Fueling MSME Success in the Digital Age: Grab’s Merchant Masterclass

Manila, Philippines, 27 September 2023 – Grab Philippines continues its unwavering commitment to supporting the success of its merchant-partners in the digital-first economy, with a special focus on empowering Filipino Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). As part of this initiative, the leading superapp proudly introduces the Grab Merchant Masterclass, a capacity-building program designed to enhance the digital proficiency of MSMEs.

A Key Pillar of GrabAsenso Program

The Grab Merchant Masterclass is the flagship initiative for merchant-partners under the Skills Development pillar of the GrabAsenso Program. Moreover, this program is Grab Philippines’ overarching social empowerment campaign. During these sessions, the knowledge-sharing sessions are led by subject matter experts from Grab and partner organizations. As a matter of fact these sessions cover a wide range of topics, including digital advertising, cost-efficient digital marketing, and accessible micro-financing.

Hybrid Training Program for MSMEs

The training program for merchants included four face-to-face sessions in Manila, Bacolod, and Iloilo in the first half of the year, welcoming more than 250 merchant-partners in total. To reach even more merchant-partners across the country, the Grab Merchant Masterclass recently launched online episodes on Grab’s social media channels and Grab’s dedicated Merchant App.

Culminating Season with a Focus on Branding and Advertising

The latest season of the Grab Merchant Masterclass culminated with a hybrid session held at Commune Makati. During this session, led by Frances Cruz of social entrepreneurship and human resource development organization Bayan Academy, and Erica Suerte of Grab Finance, the masterclass zeroed in on branding and advertising through digital marketing and enterprise financing with business loans.

A Commitment to MSMEs

Grab Philippines Head of Operations CJ Lacsican emphasizes the vital role of the MSME sector in the country’s economy. He states, “The resilience and vitality of our economy are deeply rooted in the MSME sector, which not only sustains the livelihoods of thousands of Filipinos but also invigorates commercial activity within their local communities and neighborhoods. Grab’s architecture has been purposefully crafted to uplift these essential contributors – enhancing their productivity and amplifying their prospects for success. Beyond nurturing a robust marketplace, our commitment extends to ensuring MSMEs have access to cutting-edge technology and the critical knowledge for them to thrive amid the increasingly digital business environment.”

Learning from MSMEs

At the event, food cart owner Arnold Pagulayan Jr. shared the importance of capacity-building programs for MSMEs like him. He said, “Through Grab Merchant Masterclass, I was able to learn more about digital marketing and social advertising, which I now leverage as I personally handle my business’ social channels. MSMEs like us make sure to take part in learning opportunities such as this to stay abreast with the latest trends in the industry – especially since we have lean teams taking on multiple hats within the organization.”

The next season of the Grab Merchant Masterclass will commence in January 2024, featuring speakers from various partner marketing agencies and leading social media platforms. In the meantime, Grab merchant-partners can continue to stream the online episodes of the knowledge-sharing sessions via the Grab Merchant App and Grab’s Social Media Pages.

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