DTI, 2GO Travel Partner to Sail OTOP Products Across Philippine Seas

MAKATI CITY, Philippines, 14 April 2026 — 2GO, the country’s premier sea travel operator, formalized a partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to further support the growth of Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by expanding their reach to wider markets through affordable sea travel for trade and the establishment of OTOP Nooks aboard 2GO Travel passenger vessels.

 

The agreement enables the availability of special discounted sea travel rates for DTI-endorsed MSMEs participating in official trade fairs. With up to 50 kilograms of baggage allowance, entrepreneurs can conveniently transport a variety of products across routes. Complementing these travel benefits is the rollout of OTOP Nooks across all 2GO Travel passenger ships, providing onboard retail spaces dedicated to showcasing and selling products from partner micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under the OTOP Philippines Program. The initiative creates new retail touchpoints for Filipino-made products while giving travelers access to locally crafted goods during their journeys.

 

DTI Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona emphasized the importance of expanding opportunities for MSMEs, noting that “this initiative strengthens the presence of proudly Filipino products beyond their home regions and enables MSMEs to reach more consumers nationwide, with sea travel supporting their growth and mobility.”

 

2GO will offer special discounted rates for DTI-endorsed MSMEs joining official trade fairs, along with exclusive travel and cargo support to streamline their participation.

 

Francis John Chua, Business Unit Head of 2GO Travel, shared that “this collaboration allows both established and aspiring MSMEs to tap into our sea travel network, and we hope that they take advantage of their 50kg baggage allowance that comes with every 2GO Travel ticket. This actually means that starting and growing your own business has never been easier. Now, you can carry the trade you want to sell with you, bring your products directly to passengers across key routes, and strengthen your visibility while maximizing our onboard retail platform.”

The first OTOP partnership between DTI Region XII and 2GO Travel was launched onboard MV 2GO Masinag. With the signing of this nationwide MOA, the initiative now expands to cover all 2GO Travel passenger vessels, further connecting local entrepreneurs to a broader customer base.

 

For inquiries on MSME-exclusive travel offers, contact tours_groups@2go.com.ph.

Grab and MOVE IT Partner with ARK, Drive Urban Food Security Among Rider Communities

MANILA, Philippines, 03 March 2026  – Grab Philippines and MOVE IT have partnered with social impact innovator ARK Solves to launch a community-led food security program aimed at helping gig worker communities build more sustainable and self-reliant food sources.

At the center of the partnership is Feed Back, ARK Solves’ flagship community exchange program that enables families to grow fresh produce at home and share excess harvests with their neighbors, helping strengthen food access at the community level.

The collaboration comes amid continuing concerns over food security in the Philippines. While government data showed food inflation easing to 0.7 percent in January 2026, down from 1.2 percent in December 2025 and 4.0 percent a year earlier, the Department of Agriculture said the gains remain fragile and could easily be undone by renewed supply disruptions.

Grab Philippines Managing Director Ronald Roda shares: “Grab remains committed to helping our driver- and delivery-partners and their families stay resilient in the face of shifting macroeconomic realities. Beyond ensuring that livelihood opportunities on our platform remain viable, we believe it is equally important to introduce support programs that reinforce their long-term well-being. Through our partnership with ARK Solves, we hope to help more gig worker families build more sustainable lives and greater food security for the future.”

The partnership was formally launched with the support of the local government units of Montalban, San Mateo, and Antipolo in Rizal, where the program will be piloted among Grab and MOVE IT’s rider community. So far, almost 700 community leaders and rider-partners from the platforms have signed up and begun receiving seeds, along with training on how to grow food and compost even in small spaces.

“Community has always been at the heart of MOVE IT. Our rider-partners look out for each other, and we see that every day in how they support one another on and off the road,” highlights MOVE IT General Manager Wayne Jacinto. “Our role is not just to recognize that strong sense of solidarity, but to help harness it, so riders can come together and co-create sustainable programs that support their everyday needs.”

Over the course of the 16-week program, participating riders will help expand access to fresh produce within their households and communities. Once harvests are ready, they will lead weekly exchange activities in their neighborhoods, allowing families and neighbors to share surplus crops with one another.

“This partnership is a major milestone, as we work with Grab and MOVE IT in showcasing how we can enable Feed Back’s impact to thrive wherever it is needed the most, including urban areas,” says Ayesha Vera-Yu, CEO and Co-Founder of ARK.

