Grab Asenso empowers Baguio MSMEs with AI and cashless tools

Grab Philippines has expanded its Asenso Learning Caravan to Baguio, equipping micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with AI-powered tools, cashless payment solutions, and digital skills to support the city’s Smart City roadmap focused on data-driven governance, tourism technology, and digital readiness.

The Grab Asenso program, a flagship public-private initiative, aims to upskill small businesses in AI-driven marketing, digital operations, and mobile-first commerce, allowing entrepreneurs to accept cashless payments, list on delivery platforms, and reach new customers without major investment or technical expertise.

“Digital readiness is prosperity policy,” said Grab Philippines Deputy Head for Cities Paula Catanghal. “Baguio understands that when a humble eatery, a pasalubong shop, or a home kitchen can accept tap-&-scan-to-pay, run promotions with an AI co-pilot, and digest basic demand data, policy converts into paydays. With Grab Asenso, we’re helping translate the City’s smart-city vision into everyday capability for thousands of entrepreneurs.”

DICT Assistant Division Chief Jeehad Tanggol, speaking on behalf of DICT Secretary Henry Aguda, lauded the program as an example of “Digital Bayanihan,” the modern form of community cooperation.

“The DICT and our valued private sector partners, like Grab, have come together to bridge the digital divide and bring opportunities directly to your doorstep,” Tanggol said. “This isn’t just about government programs; it’s about a united front, a collective effort to uplift every Filipino MSME.”

He added that the initiative aligns with the DICT’s Trabahong Digital Program, which aims to create 8 million digital and digitally-enabled jobs nationwide.

Enabling MSME growth through digital transformation

Since launching GrabFood in Baguio in 2020, Grab has helped local MSMEs survive the pandemic and thrive beyond it, recording steady growth in the number of onboarded small enterprises. Businesses have used data-driven insights from the platform to refine pricing, marketing, and menu strategies, while accessing capital through Merchant Quick Cash, Grab’s in-app financing feature.

Entrepreneurs like Raff’s Fried Chicken House owners Rowena Ninalga and Anabelle Canaveral credited Grab with helping them expand their business from a single streetside eatery to multiple branches.

“Spotlight Ads turned our sales from hopeful to intentional. We pushed seasonal bestsellers at the exact moment customers were ready to buy, and the results kept building week after week. That’s why we’re all in on Grab Asenso — because when the platform is this effective, growth becomes sustainable,” they said.

Grab also introduced its Merchant AI Assistant, an AI co-pilot that helps small business owners automate marketing tasks, design promotional campaigns, generate content, and analyze customer demand.

Complementing these innovations is Tap & Scan to Pay, Grab’s mobile-first payment solution for both card tap and QR transactions, which gives small entrepreneurs access to the cashless economy. Merchants using this payment channel also receive Income Protection Coverage, providing a safety net for unexpected business disruptions.

The Tap & Scan to Pay feature is set to officially launch in Baguio in 2026.

“Baguio City is becoming the kickstarter of a bolder, more digitally ready Cordillera, as it embraces technology as the great equalizer for every small business owner ready to take the leap forward,” Catanghal added.