Cebu hosts final leg of Grab Asenso Learning caravan

 
CEBU – Grab Philippines culminated its final leg of its eight-city Grab Asenso Learning Caravan in Cebu on December 5 at Oakridge Pavilion, Oakridge Village in Mandau City, closing a nationwide tour that introduced AI tools, digital marketing training, and mobile-first payments to thousands of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.

 

Grab Philippines Deputy Head for Cities Paula Catanghal told Cebu media that the Grab Asenso: Digital Diskarte Program is Grab’s flagship public-private initiative geared to make the digital economy more inclusive across the country by bringing to entrepreneurs in key growth centers across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao some learning and AI tools and mobile business payments, to equip more MSMEs to thriving digital entrepreneurs through upskilling, new tools, and accessible AI co-pilots.

“It is fitting that we culminate our 2025 Asenso Learning Caravan here, in a city whose MSMEs embody the Sugbuanon spirit of padayon — always moving forward,” Catanghal said.

More than 100 of MSME owners and staff participated in the learning caravan, focused sessions on digital marketing, social media optimization, mobile photography, and AI for MSMEs.  The modules are built around real-world use cases, from sharpening online visibility through programs like Grab Spotlight Campaign, to using data and simple AI prompts to improve menu design, pricing, or customer engagement, Catanghal bared.

                                  The Grab Asenso Learning sessions

To ensure the skills translate into tangible gains, Grab paired training with mobile-first tools. The company introduced its Merchant AI Assistant, positioned as a “co-pilot” that helps business owners improve productivity and manage day-to-day tasks more efficiently, from menu set-ups to promo strategies.

Grab is also expanding access to Tap & Scan to Pay, a smartphone-based payment solution that allows even the smallest eateries to accept QR PH and credit card payments from locals and tourists.

To help entrepreneurs build resilience, merchants who activate Tap & Scan to Pay are also automatically enrolled in an Income Protection program that allows them to claim support for lost income in cases of force majeure and similar unforeseen disruptions.

Platform data from Grab’s leading MSME partners on GrabFood show that roughly 30 percent of their total transactions now come from on-demand deliveries, pointing to the growing role of digital platforms in driving revenue.

Thousands of Grab’s Visayas-based merchants are also located in Cebu, reinforcing the city’s position as a key node in the region’s digital economy.  Technology is seen as an equalizer, allowing even the smallest players to participate and thrive in a digital economy.

On partnerships and prosperity, Hans Kongmon, 3rd generation owner of Sunburst Fried Chicken shared the reality of increased income for merchants, with 30-40 percent now earning additional income due to digital transformation and being part of the Grab ecosystem.