Grab Offers Free Shuttle Rides for Homebound Filipinos

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The Grab Be Present Bus assists passengers in getting home this holiday season, helping them avoid potential challenges with accessing regular transport options and ride-hailing services amid peak in travel demand

Grab Philippines, in partnership with the New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) and OneAyala, is providing free shuttle rides for Filipinos arriving at Terminals 2 and 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport – the busiest terminals this holiday season.

The Grab Be Present Bus provides convenient point-to-point transportation for Overseas Filipino Workers and other domestic travelers, connecting NAIA Terminals 2 and 3 directly to the OneAyala Transport Hub.

Ride-hailing platforms in the Philippines are facing increased pressure this holiday season as surging demand collides with persistent challenges such as traffic congestion and supply-demand imbalance. Grab Philippines’ historical data shows that the number of ride bookings grows to as much as 45% in the second and third weeks of December, directly impacting the reliability of the existing fleet of Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) drivers to render their services.

With the Grab Be Present Bus connecting passengers from the airport to a hub that houses other mass transit options, these concerns are effectively mitigated – ensuring more Filipinos can reach their destinations this season.

The Grab Be Present Bus free shuttle services will be available from December 12 to 14 and December 19 to 21, 2024, operating daily from 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Passengers who wish to avail of the service can find Grab marshalls stationed at the arrival halls who will be ushering them to the pick-up point. 

They can also directly proceed to the pick-up points located at Terminal 3 (Bay 4) and Terminal 2 (Bay 5). To board the bus, passengers simply need to register and present their Grab app to the marshalls.

Grab PH Opens Doors for Future Business, STEM, Sustainability Leaders

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The leading superapp is now accepting new GrabScholar applications

Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda [center] spearheads the

 official launch of GrabScholar Batch 3

Grab Philippines, together with partner and co-facilitator Bagosphere, is once again ready to welcome a fresh batch of applications for its GrabScholar program. This new cohort will mark the third generation of Filipino GrabScholars since the program's official launch in the country last 2023.

GrabScholar is a three-pronged program that covers full-time college scholarships, bursary support for educational needs, and a career acceleration pathway for aspiring Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) professionals.

The latest iteration of GrabScholar covers full-ride merit-based college scholarships specifically for three- and four-year degrees in Business, Sustainability, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)[1] at any college or university in the Philippines. It also extends bursary support from Kindergarten through Grade 12.

With these updates, the leading superapp intends to create professional pathways for the next generation of leaders in the abovementioned fields. Grab is geared to provide more meaningful support to its college scholars by connecting them to training, mentorship, internship, and potential employment opportunities within the company.

GrabScholar is part of Grab’s broader GrabForGood initiative, aimed at creating opportunities for social progress and growth for more Filipinos, and Southeast Asia at large.

Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda shares, “I am fortunate to have had the privilege of accessing education through scholarships. As the son of educators and a scholar from elementary to graduate school, I deeply understand the transformative power of educational opportunities. Through the GrabScholar Program, we will empower more of our young and hardworking Filipino students with access to quality education. We hope that this program will widen their path towards achieving their dreams.”

In this batch, Grab will be awarding full-ride merit-based scholarships to six freshmen college students and providing School Expenses Aid worth PHP 2,500 to 300 K-12 students. The leading superapp is also co-funding scholarships for a fellowship program for 150 aspiring BPO professionals.

Among the scholars from the program’s second batch is Sophia Sy, a college GrabScholar taking up BS Medical Technology at PHINMA-St. Jude College Manila and the niece of GrabCar driver-partner Mary Sy. Sophia shares, "There are many Filipino students like me who are determined to achieve our aspirations. However, despite their passion and hard work, many lack access to essential opportunities to pursue academic goals. GrabScholar has bridged this gap for me, and I express my gratitude through my hard work and commitment to excellence as I finish my Bachelor’s Degree – a step closer to my dream of becoming a medical doctor."

"Sophia’s story is a testament to how Grab’s positive impact on its driver community goes beyond just providing livelihood. It extends to transforming the lives of their loved ones for the better," Roda adds. Sophia joins the community of Filipino GrabScholars, which is now composed of 12 full-ride college scholars, over 600 bursary awardees, and 300 BPO Skills training graduates.

