“Imagine a strong Filipino community where an exchange of information can make everyone’s life more comfortable—that is what Loket is,” says Mr. Kael Jang, CEO of Loket Philippines.
Nearly 12 years ago, Mr. Jang started a business in the Philippines and he found out that the biggest challenge of starting any business in the Philippines was insufficient information online for the neighborhood.
Information You Need, When You Need It
He wished there was a way where Filipinos can get the information they need—when they need it.
“If only I have a friend that could share to me these information, it could have been more comfortable,” Mr. Jang said.
An App by and for Filipinos about Their Community
This same drive to help Filipinos overcome frustration because of insufficient information online and the need for a friendly platform that could guide Filipinos along the way pushed him to develop a mobile app for the Filipino people, created by the Filipino people.
“If other countries have their own community app created only for their citizens, Filipinos should have one as well,” he added.
Thus, Loket’s main service as a mobile app is a neighborhood community called What’s Up that allows people to share information to each other—from news and announcements, as well as ideas that will create a warm, well-informed, and comfortable neighborhood.
Other than being an information-sharing platform, the mobile app also allows the neighborhood to know nearby promotions such as events, discounts, and even job fairs and livelihood seminars through Town Promotion.
Finding the Best Stores and Getting the Best Secondhand Deals
Besides being a neighborhood community app, Loket also provides information about the neighborhood, listing secondhand deals and establishments nearby through Stores.
While there are other secondhand deals online, Loket makes sure that the secondhand deals in the mobile app are far different from others.
The Secondhand Deals section was specially created for peer-to-peer transactions only, thus, businesses are off-limits to this section.
“Secondhand Deal is where peers can buy from items that neighbors do not already use. In some instances, a peer can even get an item for free, just because a neighbor needs to declutter ASAP. This is never a venue for businesses to sell their products and our system will be monitoring this very carefully,” Mr. Jang said.
Communities Connected through Information Sharing
Ten years from now, the Loket team envisions a community mobile app that helps bridge Filipino neighborhoods and both government and non-governmental sectors swiftly.
The Loket team also envisions a strong neighborhood community online where Filipinos can rely on information, especially on what they need, when they need it.
