Grab Asenso Learning Caravan brings digital upskilling to Puerto Princesa MSMEs
Grab Philippines brings its Grab Asenso Learning Caravan to Puerto Princesa, holding a full-day masterclass that equipped GrabFood merchant-partners with practical digital skills and tools to grow their businesses.
The caravan is part of Grab Asenso Digital Diskarte, the company’s flagship tech and AI enablement program for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). It was held with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations dedicated to helping small businesses compete.
Sessions covered growth and payment tools on the GrabMerchant app, including GrabAds Spotlight Campaigns; Tap & Scan to Pay, which lets merchants accept QR and card payments; and GrabMerchant AI Assistant, an AI co-pilot for daily operations. ITC experts led modules on digital content mastery and content strategy.
Welcoming Grab’s efforts to help local MSMEs grow through digitalization, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron said Grab’s presence in the city reflects confidence in the local economy and its readiness for new opportunities.
“For us, Grab’s arrival in Puerto Princesa is an indication of their trust in the economy of Puerto Princesa, and of Puerto Princesa’s readiness to receive new investments and to accept new opportunities,” he said.
The mayor also underscored the role of food delivery in helping local businesses grow. “Food delivery will help restaurant owners increase their sales. There are several people who don’t have the time to go to restaurants, but they can take advantage of Grab delivery to order the food they want from our participating restaurants.”
Helping local businesses thrive
GrabFood launched in Puerto Princesa in October 2025, and has since onboarded homegrown favorites such as Haim Chicken, Puerto’s Pancit Malabon, 100% Cafe Moto, and Del Cusina.
100% Cafe Moto began as A+ Moto Cafe in Bancao-Bancao during the COVID-19 pandemic, a gathering place for motorcycle enthusiasts and locals. Before joining GrabFood, customers ordered by phone and staff had to find a rider, which often delayed deliveries. GrabFood now brings delivery fees, estimated delivery times, and online payments onto a single platform.
“As a business grows, it is important to factor in technology. As a restaurant, we need to find ways to serve customers better through technology. More and more people are also now finding ordering more convenient than visiting a physical store, so we need to be able to bridge that gap,” said Gladys Abad, 100% Cafe Moto’s operations manager.
Del Cusina, a family-owned buffet restaurant that started in Sabang, was severely damaged by Typhoon Odette in late 2021. The business was rebuilt and relocated to the South National Highway in Tiniguiban.
“Our journey has taught us that running a small business means being ready to adapt. After Typhoon Odette, rebuilding and relocating was a major challenge. As we rebuilt and reintroduced our food, we realized we could also give customers the gift of convenience by partnering with GrabFood,” said Dayan Jardin, Del Cusina’s Dining Supervisor. The partnership immediately lifted the restaurant’s sales by up to 30 percent, with GrabFood delivery orders continuing to grow relative to walk-in orders.
Building an ecosystem for MSME growth
Grab Asenso’s partnership with ITC runs through the agency’s Digital PINAS program, which builds MSMEs’ technology and AI capabilities and tracks how digital adoption translates into business growth.
Through the end of 2026, ITC will bring expert-led masterclasses to Learning Caravans in regional cities nationwide, along with a merchant monitoring framework that measures business results. Sessions follow Digital PINAS’ hands-on format, covering digital business profiles, online presence, brand and marketing content, creative platforms, and AI for streamlining operations.
“MSMEs are the backbone of our local economies. They create jobs, sustain families, and drive the growth of cities like Puerto Princesa,” said RJ Cabaluna, vice president for Cities at Grab Philippines. “Empowering them is essential to building a more inclusive and resilient Philippine economy. Our partnership does not end when a store goes live on GrabFood. We are committed to growing alongside our merchants and the communities they serve, widening their access to technology, know-how, and opportunity so they can compete and thrive in the digital economy.”
