Grab eyes shuttle services as Metro Manila reverts to MECQ

“Grab, along with its partners, will continue to support our communities – the driver-partners, merchants, front liners, and most especially our kababayans staying at home,” it said. (File photo: Prachatai/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

MANILA – Ridesharing and delivery service company Grab Philippines (Grab) is looking into providing shuttle services for front-line workers as Metro Manila and some select provinces suspend public transportation after reverting into modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on Tuesday.

In a message on Monday, Grab said it will temporarily suspend its GrabCar service beginning Tuesday midnight but will continue to provide its other services such as its GrabFood, GrabMart, GrabExpress, and GrabPay.

“Grab, along with its partners, will continue to support our communities – the driver-partners, merchants, front liners, and most especially our kababayans staying at home,” it said.

To help provide a continued livelihood to its drivers that would be affected by the suspension of public transport, it said a dedicated shuttle fleet is being eyed to provide transportation to its partners in the medical industry as well as other front liners from its “corporate and merchant partners.”

“Grab is also looking into the prospect of having our driver-partners provide mobility solutions to our hospital partners as dedicated shuttle fleet for their medical front liners,” Grab added.

For its driver-partners with existing loans, Grab said it is working with financial institutions to extend payment holidays, aside from collecting donations for its “communities” affected by the MECQ.

For its GrabFood customers, it said it will provide free delivery for those who will use voucher code “UNLIFREEDEL” with a minimum purchase of PHP550 until Wednesday (August 5), and voucher code “ZERODELFEE” with a minimum purchase of PHP550 from August 6 to 16.

“Grabfood will offer free delivery during this period to ensure that they continue to have access to daily meal options for themselves and their loved ones,” Grab said.

Moreover, it said GrabFood, as well as GrabMart, will be available daily from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. –– depending on the availability of its merchant-partner — while GrabExpress remains available 24/7.

To ensure that its drivers and couriers remain safe from Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and to avoid further infection by identifying those already positive, it said the GrabProtect program will continue to provide free tests for its driver and delivery partners.

“In partnership with the National Taskforce Against COVID and the BCDA (Bases Conversion and Development Authority), Grab will continue to provide free tests for its driver and delivery partners to ensure the safety of everyone in the platform and our communities as a whole,” Grab said.

On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation to place Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal back into a MECQ from August 4 to 18.

During this time, public transportation will again be suspended as well as heightened security in checkpoints that would require individuals to present quarantine passes before they are allowed to pass through.