Interested applicants for the third batch of GrabScholar can visit this link for more information.

 

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^[1] Except medical courses

Grab launches Advance Booking, eases airport transport for PH travelers with guaranteed on-time rides

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Hitting the road whether for leisure travel across the Philippines or sealing business deals overseas can be a daunting endeavor. The pre-travel stress between the epic suitcase shuffle and the documents paranoia can be too much to handle – and this is even without considering the challenge of getting to the airport on time or arranging transportation.

Understanding this dilemma, Grab – the partner of every Filipino for safe, convenient, and reliable mobility – launches its latest transportation service Advance Booking. Grab Advance Booking guarantees on-time rides to the airport via the GrabAirport fleet, ticking off yet another item on the travelers’ checklist.

Grab Philippines Head of Mobility EJ Dela Vega shares, “Having served the Philippines for over a decade, we at Grab have deepened our understanding of the distinct needs of our Filipino passengers. One such need that stands out is their requirement for reliable airport transportation. Recognizing this, we are enhancing the experience of airport rides on Grab with the launch of Advance Booking. Our new Grab Advance Booking product goes beyond offering mere airport transfers – it provides travelers the peace of mind they deserve. This new service has been engineered to have guaranteed on-time rides every time, enabling every Filipino traveler to leave their homes with the confidence they'll have a ride to make their flight on time.”

Grab Advance Booking: Guaranteed On-Time Rides, Every Time

The worries about catching a flight in the wee hours of the morning or during the peak of the metro bustle are a thing of the past with Grab Advance Booking. This new Grab mobility service touts guaranteed rides every time.

● Plan as early as 7 Days ahead:  With Grab's Advance Booking feature, passengers can effortlessly plan their journeys well in advance. The reservation window is flexible, allowing bookings to be made as early as seven days or as late as two hours before the scheduled ride. 

● Stay Stress-free with On-Time Pick-up Assurance: The Grab Advance Booking driver-partners are guaranteed to be on time. In instances of service disruption, the Grab platform swiftly and seamlessly reassigns the ride to an alternative driver-partner, ensuring a successful completion of the trip for the passenger. To ensure fairness, a Php-100 courtesy credit will be offered to passengers if the driver arrives late for a pre-scheduled ride. 

● No need to panic with extended wait time: Further enhancing passenger convenience, a 15-minute grace period is implemented for Advance Booking rides. This allows drivers to accommodate minor delays, while passengers encountering unforeseen circumstances have additional time to reach the pick-up location. 

Booking in a Breeze

Accessing Grab Advance Booking is a walk in the park. Passengers can select  “Advance Booking” under the Grab transport page. They can then enter the date and time of their ride, along with their pick-up location and the specific airport terminal for drop-off.

Advance Booking passengers will also be receiving regular updates and reminders about the status of their ride leading to the scheduled pick-up time. 45 minutes prior to the scheduled trip, passengers can already chat and check in with their assigned driver in-app. 

As safety and convenience remain paramount for Grab, Advance Booking rides can only accommodate a maximum of three passengers with three pieces of luggage.

Safeguarding our Driver-Partners

Grab has also implemented protective measures to safeguard the income of the dedicated fleet for Advance Booking. These measures are designed to mitigate the impact of last-minute cancellations by passengers, specifically those made less than an hour before the scheduled pick-up time. During such cancellations, the passenger will be charged the full fare of the ride. The same policy applies when a passenger is unreachable or hasn't arrived 15 minutes past the scheduled time.

However, there will be no charge for any passenger cancellation done at least one hour before the scheduled pick-up time, 

A worry-free airport transfer

The Grab Advance Booking eases the overall experience of leisure and business travelers going to the airport, allowing them to relax as they begin their trip. This new service from Grab is currently exclusive to trips going to Metro Manila airports via its GrabAirport fleet, which was launched last year in conjunction with the MIAA. Its availability in cities and regions outside of the National Capital Region is expected to transpire in the second half of 2024. 

