Dreaming of cruising the Philippines either in comfort or in your dream car? Now, there's an app for that. DOON PH is shaking up the transport scene by letting you rent vehicles the way you book Airbnbs. With its growing reach from Metro Manila to popular destinations like Siargao, Bohol, and Iloilo, the platform offers convenience for travelers and extra income for car owners—hosts can earn up 60,000 to 200,000 a month, depending on the car. So, how did DOON PH rev up this game-changing idea? Let’s meet the brains behind it.

The Brains Behind the Biz

"DOON is about, okay, I know for the next 48 hours, I'm going to need transportation, because I'm going to a lot of places. So, I'm going to need to rent a car and drive the car myself. Because that's what DOON is about." said Enrique Hormillo, DOON PH’s Founder and CEO.

"There's certainly some options: Jeep, MRT, and now we have Grab which is pretty great. But let's talk about, if you have to go to a wedding in Baguio, that one really requires some personal transfer," Hormillo shares.

A self-professed car guy all his life, Hormillo shares that his father was an avid car enthusiast. He started riding go-karts at a very young age, and competing at go-kart racing at 14.

“I was always in that circle. I’ve always been surrounded with people who had cars and friends that had different cars. So, I always spent my childhood trying and experiencing so many different cars.”

His passion and drive for business, specifically in the motor industry, translates to how fast DOON PH has grown from its first investor (AHG LAB) in 2022. Right now, DOON PH has around 335 vehicle hosts in its varied fleet, ranging from older models to the latest, more luxurious ones. It is operating in 32 cities across the Philippines and is the first fully insured car sharing marketplace in partnership with Pioneer.

Leading with Vision

As a leader, Enrique Hormillo emphasizes the importance of keeping his team lean, motivated, and recognized for their contributions:

“You know, I believe that if you're here with me from the start, you deserve a piece of the pie. So basically, everyone in our full-time staff has the opportunity to earn what's called ESOP (Employee Stock Options). So everybody that works for me always has a chance to own part of the pie as long as they work hard.”

“We started building the app mid 2022...and we launched in August of last year. We did a soft launch, where we were still iterating and building. And I'd say even until now, we're still making improvements. Every three weeks, we release a new version. So, you know, we're contantly improving our product, trying to make it better.”

Taking the Leap

When asked for advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, Enrique confidently responded, "Cut the safety net and just do it."

He continued, "If you’ve been holding onto an idea for a while, the best way to make it real is to take the leap—cut the safety net and go for it."

And that’s exactly what Enrique did. After signing the investment contract for DOON PH, he didn’t think twice. The very next day, he took a leap of faith, leaving behind his steady job to fully commit to building his dream. It was a moment of no turning back, where he chose passion over security, driven by the belief that this was the path he was meant to follow.

Exploring New Ventures

Apart from DOON PH, Hormillo is also a partner of Radical Motorsport Philippines. Also in the pipeline is his venture with Meta Motors, an up-and-coming car video game that can allow you and your friends to race 110th or 17th scale RC cars virtually, with the cars being on an actual racetrack. 

Enrique Hormillo’s journey shows how one can get from dito (here) to doon (there). It shows how a passion and vision can become a reality when you go for it and give it all you’ve got. With all the exciting projects on his dashboard, it’s thrilling to see where his next lap takes him.

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