s about creating a system that can grow with the times and shift with the climate — and about laying the groundwork for others to follow.