By combining behavior-change principles with a market-based approach, Feed Back helps families build and sustain productive home gardens that strengthen access to localized food sources. The program, which gathers multiple partners, has since scaled to 120 communities across the country, benefiting more than 36,000 fishing and farming households.

Following the initial rollout, Grab, MOVE IT and ARK Solves plan to expand the program to more driver- and rider-rich communities in the months ahead, applying lessons from the pilot to improve the model as it scales.

FedEx Delivers Globally for the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

Manila, Philippines, February 16, 2026 — Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world's largest express transportation companies, successfully delivered over 20,000 pounds of hot air balloons and drones from Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the United States for the 26th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta (PIHABF). This year’s event, themed "A Weekend of Everything that Flies" took place from February 13 to 15, 2026, at New Clark City in Tarlac. 

"The Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is all about imagination taking flight, and we’re proud that FedEx helped make that magic possible," said Maribeth Espinosa, managing director, FedEx Philippines. "Our global network, specialized freight solutions, and skilled teams ensured that more than 20,000 pounds of oversized balloons and drones moved safely across multiple continents and arrived on time in perfect condition. This is the reliability and precision our customers rely on every day."  

Building on its deep expertise in transporting complex, highvalue cargo, FedEx deployed advanced freight solutions – including precise load planning and specialized handling for irregularly shaped shipments -- to move every balloon and drone through its network with maximum efficiency. Supported by dedicated operations teams and robust airside infrastructure, FedEx managed the movement with speed, care, and expertise required for an international aviation showcase.

To learn more about FedEx solutions, visit the FedEx Philippines website.

Sleigh Sales, Not Boxes: How Smart Warehouses Help You Focus on What Matters This Holiday Rush

E-commerce continues to boom in the Philippines, now one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing digital markets. The 2024 e-Conomy SEA report developed by Bain & Company, Google, and Temasek, projects the country’s e-commerce sector to reach USD 24 billion, driven by a digitally savvy population that increasingly trusts online transactions. This drives e-commerce optimism in the Philippines, with a report from Singapore-based Blackbox Research pinning high consumer trust and advancement in digital payments as a unique strength that gives the Philippines a significant advantage over neighboring markets. 

But while consumer confidence is high, logistics remains a major roadblock. The same report from Blackbox Research further identifies fragmented logistics infrastructure and high fulfillment costs (37%) as key barriers to e-commerce growth. This puts e-commerce players in the Philippines in a challenging position when 46% of Filipino consumers now demand faster fulfillment, while 26% consider logistics reliability a non-negotiable factor when shopping online. 

With 54% of MSMEs citing logistics infrastructure and fulfillment as their key operational challenge, many online Filipino sellers, especially those without an established brand or supply chain in place, are at a disadvantage with the upcoming holiday rush. Without the systems, manpower, and proper investments, these small players are at risk of falling behind. 

“The holiday season is make-or-break for many Filipino businesses when orders surge, but these issues with warehousing inventory and order fulfillment are not just a seasonal challenge,” said Sabina Lopez-Vergara, Ninja Van Philippines Chief Commercial Officer. “A seller’s ability in fulfillment provides the very foundation of his or her level of customer service, but putting this system in place is not always easy, especially when many of our Filipino sellers do not have knowledge or background in logistics.”

The Holiday Bottleneck: When Demand Outpaces Delivery

Every Christmas season, local businesses face the same challenge— demand rises faster than their capacity to fulfill it. Missed deliveries, inaccurate stock counts, and slow updates often lead to lost sales and frustrated customers. The Blackbox report even calls logistics Southeast Asia’s “Achilles’ heel,” warning that operational strain can erode both trust and profitability.

Meanwhile, Filipino shoppers are raising the bar. They now expect real-time tracking, faster fulfillment, and transparency at every step of the purchase journey. For businesses without automated systems, keeping up with these standards is becoming increasingly difficult. As experts note, the next step of competition lies in speed and trust— and the business that masters both will win long-term loyalty. 

Smart Warehouses: Turning Holiday Chaos into Growth

Ninja Van’s tech-powered Fulfillment service offers a tech-enabled, end-to-end solution that helps businesses stay ahead of demand. Through automation, real-time inventory tracking, and smart item allocation, Ninja Van simplifies complex operations into a coordinated, efficient system—customizable and scalable for businesses of any size.

Its custom-fit fulfillment approach allows businesses to tailor each step of the process—from bundle packing and barcode tagging to branded packaging and quality checks—to match a brand’s specific requirements.

