‘Kayang-Kaya rin Namin 'Yan!’, Say Top Women Drivers, Riders on Grab and MOVE IT

MANILA, Philippines, 19 March 2023 – Grab Philippines and partner motorcycle taxi company MOVE IT recognized their top female driver- and delivery-partners on Sunday, March 17, at the Babae Ako, Babiyahe Ako: Women’s Month Event. Recognized for their exemplary performance, high order and ride completion, and positive customer rating, the awardees stand as paragons of female excellence on the road. 

Among the awardees is Veronica Arabe, a 66-year-old GrabTaxi driver-partner from Baguio City. “Bilang isang single parent, napakalaki po nang nabago sa aking buhay buhat noong ako ay nag-GrabTaxi. Isa po sa mga pinakamahalagang naidulot sa akin ng GrabTaxi ay ang pagpapatapos ko ng aking tatlong anak sa kolehiyo. Blessing po talaga ito sa aming mag-anak,” shares Arabe. Having started on the Grab platform in 2019, Arabe shares that Grab has made her more confident in steering the wheel daily, traversing roads safely and worry-free as she relies on features such as passenger identification, GrabMaps, and Share-Your-Ride. 

66-year-old Veronica Arabe proudly represents the Grab fleet from Baguio City, which she has been a part of since 2019

Joining Arabe in the roster of women driver honorees is the youngest GrabCar driver-partner in Iloilo City – 22-year-old Arianne Hinara Claire Geguera. Having just finished her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Criminology at the St. Therese MTC- Colleges, Geguera immediately joined GrabCar as she prepares for the next chapter in her career. “After graduation, sumali po ako agad sa GrabCar para maging driver-partner. Ito po ay para makapag-ipon ako pang-review at board exam. Nagiging stepping stone ko po ang Grab sa pag-fulfill po ng aking pangarap na maging parte ng Tri-Bureau.” Geguera shares she appreciates the flexibility of time being a GrabCar driver. Being her own boss, she gets to balance her own time as she allots some days for her board exam review. 

Arianne Hinara Claire Geguera joined the GrabCar fleet in Iloilo right after graduation to save up for her board exam expenditures

The top two-wheel women drivers also took center stage during the event, and one of them is Sheryl Barrantes from MOVE IT. Barrantes reveals that even though she has been with MOVE IT for just under a year, she has already seen  how she is able to achieve optimal earnings on the moto-taxi platform, which she uses to support her family. “Ang ganda po ng kita ko sa MOVE IT. Dito ko po kinukuha ang pang-dialysis ng aking tatay at ang pangangailangan naming sa araw-araw. Ang mga kagaya ko pong female MOVE IT riders na nandirito ngayon ang patunay na ang kalsada at ang pangraride-hailing ay di lamang para sa mga kalalakihan.” 

Sheryl Barrantes (center) supports the medical needs of her father through her earnings on the MOVE IT platform

Hailing from different backgrounds yet these brave, dedicated female drivers and riders share a loud and clear call for all current and aspiring women Ate Grab and Ate MOVE IT: “Kayang-kaya rin namin 'yan!”. Besides the awardees, thousands other women drivers from all over the Philippines flocked to the Metro Tent Convention Center in Pasig as the leading superapp and the homegrown moto-taxi company reiterated their commitment to creating inclusive livelihood opportunities for every Filipino – shaping a more gender-neutral transportation sector. 

Grab Philippines, together with MOVE IT, has recently rolled out a comprehensive Women Program under the social-upliftment campaign GrabAsenso. The key facets of the program include a series of trainings on topics like vehicle maintenance, first aid, and preventive servicing co-facilitated with agencies TESDA, MMDA and Philippine Commission on Women. The leading superapp has also officially activated its Women Preference Toggle – a new tech feature on the Grab driver app that is exclusive to women driver-partners. The Women Preference Toggle prioritizes the pairing of women drivers with female passengers, singinifcantly increasing the confidence of driver-partners in safely plying the roads of the metro. 

MERALCO PARTNERS WITH MMDA TO PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY

As part of its proactive campaign to contribute to ensuring public safety, Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has teamed up with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to promote road safety among the power distributor’s employees through the conduct of Basic Motorcycle Riding courses.