For more information on Grab Advance Booking, passengers may visit the Grab Help Center.

One Subscription that Covers All: GrabUnlimited Gets Supercharged with Everyday GrabCar Discounts

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The leading superapp’s subscription package now extends beyond everyday deliveries, providing its subscribers with enhanced safety and convenience for their trips through everyday 8% GrabCar discounts

GrabUnlimited, since its launch in July 2022, has consistently provided its subscribers with exclusive savings and deals on everyday deliveries, satisfying the cravings and needs of food enthusiasts and grocery buyers eager to get the best bang for their every buck. 

Today, GrabUnlimited evolves yet again to cater to the demand of the commuting public for sulit, safe, and convenient transportation.

GrabUnlimited now screams “SAKAY NA” as it gets supercharged with exclusive everyday 8% GrabCar discounts for only P48 per month if subscribed via the annual plan.

Sulit Deliveries and Transport Rolled in One

GrabUnlimited enhances your entire daily routine with exclusive discounts on GrabCar rides; and free delivery and sulit deals on GrabFood and GrabMart. Imagine hassle-free commutes, errands completed in a snap, and all your favorite foods and essentials arriving right at your doorstep — all while being friendly to your wallet. Truly, GrabUnlimited subscribers now get to enjoy the Grab ecosystem with their exclusive access to the following:

● Everyday discounted GrabCar rides with 30 vouchers slashing 8% off of total fare[1]

● Everyday Free Delivery on GrabFood[2]

● Free Delivery on GrabMart three times a month[3]

● GrabFood UnliDeals exclusive restaurant discounts, offering savings of up to 35%.

● Exclusive access to earn points on GrabRewards and explore its premium catalog of items

● Php 30 off on GrabExpress deliveries three times a month

Want to experience the supercharged GrabUnlimited promise without the pressure of committing right away? If you are a new subscriber, you can start your one-month FREE trial and experience the full benefits of GrabUnlimited. After your trial period, you will have the opportunity to carefully review our plans and select the one that aligns best with your budgeting preferences.

The GrabUnlimited subscription can be availed via various payment plans:

● Annual Plan: PHP 576 (PHP 48 per month!)

● Semi-Annual Plan: PHP 408

● Monthly Plan: PHP 88

Enroll your preferred payment method for the seamless renewal of your GrabUnlimited subscription. This ensures uninterrupted access to a supercharged superapp experience via the extra sulit subscription plan.

GrabUnlimited is the only subscription plan in the Philippines that offers deals and discounts for a wide array of on-demand services – from deliveries to transportation.

Grab Philippines Head of Mobility EJ Dela Vega shares, “GrabUnlimited, having been reinforced with everyday GrabCar discounts, is now the official gateway to the unparalleled Grab superapp experience. Standing as the nation's sole subscription plan encompassing the widest array of on-demand services — from deliveries to mobility— GrabUnlimited goes beyond offering savings and exceptional value. It effectively transforms and enriches daily life as it elevates everyday deliveries and transport routines.”

Grab Philippines Director for Deliveries Greg Camacho believes that by incorporating GrabCar into the GrabUnlimited plan, there will be a significant boost in the adoption of subscription models for on-demand services among Filipinos, effectively raising the bar for the subscribers’ Grab experience. “When we introduced GrabUnlimited, we observed a notable increase in the confidence of consumers to depend on GrabFood and GrabMart for their daily cravings and essentials. With the addition of GrabCar to our subscription service, we are confident that an even greater number of Filipinos will come to rely on our superapp as they enjoy an expanded access to our portfolio of safe, convenient, and reliable services.” The 2023 Food and Grocery Trends Report has unveiled that, thanks to the exclusive deals and discounts available to GrabUnlimited subscribers, they have engaged in delivery bookings 2.4 times more frequently than regular Grab users.

Don’t Miss Out!

Ready to transform your everyday superapp experience with Grab? GrabUnlimited is here to help you do just that. Sign up for the supercharged GrabUnlimited subscription now and unlock a world of convenience and savings. Upgrade your everyday life—the Grab way! Visit https://www.grab.com/ph/grabunlimited/ to learn more and subscribe today.

