By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Grab, the leading superapp in Southeast Asia, is expanding its mobility services and operational programs in Negros Occidental, particularly in towns and cities surrounding this city.
Jo-Ann Yoshida, Grab Western Visayas Operations Manager, said they aim to offer safe, reliable, and convenient flagship mobility service to more Negrosanons as it grows its serviceable area from the Municipality of Manapla all the way to the southern reaches of Bago City.
This ensures passengers can navigate the region with ease and peace of mind, making their journeys throughout the area worry-free, Yoshida pointed out.
Along with the geographic expansion, Yoshida added that Grab also announced the upcoming launch of GrabRent in Bacolod.
Set to be activated on the superapp by November, GrabRent allows passengers to rent a GrabCar for hours instead of the usual per-destination booking.
Through GrabRent, both tourists and locals exploring Bacolod City will be able to easily rent a four- or six-seater GrabCar for a minimum of four hours, she further said.
Yoshida also said that the recent expansion of the operational area and service portfolio in Bacolod is Grab’s solution to the expected surge in mobility demand during the holiday season.
“During the holidays, we come together to celebrate our faith, family, and the year that’s gone by. As our fellow countrymen prepare for the festivities, it’s paramount that they can move about safely and conveniently – with nothing in mind but their shopping lists and gift guides,” Yoshida said.
She further said that with more reliable mobility options like GrabCar and GrabRent in Negros Occidental, “we aim to make this holiday season more special and hassle-free for our kababayans across the region.”
Yoshida also said that consequent to the growing presence of Grab in Negros Occidental, the leading superapp is bent on onboarding more driver-partners on the platform as it fills the 900 franchise slots allocated by the LTFRB for the region under the transport network vehicle service (TNVS) scheme.
“Our goal is to maximize the slots released by the LTFRB for Negros Occidental. This will not only enhance booking reliability on our platform for passengers but will also help provide livelihood for more aspiring TNVS drivers,” she added.
“Every TNVS slot filled is another Filipino family with an additional stream for income – hence our dedication and focus to welcome new members to our fleet,” Yoshida stressed.
She also said that Grab is also growing its operations in another region in Western Visayas – Iloilo.
Presently, Iloilo City boasts of 1,100 TNVS slots, a number that Grab is diligently working to maximize as part of its goal to extend operations across Panay Island, Yoshida also said.
She further said Grab is also bringing the GrabRent feature in Iloilo by end-year, with a particular focus on serving tourists traveling to and from Kalibo, Aklan – the gateway to the world-renowned Boracay beach.