Seen in the photo (from L-R) are MMDA Traffic Education Division Development Management Officer V Antonio B. Pagulayan Jr., Meralco National Government Sector Relationship Manager Gina G. Magno, MMDA Undersecretary Frisco S. San Juan, Meralco Vice President and Head of Facilities and Safety Management Jerry B. Lao, Meralco National Government Sector Head Rene Y. Sua, and Meralco Head of Corporate Occupational Safety and Environment Management Jose Rafael C. Atienza.

The two-day Basic Motorcycle Riding Course by MMDA is offered for free and open to the public.
The program availed by Meralco aims to provide the necessary knowledge and skills related to safe
motorcycle riding and to reduce the number of employee incidents related to motorcycles.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. This initiative in partnership with the MMDA will equip our
employees with the proper training on motorcycle riding and help us enhance their safety as well as
the members of the riding community that we share the roads with," said Lao.

Around 150 Meralco personnel signed up for the program, the first leg of which was conducted last
March 12 and 13 at the MMDA Motorcycle Riding Academy in Pasig City. MMDA will facilitate the
same training in Meralco’s sector offices in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna on March 19 and 20, and in
Valenzuela City on March 26 and 27.

NGA 911 Briefs Metro Manila Council on Advanced, Next-Gen Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness in LA

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – Next Generation Advanced (NGA) 911 -- an IP-based emergency communications system that transforms crisis response through technology, integration and real-time reporting -- presented the future of public safety and emergency response to a delegation of the Metro Manila Council and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) at an educational tour in Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles California recently.

NGA’s Chief Executive Officer Don Ferguson and Chief Financial Officer Ishka Villacisneros welcomed the local government executives in LA and briefed them on NGA’s mission to enhance public safety and emergency response, letting them know that NGA, their technology and systems are already available, and infrastructure built in the Philippines.

The presentation included a demonstration of how the advanced system performs in various emergency response situations. Simulations of actual crisis situations where NGA 911’s next generation technology developed by the company in LA were highlighted.

“NGA 911 provides cities and communities in the US and other countries with peace of mind through our advanced and next generation emergency response systems. We are happy to announce that this next-generation 911 technology is now in the Philippines and we are looking to save more lives and empower more communities by unifying all systems in the future,” said Ferguson.

NGA 911 has ongoing deployments in Rizal, Pangasinan and Cagayan De Oro regions. These LGUs are now ready to provide the next-generation digital technology for emergency communication and public safety services that is used in the United States.

“We are partnering with NGA 911 to equip our public safety officers with a system that will enable them to provide immediate emergency assistance and help us adapt to the ever changing landscape of public safety,” Morong Mayor Sidney Soriano had said at the announcement of their LGU’s partnership with NGA 911 in April 2023.

Among the Metro Manila mayors present in the event were San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, Mayor Jeannie Sandoval of Malabon, Mayor Ruffy Biazon of Muntinlupa, Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, Mayor Ike Ponce of Pateros, Vice Mayor April Aguilar Nery of Las Piñas, together with CDRRMMO officers and MMDA official led by Usec. Frisco San Juan, Atty. Vic Trinidad, and Atty. Cris Saruca.

The NGA presentation was part of the educational tour of the Philippine delegation on Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Response in the US that also coincided with the Manila International Film Festival itinerary organized by the MMDA in Los Angeles, California.

As part of the educational trip, NGA facilitated a Los Angeles City Hall tour for the Metro Manila mayors who had the opportunity to interact and talk with the City of Los Angeles Deputy Mayors and city officials.

IS METRO MANILA NOW READY FOR NCAP?

Last August 2022, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of the no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP) for traffic violators in Metro Manila.

The TRO stops the implementation of NCAP-related programs and ordinances and any apprehensions through the said policy and ordinances "shall be prohibited until further orders from the Court."

The order also halted the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and all parties acting on its behalf from giving out motorist information to all government units, cities, and municipalities enforcing NCAP programs and ordinances.

But last June 14, 2023, renewed calls to bring back NCAP were revitalized after a fatal accident happened at the EDSA Shaw Boulevard tunnel where a motorcycle driver was hit by an SUV drive. Both motorists happened to be in the EDSA Carousel Bus Lane resulting in the former getting run over by a tanker driver in the adjacent lane.

