Cesario Cabuello III, Mary Flor Valerie Rull, John Lloyd Villa, Jasmine Nicanor and Jessa Mae Tabares completed degrees in education, business and finance under GrabScholar, which has supported about 2,000 Filipinos since its launch in 2023.
Three of the five have already started working.
Cabuello is now a senior high school teacher at PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City, while Nicanor is completing a government internship in Iloilo.
Tabares works as a corporate legal assistant while preparing for the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers. Fellow education graduates Rull and Villa are also preparing for the licensure exam.
Driven by perseverance
For Tabares, finishing college once seemed beyond reach because of the financial burden it could place on her family.
“When college came, I almost convinced myself it wasn't part of my future because I didn't want to be a burden to my family. Then GrabScholar came. It was never just about a diploma—it gave us a community that believed in us when it would have been easier to stop,” Tabares said in a speech on behalf of the graduating scholars.
“Now that this opportunity has helped us rise, it is our turn to reach back, extend a hand, and help others move forward, too,” she added.
Tabares earned a degree in education, majoring in English, while working for nearly three years at Grab Iloilo, where she assisted drivers, transport network vehicle service applicants and passengers.
She said the scholarship helped ease the financial pressure on her family, allowing her parents to devote more of their resources to essential household expenses.
Beyond tuition
GrabScholar has awarded 30 full college scholarships since 2023. It has also provided school-expense assistance to 1,500 elementary and high school students and skills training to 400 people seeking careers in the business process outsourcing industry.
The program is welcoming its fifth batch of scholars this year.
Supported by the GrabForGood Fund and implemented in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and BagoSphere, the program provides assistance beyond tuition, including learning materials and living allowances.
Scholars also have access to development programs, internships and career opportunities aimed at helping them make the transition from education to employment.
Grab Financial Group Philippines president CJ Lacsican said the program reflects the company’s broader goal of creating economic opportunities beyond its ride-hailing, delivery and financial services businesses.
“Five graduates in, we’re seeing what opportunity can build when someone gets a real shot, with degrees earned, careers started, and doors opened that weren’t there before,” Lacsican said.
Path to employment
PBSP executive director Elvin Ivan Uy said the first graduating cohort demonstrated the potential impact of sustained support throughout a student’s college education.
“These scholars were not only given the opportunity to enter college, but the resources and guidance to stay the course and reach graduation,” Uy said.
Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines Constance See, meanwhile, cited the program’s role in preparing young people for employment, noting that education and skills can help workers secure jobs, build careers and support their families.
Education Undersecretary Edson Sy, speaking on behalf of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, also cited the role of private organizations in expanding opportunities for Filipino students.
“DepEd is truly grateful to organizations like Grab Philippines that are more than willing to extend a helping hand and help us create more pathways for our learners to reach their full potential,” Sy said.
With its first five college scholars graduating, GrabScholar is now moving into its next batch as Grab Philippines and its partners continue the education and skills-development program. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
