Pedi App, a locally developed ride-hailing platform, is aiming to standardize fares for tricycle commuters while providing a technology-based booking system for drivers. Launched in Tagbilaran, Bohol, the company recently participated in the Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) 2025 event in Mactan, Cebu.
The platform was co-founded by Reagan Loberternos, along with Feliciano “Doy” Agta, Christian Lugod, and Erwin Saycon. The initial concept was to leverage the drivers’ local knowledge, but the business model evolved to address commuter concerns over unpredictable and often excessive fares, particularly in tourist areas.
“When I came on board with co-founders Christian Lugod and Erwin Saycon, the idea evolved further. To address the problem facing commuters who have to haggle and feel overcharged, especially in tourist areas, we thought of building a platform that could regulate fares while ensuring drivers still earned a fair remuneration,” said CEO and Co-Founder Reagan Loberternos.
Agta, a real estate businessman and the son of a tricycle driver, initially envisioned ways for drivers to earn more through services like being local guides. Loberternos, who holds a Master’s degree in Material Sciences and previously served as a Research Fellow at the UP Condensed Matter Physics Laboratory, helped structure the platform’s current approach.
Pedi App began development in 2021 and officially launched in Tagbilaran City in September 2022. The company reports over 22,000 registered users and more than 400 active drivers.
The majority of users are locals, but the app has seen increasing adoption among tourists seeking a transparent, fixed-fare system. The company states that the platform can provide drivers with an additional daily income of ₱800 to ₱1,000 by completing an average of 10 bookings, supplementing their street-hailed rides.
Pedi App operates with a local development team, which Loberternos notes allows them to be agile. “Unlike transnational ride-hailing companies, Pedi App was developed entirely by a local team. That allows us to quickly customize features for each municipality and better understand the social and economic realities on the ground,” he added.
All drivers must complete training and present a valid license and franchise to be onboarded. The platform enforces standardized fares and has a mechanism for commuters to report overcharging or misconduct, which may result in penalties or suspension.
Pedi App is exploring a franchise-style expansion model, which would allow local operators to manage front-end services while the company provides the core technology. Discussions are currently underway for a planned launch in Dumaguete by the end of the year. The company has also received interest from potential partners in other Southeast Asian countries and in Denver, Colorado.
Beyond standard ride-hailing, the platform is piloting several new features, including Pedi Xpress for deliveries, PediPay for digital transactions, and Pedi E-Ticket for ferry and transport bookings.
The company acknowledges challenges, including some driver resistance to adopting smartphones and concerns over competition within the app.
The startup’s development was supported by the Bohol Island State University Technology Business Incubator (BISU TBI). Pedi App’s journey from a volunteer team at GOAB 2023 to a sponsored participant by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bohol at GOAB 2025 highlights the increasing regional support for the startup ecosystem.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has also featured the company’s use of technology to empower local transport.
For the founders, the long-term goal is to scale its localized model. “We see the Pedi App not just in Bohol, but in other parts of the Philippines, in Southeast Asia, and every place where tricycles and tuk-tuks are a part of daily life,” Loberternos said.