THOUSANDS of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the Philippines are expected to accelerate the shift to digital tools and mobile-first payments after Grab Philippines completed its eight-city Asenso Learning Caravan in Cebu, equipping entrepreneurs with artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, online marketing skills and cashless payment options that can raise productivity and widen market reach.
The Cebu stop — the final leg of the nationwide program — gathered hundreds of MSME owners and staff for training on digital marketing, social media optimization, mobile photography and practical AI use cases designed to sharpen pricing, menu design and customer engagement.
Grab said the initiative is meant to help small firms capture rising digital demand, with platform data showing that roughly 30 percent of transactions among its top MSME partners now come from on-demand deliveries.
Grab Philippines deputy head for Cities Paula Catanghal said the Grab Asenso: Digital Diskarte Program is the company’s flagship public-private initiative geared to make the digital economy more inclusive.
“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,” she said.
Cebu City Councilor Jose Abellanosa, speaking for Mayor Nestor Archival, said Grab’s programs have “positively transformed the lives of countless Cebuanos,” adding that its collaboration with local entrepreneurs supports the city’s vision of a “smart, sustainable and inclusive community.”
To translate lessons into operational gains, Grab rolled out new tools including its Merchant AI Assistant — a business “co-pilot” for managing menus, promotions and daily tasks — and expanded its Tap & Scan to Pay service, allowing even small eateries and home-based sellers to accept QR PH and credit card payments.
Merchants activating the service are automatically enrolled in an income protection program that provides support during force majeure disruptions.
Grab said thousands of its Visayas-based merchants are located in Cebu, underscoring the city’s role as a key node in the region’s expanding digital economy. / KOC