Grab and MOVE IT Join Forces with ARK to Strengthen Urban Food Security for Rider Communities

 

Grab Philippines and MOVE IT have partnered with social impact innovator ARK Solves to launch a community-led food security program aimed at helping gig worker communities build more sustainable and self-reliant food sources.

At the center of the partnership is Feed Back, ARK Solves’ flagship community exchange program that enables families to grow fresh produce at home and share excess harvests with their neighbors, helping strengthen food access at the community level.

The collaboration comes amid continuing concerns over food security in the Philippines. While government data showed food inflation easing to 0.7 percent in January 2026, down from 1.2 percent in December 2025 and 4.0 percent a year earlier, the Department of Agriculture said the gains remain fragile and could easily be undone by renewed supply disruptions^[1].

Grab Philippines Managing Director Ronald Roda shares: “Grab remains committed to helping our driver- and delivery-partners and their families stay resilient in the face of shifting macroeconomic realities. Beyond ensuring that livelihood opportunities on our platform remain viable, we believe it is equally important to introduce support programs that reinforce their long-term well-being. Through our partnership with ARK Solves, we hope to help more gig worker families build more sustainable lives and greater food security for the future.”

The partnership was formally launched with the support of the local government units of Montalban, San Mateo, and Antipolo in Rizal, where the program will be piloted among Grab and MOVE IT’s rider community. So far, almost 700 community leaders and rider-partners from the platforms have signed up and begun receiving seeds, along with training on how to grow food and compost even in small spaces.

“Community has always been at the heart of MOVE IT. Our rider-partners look out for each other, and we see that every day in how they support one another on and off the road,” highlights MOVE IT General Manager Wayne Jacinto. “Our role is not just to recognize that strong sense of solidarity, but to help harness it, so riders can come together and co-create sustainable programs that support their everyday needs.”

Over the course of the 16-week program, participating riders will help expand access to fresh produce within their households and communities. Once harvests are ready, they will lead weekly exchange activities in their neighborhoods, allowing families and neighbors to share surplus crops with one another.

“This partnership is a major milestone, as we work with Grab and MOVE IT in showcasing how we can enable Feed Back’s impact to thrive wherever it is needed the most, including urban areas,” says Ayesha Vera-Yu, CEO and Co-Founder of ARK.

By combining behavior-change principles with a market-based approach, Feed Back helps families build and sustain productive home gardens that strengthen access to localized food sources. The program, which gathers multiple partners, has since scaled to 120 communities across the country, benefiting more than 36,000 fishing and farming households.

Following the initial rollout, Grab, MOVE IT and ARK Solves plan to expand the program to more driver- and rider-rich communities in the months ahead, applying lessons from the pilot to improve the model as it scales.

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^[1] https://www.da.gov.ph/da-eyes-supply-fixes-to-head-off-food-inflation-pressure/remains

 

MOVE IT promises “Aabot Ka Sa Ganap”

 Homegrown motorcycle taxi app touts a fast and seamless booking experience, promising a ride confirmation in less than two minutes

In the hustle and bustle of the metro cities, the ceaseless ebb and flow of heavy traffic is the norm. Amid this challenge, a single question persistently stands, "Will I punctually make my appointment?".

 

The central character in MOVE IT's latest whimsical videoexperiences this urban predicament. The character's tension – arriving at an unusual scene where his family is being interviewed by a winged TV reporter, underscores the impact of transportation challenges on commuters' ability to attend critical events. The lack of context only amplifies the surreal nature of the situation.

To end the suspense from watching the original video, MOVE IT invites the viewers to book a MOVE IT ride and uncover the true unfolding of events. In the alternate rendition of the video, the storyline diverges, underscoring MOVE IT's commitment to helping every passenger reach their crucial engagements.

 

The online video showcases MOVE IT’s pledge to every passenger: "Aabot Ka Sa Ganap". This promise primarily stands on the platform’s efficient booking time. According to records, compared to the previous year, passengers can now secure a MOVE IT booking in as little as two minutes.

 

A Reliable Transportation Option

MOVE IT’s confidence in promising “Aabot Ka Sa Ganap” stems from its many efforts to improve the efficiency and productivity of its fleet of rider-partners – ensuring its supply of professional moto-taxi service providers meets the demand of Filipino commuters. 

 

● Improved Supply: The MOVE IT team has expanded its capacity to assess and upskill a larger number of rider-partners. These partners – after undergoing professional training and assessment – are seamlessly integrated into the MOVE IT platform. This year, MOVE IT has launched a rider-onboarding caravan in diverse areas across Metro Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro – optimizing the allocation of slots for its services in these regions.

● Auto-Accept Booking: The Auto-Accept Booking feature is an opt-in tool designed for MOVE IT rider-partners. It intelligently assigns passengers who are located within a specific radius of the rider-partner's current passenger's drop-off point. This feature facilitates back-to-back bookings for rider-partners, thereby enhancing their productivity and enabling them to serve a larger number of passengers.