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^[1] Discounts capped at PHP 50 per ride

^[2] With minimum order value of PHP 475 on GrabFood and discounts capped at Php 49

^[3] With minimum order value of PHP 750 on GrabMart and discounts capped at Php 59.

Filipinos increase adoption of online-to-offline dining solutions: Grab 2023 Report

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• The Grab Food & Grocery Trends 2023 report sheds light on the evolving consumer behavior on delivery apps in the post-pandemic era

• Among the highlights of the report is the growing dependence of Filipinos on delivery apps to discover restaurants and stores.

Grab recently published the Southeast Asia (SEA) Food and Grocery Trends 2023 report, identifying trends and shifts in how consumers are ordering food and groceries online in the post-pandemic era. The report found that while Filipino consumers are ordering more than before, they are increasingly relying on the GrabFood platform for more than just deliveries.

Combining survey insights from Southeast Asian food and grocery delivery users as well as data insights from Grab’s platform, the report found that consumer food journeys are shifting to a blend of online and offline experiences. Amid the resurgence of dine-in culture, 9 out of 10 consumers surveyed said they prefer food and grocery brands with an integrated online-to-offline (O2O) experience. This was demonstrated by solutions like Self Pick-Up and Dine-In, whose contribution to Grab Philippines’ Total Order Volume increased by 3.6x from 2021 to 2023. Furthermore, 94% of Grab users say they read reviews on the app; 60% pre-purchased vouchers online; and more than half placed their orders digitally at tables in restaurants.

“The everyday food journey of Filipino eaters has significantly evolved in the post-pandemic environment. GrabFood now takes on a new role, catering to the demand for a convenient experience that transcends on-demand deliveries. We remain dedicated to innovating solutions that enable our merchant-partners to seamlessly interact with our highly active userbase, enabling them to efficiently adapt to ever-changing consumer behavior,” said Grab Philippines Director for Deliveries Greg Camacho.

Another captivating finding from the report is that a staggering 89% of Filipino Grab users use the app to discover new restaurants and stores they have never tried before. Food delivery apps are now the second most popular way Filipinos are discovering new F&B outlets – ahead of social networks like Instagram, friends and family, and even food blogs.

The report also highlighted the following consumer trends and recommendations for food and mart merchants:

• Filipinos Go Big for Christmas: Filipinos do love the holidays, especially Christmas. The trends report shows that GrabFood orders increase gradually starting as early as two weeks before the beloved celebration. Topping the list of top items ordered are catering sets, whole cakes, bakery and pastries, and frozen yogurt.

• Subscriptions drive more and larger orders: GrabUnlimited subscribers spend 3.1x more per month and order 2.4x more frequently per month compared to non-subscribers.

• Don’t overlook the Merienda opportunity: While lunch may be the most popular time for orders, Merienda orders between 3 to 6pm have the highest basket value, as people tend to order snacks in groups. In fact, 87% of Filipinos said they are likely to snack during this time.

• Growing eco-consciousness: 44% of consumers in the Philippines say they are willing to pay more for sustainable brands, and 96% are more likely to support brands with sustainable practices. As consumers make more eco-conscious choices, brands can get a headstart by reducing packaging, whether by removing extra layers, or opting for natural materials such as banana leaves.

• Savory Food Top List of Most Popular Orders: In 2023, Filipinos enjoyed an array of tantalizing flavors, with burgers, chicken sandwiches, fried chicken, and pasta reigning as the top orders on GrabFood. Nevertheless, sweets continue to attract interest among foodies, with cakes, milk tea, and coffee securing their spots in the top 5 most-searched items.

• Group Orders on the rise with more workers back in the office: Group Orders on Grab were 1.6x higher in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Most popular at lunchtime and for deliveries to workplaces, merchants can tap into this office lunch crowd by offering bundled deals during this peak time.

Grab continues to find ways to improve merchant discovery on the app and deliver more value to GrabFood and GrabMart users. This includes a revamped Group Order experience with new functionality such as bill-splitting and Dine-In Deals that allow consumers to discover new restaurants and pre-purchase attractive in-store deals.

