The Philippine arm of this Asian ride-sharing giant began a community-driven initiative called GrabBayanihan to help support Filipinos in the fight against COVID-19. Let’s unravel what GrabBayanihan has been up to as of late.
Brian Cu, Grab Philippines’ president, grimly laid out the facts: the pandemic has brought about an undeniably significant impact against the ride-hailing industry. This comes as several governments across Southeast Asia implement community quarantine measures or movement control orders. However, he has also proudly added that “we are fortunate that the diversity of our business and our keen sense of inclusive innovation has allowed us to continue helping and serving our communities.”
So many of us have come to depend on this ride-sharing service; it is a part of our lives and common vernacular. Now, with the suspension of transportation during quarantine, I can’t help but wonder what has happened to all the active Grab drivers and how have the Grab delivery or assistant services adapted to new sanitation standards?
Safety First
As a transport company whose operations have been heavily hampered by the lockdown, Grab has taken extra measures to make sure their driver-partners, and the clients who book Grab services stay healthy and safe. They have made it part of their standard operating procedures for GrabFood and GrabExpress rider-partners to observe contactless delivery by keeping at least one metre distance from the consumer, Brian explained. He continued saying that those booking deliveries and pick-ups are encouraged to do cashless transactions to maintain the full contactless experience. After all, it is our responsibility as independent citizens to do our part in flattening the curve.
On top of that, their drivers are required to submit their temperature at least twice a day through their driver app which is reported to Grab. “We have distributed personal protective equipment such as masks and sanitisers, and have turned our driver centres into sanitiser refilling stations. We have also distributed around 30,000 face masks and almost 2,000 bottles of alcohol to our driver-partners in keeping with our commitment to the safety and hygiene of our partners.” Brian adds.