From storage to delivery, Ninja Van Fulfillment offers end-to-end visibility of every step, ensuring that bestsellers remain in stock and orders are fulfilled quickly. Automated inventory management minimizes human error, while integrated returns handling turns post-holiday returns into recovery opportunities instead of setbacks.

Ninja Van’s smart warehousing model also helps businesses modernize without heavy infrastructure investments, empowering them to compete regionally and globally. 

Through Ninja Van’s advanced dashboard, customers can customize order processing, track inventory in real time, and maintain synchronized storefronts to prevent overselling or stockouts. Businesses can also choose the last-mile partner that best fits their needs, ensuring every delivery runs seamlessly from warehouse to doorstep.

“Business owners pour their heart into every product they sell, so it’s natural to fear losing control once it leaves their hands,” Vergara explained. “With Ninja Van Fulfillment, we make sure every parcel is handled with the same level of care as its owner– from smart inventory systems and photo proof to item-level tracking that shows exactly where your products are and how they’re doing. Our goal is to give sellers full visibility and confidence that every order goes out right, on time, and with the same passion they put into their businesses.”

Beyond the Holidays: Building Reliability Year-Round

Faster, more accurate deliveries don’t just create happy customers— they build trust and repeat business. For small and medium enterprises, that reliability translates to reducing operating costs, better efficiency, and more time to focus on scaling. As e-commerce competition intensifies, logistics is no longer just a back-end function, but rather a strategic advantage. 

“Every delivery is more than just a package—it’s a promise between a business and its customer,” Vergara shared. “That’s why at Ninja Van, we make it our mission to deliver each parcel with accuracy, care, and consistency. From storage to doorstep, we ensure every order leaves exactly as intended, giving business owners the peace of mind that their hard work is in good hands.”

Grab, CHAGEE Bring Modern Tea Culture More Filipinos

Manila, Philippines 10 November 2025 — International tea and beverage leader CHAGEE is officially launching as an “ONLY ON GRAB” restaurant, part of a selection of merchant-partners available exclusively on GrabFood, starting with the tea brand’s Metro Manila stores. The goal is simple for Filipinos: find CHAGEE faster on  the Grab app, track deliveries in real time, and enjoy localized offers that make high-quality tea an easy everyday choice. 

By leveraging Grab’s actionable data, engaged consumer base, and nationwide delivery fleet, the partnership positions CHAGEE to scale sustainably and drive long-term growth in the Philippine market.

Early traction from CHAGEE’s soft launch on Grab points to strong demand. Since going live, the brand has averaged 46% week-on-week growth in on-demand deliveries. Average daily transactions already place CHAGEE among GrabFood’s top tea merchant partners in the Philippines, with Bo·Ya Jasmine Green Milk Tea, Da Hong Pao Milk Tea, and Osmanthus Oolong Milk Tea leading orders during the introductory period. Grab and CHAGEE will build on this momentum as more stores come online.

Engaging Filipino Tea Lovers

For Filipino consumers, the partnership means CHAGEE will be easier to access on the Grab app – offering relevant promotions to local preferences and time-of-day demand. 

CHAGEE and Grab are also rolling out market-specific campaigns that turn data-driven insights into meaningful customer experiences. In the Philippines, upcoming promotions will reward customers with limited-time offers and exclusive merchandise in celebration of CHAGEE’s 8th anniversary.

 

Highlights include savings on multi-cup purchases and collectible gifts available through CHAGEE orders on the Grab app. These initiatives reflect both brands’ shared commitment to using technology and creativity to deepen customer engagement, celebrate loyalty, and enhance the overall delivery experience.

“This is a practical partnership with clear benefits for Filipinos,” said EJ Dela Vega, Grab Philippines Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Deliveries. “If you want CHAGEE, you should be able to find it on Grab and get it when you need it. At the same time, we’re using data and AI to help merchants such as CHAGEE scale, to make the customer experience more personal and reliable, and to take better care of the rider-partners who deliver for our customers every day.” 

Voltaire Rusiana, CHAGEE Philippines Head of Operations, added: “Grab’s presence in the Philippines helps us connect with both new and loyal CHAGEE fans. Convenience and consistency matter as much as taste, and this collaboration allows us to delivery the full CHAGEE experience to more people, quickly and at scale.”

The partnership in the Philippines reflects CHAGEE and Grab’s ongoing collaboration to explore new ways of enhancing convenience and connection for customers through technology and innovation. Both brands remain committed to making quality tea experiences more accessible to everyday consumers.