● Set Destination: Rider-partners' productivity is enhanced by effectively assigning them passengers who are headed towards their final destination, even while they are on their way home. This efficient allocation ensures that no trip is wasted and maximizes the use of their time and resources effectively. 

● Heatmap: This feature strategically directs MOVE IT rider-participants towards areas of high demand, effectively aligning the supply of moto-taxi service providers with locations where a substantial number of passengers are seeking rides.

 

MOVE IT General Manager Wayne Jacinto shares, “Ang pangunahing layunin namin sa MOVE IT ay tanggalin ang alinlangan ng mga komyuter kung mayroon ba silang masasakyan na maghahatid sa kanila sa kanilang mga destinasyon. Kaya ang simple naming pangako ay aabot ka, kahit ano pa ‘yang inyong ganap.  Ang kumpiyansa na maipangako ito ay bunga ng sipag at dedikasyon ng aming libo-libong rider-partners. Mula noong aming relaunch noong 2023, kami ay patuloy na nagtitiyak sa aming mga pasahero na ang MOVE IT ay maghahatid ng serbisyong maasahan, ligtas, at tapat.”

 

Grab and MOVE IT recognized their top female driver- and delivery-partners

 

Grab Philippines and partner motorcycle taxi company MOVE IT recognized their top female driver- and delivery-partners on Sunday, March 17, at the Babae Ako, Babiyahe Ako: Women’s Month Event. Recognized for their exemplary performance, high order and ride completion, and positive customer rating, the awardees stand as paragons of female excellence on the road. 

ore than 20 women driver and riders from Grab and MOVE IT were recognized at the recent Babae Ako, Babiyahe Ako: Women’s Month Event 2023

 

Among the awardees is Veronica Arabe, a 66-year-old GrabTaxi driver-partner from Baguio City. “Bilang isang single parent, napakalaki po nang nabago sa aking buhay buhat noong ako ay nag-GrabTaxi. Isa po sa mga pinakamahalagang naidulot sa akin ng GrabTaxi ay ang pagpapatapos ko ng aking tatlong anak sa kolehiyo. Blessing po talaga ito sa aming mag-anak,” shares Arabe. Having started on the Grab platform in 2019, Arabe shares that Grab has made her more confident in steering the wheel daily, traversing roads safely and worry-free as she relies on features such as passenger identification, GrabMaps, and Share-Your-Ride. 

66-year-old Veronica Arabe proudly represents the Grab fleet from Baguio City, which she has been a part of since 2019

 

Joining Arabe in the roster of women driver honorees is the youngest GrabCar driver-partner in Iloilo City – 22-year-old Arianne Hinara Claire Geguera. Having just finished her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminology at the St. Therese MTC- Colleges, Geguera immediately joined GrabCar as she prepares for the next chapter in her career. “After graduation, sumali po ako agad sa GrabCar para maging driver-partner. Ito po ay para makapag-ipon ako pang-review at board exam. Nagiging stepping stone ko po ang Grab sa pag-fulfill po ng aking pangarap na maging parte ng Tri-Bureau.” Geguera shares she appreciates the flexibility of time being a GrabCar driver. Being her own boss, she gets to balance her own time as she allots some days for her board exam review. 

 

The top two-wheel women drivers also took center stage during the event, and one of them is Sheryl Barrantes from MOVE IT. Barrantes reveals that even though she has been with MOVE IT for just under a year, she has already seen  how she is able to achieve optimal earnings on the moto-taxi platform, which she uses to support her family. “Ang ganda po ng kita ko sa MOVE IT. Dito ko po kinukuha ang pang-dialysis ng aking tatay at ang pangangailangan naming sa araw-araw. Ang mga kagaya ko pong female MOVE IT riders na nandirito ngayon ang patunay na ang kalsada at ang pangraride-hailing ay di lamang para sa mga kalalakihan.” 

 

 

Hailing from different backgrounds yet these brave, dedicated female drivers and riders share a loud and clear call for all current and aspiring women Ate Grab and Ate MOVE IT: “Kayang-kaya rin namin 'yan!”. Besides the awardees, thousands other women drivers from all over the Philippines flocked to the Metro Tent Convention Center in Pasig as the leading superapp and the homegrown moto-taxi company reiterated their commitment to creating inclusive livelihood opportunities for every Filipino – shaping a more gender-neutral transportation sector. 

 

Grab Philippines, together with MOVE IT, has recently rolled out a comprehensive Women Program under the social-upliftment campaign GrabAsenso. The key facets of the program include a series of trainings on topics like vehicle maintenance, first aid, and preventive servicing co-facilitated with agencies TESDA, MMDA and Philippine Commission on Women. The leading superapp has also officially activated its Women Preference Toggle – a new tech feature on the Grab driver app that is exclusive to women driver-partners. The Women Preference Toggle prioritizes the pairing of women drivers with female passengers, singinifcantly increasing the confidence of driver-partners in safely plying the roads of the metro.