Camacho adds that the latest trends report is one of the many efforts of Grab to share actionable insights with its merchant-partners in a bid to help them better understand their customers and make data-backed decisions for operations efficiency and consumer satisfaction.

GCash partners with Grab Philippines for easy, hassle-free direct cashless payment option

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GCash, Grab Philippines join forces for more convenient transactions. Grab users can use GCash to pay for the leading superapp’s services by February

As the country’s leading mobile wallet GCash partners with Grab Philippines, the country’s leader in transportation and deliveries, paying for your ride and food orders will soon be easier and hassle-free.

The landmark partnership will give Grab users access to the easiest, most convenient, and secure cashless transactions when they add GCash as a direct payment method on the Grab app. GCash will be officially available as a mode of payment on the Grab platform by February.

Through this partnership, users can simply choose GCash as their payment method, and pay cashless for GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabMart, GrabExpress and other Grab services with just a few taps on their smartphones. Moreover, this partnership enables users to avoid transfer fees which go as high as Php 50.

GCash and Grab Partnership Launch: GCash and Grab mark their milestone partnership with GCash available as a direct payment option in the Grab app by February.

(L-R) GCash Chief Marketing Officer Neil Trinidad, GCash Head of Commercial Sales and Operations Luigi Reyes, GCash Chief Commercial Officer Ren-Ren Reyes, GrabFin Philippines President Martha Elaine Borja, Head of GrabPay Philippines Cris Alcaraz, and Grab Philippines Country Marketing Head Justine Anne Aruta

“With this partnership, we once again realize our commitment to make the lives of Filipinos better each day by delivering a more convenient, secure, and cost-efficient way to pay for their rides and food and grocery deliveries. We look forward to this partnership and we will continuously innovate and build more partnerships that will improve the lives of the Filipinos”, said GCash president and CEO Martha Sazon.

To make their cashless transactions more convenient and rewarding, customers of Grab also get to avail of GCash exclusive deals, and get special treats when they pay for their transactions using GCash.

Country Head of Grab Philippines Grace Vera Cruz shared, “Grab Philippines is dedicated to empowering our stakeholders in a digital-first economy, and key to this is driving a deeper and wider cashless adoption in the country. With more Filipinos transacting via cashless means, we are accelerating our prospects of digital transformation. We look forward to collaborating with like-minded partners such as GCash on this agenda, and we are optimistic that through this partnership, we can improve the lives and livelihoods of many of our kababayans, while building a cashless, digital-first economy for all Filipinos.”

Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp for ride hailing, food delivery, and on-demand grocery delivery. It touts strong foothold in markets like the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Prior to this development, GCash and Grab have already established a strategic collaboration. Their initial partnership has provided Filipinos safe, seamless, and secure digital experience by allowing users to transfer money from their GCash wallet to their GrabPay wallet, and vice-versa.

Building on GCash and Grab’s shared mission of addressing Filipinos’ daily needs, this partnership also helps in creating a more cash-lite and digitally driven economy.

As part of its vision of achieving “Finance for All”, GCash will continue to innovate and establish partnerships to offer affordable, convenient and safe services – making Filipino lives better every day and beyond, in the new normal.

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About GCash

GCash (G-Xchange, Inc.) is the #1 Finance App in the Philippines. Through the GCash App, 71M registered users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills at over 1,600 partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 5.2M partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt (Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc.), the first and only duacorn in the Philippines.

GCash was recognized by The Asian Banker (TAB) and by the IDC in 2021 for its outstanding digital financial inclusion programs.

About Grab

Grab is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp based on GMV in 2021 in each of food deliveries, mobility and the e-wallets segment of financial services, according to Euromonitor. Grab operates across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors in 480 cities in eight countries in the Southeast Asia region – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Grab enables millions of people each day to access its driver- and merchant-partners to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending, insurance, wealth management and telemedicine, all through a single “everyday everything” app. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone, and since then, the Grab app has been downloaded onto millions of mobile devices. Grab strives to serve a double bottom line: to simultaneously deliver financial performance for its shareholders and a positive social impact in Southeast Asia.