GrabCar Group Ride Now Splits the Fare Automatically, with Savings of Up to 50% per Passenger

MANILA, Philippines, October 16, 2026 — Riding home with friends just got easier and much more affordable. Grab Philippines has upgraded GrabCar Group Ride so the fare can now be split automatically among passengers, with each rider saving up to 50 percent compared with booking a solo ride.

GrabCar Group Ride lets the ride host and up to two friends share one GrabCar, with up to three drop-off points along the way. The more people join, the more affordable the ride becomes for everyone, and the app shows each person’s share upfront. No more awkward “magkano share ko?” after the trip.

Regular ride buddies can also be saved as a group, together with frequent pickup and drop-off pins, so repeat bookings take just a few taps. It’s ideal for officemates heading the same way after work or friends coming home from a night out.

A throwback to the shampoo sachet jingle era

To spotlight the upgrade, Grab released an online video that taps into Filipinos’ nostalgia for the catchy shampoo jingles of the 2000s, while educating commuters on how easy it is to book a GrabCar Group Ride. The campaign repackages mobility feature as the “GrabCar 3-in-1”: three passengers, one booking – the same promise that made the 3-in-1 sachet a household staple. 

The idea is simple. Just like the sachet, sharing a ride with your barkada gives you more for less, both in savings and in the company on the way home.

“Filipino commuters are resourceful. They’re always finding smarter ways to make every trip with friends or colleagues more efficient and more affordable. As a committed partner to every commuter, Grab makes sure our platform keeps up with these everyday habits. ‘Hati-hati’ has always been part of how we move together, and it’s about more than splitting costs. It’s about looking out for one another. With GrabCar Group Ride, we’re building on that spirit so that getting around together becomes the easier, more attainable choice for more Filipinos,” said Grab Philippines Country Marketing Head Bea Bravo. 

How to book a Group Ride

Open the Grab app, tap GrabCar, then select Group Ride.

Enter your pickup point and drop-off.

Share the invite link with up to two friends.

Your friends add their own drop-off points.

Confirm the booking. The fare is split automatically, with each rider saving up to 50 percent.

The Group Ride feature is now available in all GrabCar cities nationwide.

GCash Ushers in More Seamless Train Commutes on LRT-2 via GCash Commute QR

Passengers of Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2) can now pay for their fares directly from their phones using GCash Commute QR, making their commutes faster and more convenient.

 

GCash joined the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Light Rail Manila Transit Authority (LRTA), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), and Visa in the official launch of cashless payment options, including GCash Commute QR, at the LRT-2 servicing stations spanning Manila, San Juan, Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, and Antipolo.

 

This is part of LRT-2's transition to a cashless payment system, which now also supports NFC-enabled Tap-to-Pay as well as Visa and Mastercard payments.

 

“This initiative supports rail modernization and the adoption of a National Standard for Automated Fare Collection, enabling more seamless, efficient, and integrated payments across transport modes,” said DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez.

 

GCash for Business General Manager, Paul Albano of G-Xchange Inc., mobile wallet operator of GCash, said, "We are committed to partnering with the government to modernize payments in public transportation and make commuting easier for more Filipinos.”

 

“Through payment innovation and strong public-private collaboration, we aim to support nation-building and help create a more inclusive digital economy," he added.

 

This rollout signifies the initial stage of a broader initiative to modernize fare systems on LRT-2. Moving forward, GCash also aims to enable GCash Tap-To-Pay and GCash Visa card for even more seamless entry and exit across all stations.

 

With cashless payments, passengers can go straight to the turnstile, scan their Commute QR, and head to the train platforms.

 

Entering the LRT-2 Lanes using the GCash Commute QR is easy:

 

1.     Tap Commute in the GCash app to generate your QR code, then save it for offline use. Make sure your GCash wallet has at least ₱16.50, following the discounted fares implemented by the DOTr.

2.     Proceed to the LRT-2 turnstile and scan your Commute QR to enter.

3.     At your destination, scan the same Commute QR at the exit turnstile. Your fare will be deducted automatically.

 

The cashless payment option is expected to benefit millions of commuters. According to the Light Rail Transit Authority, LRT-2 served over 58.7 million passengers last year.

 

With cashless entry now available at station turnstiles, passengers can move past the ticket lines, especially during rush hour. For students bound for the University Belt and workers navigating Metro Manila’s busiest corridors, the cashless payment rollout removes a familiar source of stress from the daily commute.

 

This launch builds on the successful integrations at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) and the EDSA Busway, where cashless payments via GCash have already proven reliable under high passenger volumes. Those deployments showed that digital fare systems can keep pace with real-world commuting demands, paving the way for expansion to the LRT-2’s high-traffic corridors.

 

Through technology, we are reducing wait times, ultimately aiming for a better commute experience for millions of Filipinos. Digital transformation is now active on LRT tracks, and with just a few taps, daily travel moves faster and with less friction.

 

For more information, please visit www.gcash.com.

