Women on Wheels: Grab Empowers its Female Fleet Through Capacity-Building Programs

With a commitment to bolster the confidence of its women driver and delivery partners in providing ride-hailing and delivery services, Grab Philippines has initiated a robust capacity-building program encompassing essential competencies requisite in the industry. This endeavor stands as a cornerstone of Grab’s social upliftment campaign, GrabAsenso, particularly focusing on its Women Program.

Following proactive engagements with women driver leaders and communities, Grab Philippines has identified prevalent reasons why women may hesitate to pursue careers in transportation and deliveries. These include ingrained beliefs that driving is not suited for them and apprehensions regarding managing challenging situations such as handling irate passengers, vehicle breakdowns, and ensuring safety.

In alignment with these findings, the prominent superapp has strengthened its collaborations with agencies and organizations such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), and the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) to craft and execute a comprehensive capacity-building program tailored for female drivers. The program aims to instill confidence in every current and prospective Ate Grab as they navigate roads daily.

On 21 March 2024, Grab women drivers participated in a Safe Spaces Training conducted in collaboration with PCW. During the session, PCW speaker Danielle Alexandria Anteola elucidated on the Safe Spaces Act, highlighting its significance in safeguarding women and ensuring justice for any misconduct against them. Anteola commended Grab for its efforts in promoting safe and discrimination-free environments, acknowledging such initiatives as pivotal steps towards a more inclusive society.

CJ Lacsican, Head of Operations at Grab Philippines, reiterated the company’s unwavering commitment to enhancing diversity, inclusivity, and equality within its driver and rider network. Lacsican emphasized Grab’s role in leveraging the digital economy to provide viable opportunities for all, empowering Filipinos to pursue their aspirations without concerns about safety, skills, or gender-based discrimination.

In addition to its advocacy efforts, Grab has implemented various technological features aimed at enhancing the safety and security of its women driver and delivery partners:

• Women Passengers Preferred Toggle: Introduced in February 2024, this feature enables Ate Grab drivers to prioritize matching with female passengers.

• Emergency Assistance Button: This feature allows driver-partners to promptly access law enforcement assistance in times of distress through simple taps.

• Trip Monitoring: By tracking atypical stops and routes taken by driver-partners, this feature encourages prompt communication with law enforcement or medical teams if necessary. Grab also utilizes Trip Monitoring to proactively reach out to drivers and passengers to ensure their well-being.

• Share Live Location: Driver-partners can share a tracking link with loved ones and colleagues, providing real-time updates on their location during rides for added peace of mind.

Furthermore, Grab has developed e-learning content for its women driver-partners through Grab Academy, an exclusive online learning platform. This content includes courses on passenger handling, road safety, and vehicle maintenance, accessible at partners’ convenience.