Ride-hailing firm Grab Philippines has launched a nationwide program to speed up the digital shift of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) outside Metro Manila.
Called Grab Asenso: A Digital Diskarte Program, it represents a public-private endeavor endorsed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and partner city governments. It combines a multi-city Learning Caravan with the rollout of mobile-first merchant tools inside the GrabMerchant app to equip entrepreneurs with practical skills and plug-and-play infrastructure for online growth.
CJ Lacsican, Grab Philippines’ vice president, said in a statement on Monday, “Progress happens when every entrepreneur, regardless of business size, can fully participate in the digital economy. Grab Asenso goes beyond seminars. We pair hands-on, mobile-based learning with ready-to-use tools–marketing, payments, logistics, and an AI-copilot- so MSMEs can find consumers, run leaner operations, and scale their business faster. When small businesses thrive, supply chains strengthen, jobs multiply, and local economies become more vibrant and more resilient.”
MSMEs are the backbone of Philippine commerce and account for 99.6 percent of all establishments and roughly 65 percent of jobs yet many are still early in their digital journey. The country’s shift to cash-lite is now mainstream 57 percent of retail payments by volume and 59 percent by value were digital in 2024, driven by QR PH and instant transfers – making merchant readiness urgent for inclusive growth.
Supported by local government units, the DICT Regional Office, and Grab merchant-partners, the inaugural leg kicked off in Angeles City. It will expand to Cavite, Baguio, Bohol, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro in the coming months, according to Grab.
Meanwhile, Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, DICT director of the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB said, “This initiative is more than just an event; it’s a testament to our shared belief in the power of digital technology to transform lives and build a brighter future for the Philippines.”
Grab Asenso, the Grab executive said, is a powerful display of digital bayanihan — a modern-day take on the Filipinos’ cherished tradition of community cooperation.