Sip the Shift: Minute Maid Nutri+ Brings a Fresher Take for Young Filipinos’ Mornings

You wake up. You scroll. You commute. You eat lunch while answering messages. You scroll again. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. For many Filipinos—especially students, young professionals, and creatives navigating packed days—mornings don't always feel like a fresh start. Instead, they often feel like a slow drag.

Call it the "morning meh": that low-energy fog that settles in before the day even begins. It shows up during the commute, at the breakfast table, during the lunch break nobody actually took. It's neither burnout nor a crisis. It's just... blah, but it still quietly shapes how the rest of the day unfolds.

Small resets, big shifts

Here's the thing: you don't need a dramatic life overhaul to shake off the meh. Small intentional moments, whether it’s a song that actually slaps on the commute, a hearty meal eaten without a screen, or a sip of something cold and citrusy, can gently tip the mood in a better direction.

Think of it as zest as a mindset, not just a flavor. These micro-resets may not solve everything, but they help pull you out of autopilot, even for a minute. And sometimes, a minute is enough to turn the day around.

A fresh take on daily resets

Minute Maid Nutri+ is leaning into this moment with a refreshed look and a new Pineapple Orange flavor that hits just right. Bright, fruity, and made for the in-between moments of your day, it's packed with 200% Vitamin C and Fiber, so every sip does a little more than just taste good. No hype, no crash. Just a refreshing reset that helps you feel more refreshed and a little more alive in your day.

For Pia, a 24-year-old graphic designer in Mandaluyong, mornings used to be a blur of rushed coffee and unread notifications. "I started keeping a Minute Maid Nutri+ in my bag. It sounds small, but taking a sip of it during my commute actually makes me feel like the day is starting," she said.

A college student from Cebu named Marco puts it simply: "When ideas run dry, I take a break, step out, grab something cold. The Pineapple Orange flavor is the reset button I didn't know I needed."

Make the time for the zest moment

Whether it's the first few minutes of your morning, a rushed lunch break, or a quiet pause between deadlines, there's always room for a small, bright reset. Minute Maid Nutri+ is there for all of it as a fruity, feel-good companion that turns the ordinary in-between into something worth savoring.

Feel the Zest with Minute Maid Nutri+!

Wilma Doesnt Gets Candid on 'Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast,' Trading Commute Stories for Smarter Ways Around the City

Long before Wilma Doesnt became one of the country's most recognizable comedians, models, and showbiz personalities, she was another Filipino making her way across the metro — fare in hand, a little patience in reserve, and a plan for getting where she needed to be.

That version of Wilma took center stage on a recent episode of "Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast," powered by MOVE IT, where the comedian swapped punchlines for something more personal: the everyday rhythm of commuting. The early mornings, the transfers, the careful math of stretching a transportation budget — she's lived all of it, the way millions of Filipinos do every day.

Growing up in Cavite, she remembered when a trip to Manila was simply a longer journey than it is now. "Syempre, taga-probinsya ako eh. Noon kasi, bago ka makarating ng Manila from Cavite City, it will take three to four hours. Harrison Plaza lang 'yung mararating mo," she recalled.

Pressed on just how different the map looked back then, she painted the era in a single breath: "Way back nung 1994... Una, wala pang coastal road. Pangalawa, wala pang CAVITEX, girl. Kaya ang layo ng Cavite City d'on. Nagfe-ferry boat ako from Cavite City Naval Base."

It's a story countless Filipinos know by heart, one that runs on patience, resourcefulness, and pure diskarte, even as new ways to move around the city continue to take shape alongside the transport systems people already rely on. And Wilma knows the flip side too, which is the quiet stress of watching a fare climb in traffic. "Habang nagta-traffic ka, na-istress ka rin kasi nakikita mo 'yung metro ng taxi... At minsan, dinadaya pa nila. May tinutuktok pa sa ilalim," she said. "Kinokompyut mo na kaagad."

That's where MOVE IT enters the picture — not as a replacement for public transit, but as a complementary smart mobility option built to help commuters connect more easily to the systems already in place. 

Wilma broke it down in plain terms, describing how pairing a motorcycle taxi ride with mass transit can make the whole trip flow better: "Kung gusto mong mabawasan 'yung biyahe mo, para [masulit] 'yung value of your money, mag-MOVE IT ka, [tapos] sumakay ka sa nearest MRT or LRT station. Makikita mo 'yung difference." She continues, "To cut your stress, to manage your stress, 'yung physical mo, 'yung mental mo... It's about time, you download the app. Mag-MOVE IT ka na."

For Wilma, the brand partnership clicked precisely because it didn't ask her to pretend. When MOVE IT came knocking, the connection was instant – this was, after all, the life she knew long before the cameras. "One, I'm a household name. Two, I'm a mother. Three, from a humble beginning... And four, alam nilang commuter ako," she said. "So natuwa ako. I can relate much."

