Grab Philippines and MOVE IT, in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), have opened the Asenso Center in Marikina City—the first livelihood hub of its kind in Grab’s Southeast Asia network.
The one-hectare facility aims to professionalize the onboarding of platform workers and micro-entrepreneurs, provide AI-powered tools to boost earnings, and streamline access to social protection programs including SSS, Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, and micro-insurance from Chubb and AXA.
Grab Philippines country manager Ronald Roda emphasized the center’s role in creating dignified, digitally enabled livelihood opportunities, while DICT Secretary Henry Aguda described the partners as the “frontline of the digital economy,” supporting everyday income generation for Filipino families.
The center supports Grab’s commitment to generate 500,000 livelihood opportunities nationwide, with the company already achieving 73 percent of this five-year target. Merchant participation is growing, with Community Merchants increasing by 30 percent year-on-year as more local businesses formalize online.
AI tools are central to the hub’s operations: merchants can use a “Merchant AI Assistant” to manage promotions, automate menus, and gain demand insights, while drivers can use an “AI Driver Companion” for route optimization and real-time demand guidance, increasing efficiency and earnings. Training ensures that AI is used safely, responsibly, and in ways that protect privacy and enhance service.
MOVE IT general manager Wayne Jacinto noted that the center combines professionalization with protection, offering safety training, benefits, and on-trip coverage to build sustainable livelihoods. Roda added that Grab’s AI is designed to reward effort, not replace it, ensuring Filipino workers and MSMEs can benefit fully from the digital economy.
The Asenso Center represents a strategic push to formalize platform work, modernize micro-enterprises, and accelerate income opportunities for Filipinos, positioning Grab as a key driver of inclusive economic growth in the country.