That lived-in commuter honesty wasn't lost on viewers. "Bentang benta yung kinuhang endorser ng MOVE IT," a commenter named @CupofTea24 wrote under the episode, crediting Wilma's comic energy and the fact that she had every road committed to memory. "Totoo 'ung sinasabi nya about sa commute from Cavite," they added. "Mapapaiyak ka talaga sa pag-commute."

Others saw their own routines in the conversation. A viewer from Alfonso, Cavite shared that Wilma's traffic stories hit home — the endless roadworks, the long walk just to get home — and that the platform had become part of how their family gets around: "Nag-avail ako ng MOVE IT para sa anak ko. Ako ang nag-book pag-paalis nya ng bahay." 

And that's where MOVE IT's Keep Moving promise takes on a more human face. For Wilma, it was never just about getting a ride faster. It's about giving commuters a little more ease and a little more choice in how they piece their day together: one ride, one connection, one transfer at a time.

That care extends to the small things passengers actually notice — like the helmet they put on. Wilma raised the concern herself, the way any commuter would: "'Yung helmet na gagamitin ko, baka ginamit na ng pasaherong nauna sa akin tapos ako naman 'yung susunod?" The answer, she pointed out, is already on the app: "Ang ginawa ni MOVE IT, may inilunsad sila sa GrabMart kung saan pwede kayong bumili ng sarili n'yong motorcycle taxi gear gaya ng bonnet, scarf, o cap para sa mga gustong maging extra hygienic."

In the end, her guesting turned ordinary commuter talk into something that hit closer to home — a reminder that behind every ride is a distinctly Filipino story of determination, resourcefulness, and heart. It also circled back to the spirit of the Keep Moving promise launched earlier this year: that motorcycle taxi mobility should be reliable not only in availability, but in the quality, safety, and care commuters can actually see and feel.

It's a promise the platform backs with concrete standards and real initiatives — from visible rider quality checks and hygiene efforts to commuter-facing safety features like Trip Monitoring, Share Your Ride, SOS support, AudioProtect, Fatigue Nudges, and Overspeeding Alerts.

For commuters like Wilma — and for the millions of Filipinos who keep the city moving every day — the message lands clean and simple: getting around should feel a little easier for everyone. And alongside the transport options Filipinos already count on, MOVE IT commits to be one more reliable way to save time, ease the day, and add a little comfort to the everyday commute.

Summer, Unscripted: Sprite Brings a Refreshing Take on the Filipino Summer

Summer in the Philippines has always carried a distinct rhythm, longer days, relentless heat, and daily moments shaped as much by the streets as by the destination. This season, Sprite is showing up where those moments happen most, bringing refreshment to everyday summer experiences as Filipino youth redefine how they live the season.

While summer was once synonymous with beach trips and long vacations, today’s generation is meaning in moments in between: everyday experiences that feel real, familiar and worth sharing. In these settings, Sprite has remained a natural presence, offering an ice-cold break from the heat during moments that unfold unscripted.

Sprite has long shown up where young Filipinos actually are—from the convenience store across the dorm to the cooler at the local fiesta to a quick stop along a hot commute. It is a steady refreshing companion in the middle of summer’s unpredictability, cutting through the heat and the noise with every sip.

This summer, the brand brought that presence closer to where people already are through on-ground and live experiences across Metro Manila and key destinations nationwide.

At selected transport hubs including One Ayala, LRT Legarda, PITX, and LRT Marikina-Pasig, Sprite set up vending machines that offered commuters a refreshing pause during peak summer heat. The brand also brought its cooling presence to open community spaces such as Marikina Riverbanks and Luneta Park, adding moments of refreshment to everyday routines.

Building on this, Sprite marked the season with large-scale community moments, including a summer event at the SM Mall of Asia By the Bay that brought together music lovers and the youth. The event featured a lineup of local artists like P-POP group BGYO, Fitterkarma, Shanti Dope, Illest Morena and Drag Race Philippines Season 3 winner Maxie Andreison and highlighted how music, shared spaces, and refreshments come together during the Filipino summer. Beyond the city, Sprite extended its summer presence to beach destinations such as La Union, Bolinao, and Boracay, creating spaces for friends to gather, cool down, and enjoy the season by the shore.

These local experiences reflect a broader shift in how summer is being experienced, not just as a destination, but as a series of everyday moments shaped by spontaneity, connection, and choice. And when plans don’t always go as expected, when budgets are tighter or trips don’t push through, Sprite  continues to be a familiar constant, offering a refreshment in the moments that matter most, whether during a barkada hangout, a shared meal, or a quick stop to cool down from the heat.

 

Globally, Sprite’s It’s That Fresh platform celebrates cutting through summer’s noise. In the Philippines, introduced locally as “Yan ang Refreshing,” that idea comes to life through moments that are real, accessible, and rooted in everyday life.

As Filipino youth continue to shape what summer means to them, Sprite remains present, bringing a fresh take to the moments that make the season feel real.

 

Stay chill, stay cool, and redefine your own idea of summer with Sprite— ‘yan ang refreshing!