Because of this, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) wasted no time in coordinating with the Office of the Solicitor General in the filing of a motion before the Supreme Court to consider lifting the temporary restraining order on the implementation of the NCAP.

It’s sad to know that a gruesome incident had to happen but aside from this, MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes said they will use the data they obtained in the past months showing an increase in the number of road accidents and traffic violations after the NCAP was suspended in August last year.

“We find it difficult to enforce the exclusivity of the said lane without the certainty of a CCTV-assisted apprehension, thereby exposing our motorcycle riders to a greater risk,” said Artes. “We keep on reminding motorists not to use the innermost lane of EDSA as it may result in an accident, but despite our repeated calls and pleas, many drivers of privately-owned vehicles and motorcycle riders disregard the policy,” Artes added.

Aside from MMDA, Metro Manila Council President and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora is also leading the discussion to raise the TRO on NCAP.

According to Zamora, MMDA data shows from August 2022 to May of the present year has already resulted in an average of 25,926 per month as compared to a monthly average of 9,500 before NCAP was suspended.

“This data shows that we have more than a double increase in the number of violations. Having been Mayor of San Juan for the last four years, it is close to impossible to have traffic enforcers all over the city of San Juan, more so all over the entire Metro Manila. Having NCAP deters motorists from committing traffic violations” shared Zamora.

For those with an interest in road safety, NCAP represents a step forward, in terms of our enforcement of traffic laws.

In the few months it was implemented in San Juan, Quezon City, Manila, Valenzuela City, Muntinlupa City and Paranaque City, NCAP did bring benefits that some would say were unfairly ignored in the debate.

These cities that have fully implemented NCAP cited decrease in obstructions, choking of traffic from apprehended vehicles, reckless driving, and hazardous motorists’ habits.

It is unfortunate that we needed to wait for a fatal accident in order for us to see the benefits of NCAP. And aside from this incident, many agree that it is now time for the TRO to be lifted. With NCAP already addressing a lot of the public’s concern, this July the handheld device for the Single Ticketing System (STS) will have a pilot test to be spearheaded by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

With the STS in place, it will enable the Metro Manila local government units to strictly enforce traffic laws, at the same time, harmonize the existing national and local laws on traffic enforcement to establish an effective transport and traffic management system.

McDonald's Shares the Light this Christmas by Giving Back

PHILIPPINES - December 22, 2022 – McDonald’s continues to share more Happy Meal smiles by sharing the light this season to children from partner communities by donating one million toys through the McDonald’s Happy Meal Toy Donation Drive.

On December 16, during the official turnover event, Dr. George T. Yang, McDonald’s Philippines Chairman & Founder himself led the sharing of the one million Happy Meal toys to the beneficiaries of McDonald’s charity of choice, Ronald McDonald House of Charities Philippines or RMHC. Present to receive the Happy Meal toys was Haron S. Meling, a representative from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and joined by Sen. Robin Padilla.

With the leadership of Dr. George T. Yang, McDonald’s was able to share the gift of Happy Meal smiles to various LGUs such as Pasig, Mandaluyong, Antipolo, Marikina, Floridablanca, Presidential Security Group (PSG), Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, and the MMDA. In addition to this, other organizations and different LGUs also received Happy Meal toys from McDonald’s to share more smiles within their local communities. 

Everyone is invited to take part in the McDonald’s Donation Drive. Watch McDonald’s newest online video with Dr. George T. Yang and Jose Mari Chan who once again went virtual caroling to raise funds and share more smiles through Happy Meal books, toys, and McDonald’s meals donation to Filipino children and families in need. To know more about RMHC, how you can help and #ShareTheLight, simply scan the QRistmas Code or click on https://bit.ly/donatermhc

Make bonding moments with your loved ones more precious this Christmas at McDonald’s! Be sure to follow @mcdo_ph on Facebook and Instagram too to keep updated on their exciting offers this holiday season!

Sarmiento Offers Solution to EDSA Traffic

House Transportation Committee Chair and Samar 1st District Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento unveiled Friday the blueprint of his proposed centralized and synchronized bus dispatch system which would turn the EDSA's rowdy and chaotic city buses into a fast, efficient and predictable mass transport system.
Sarmiento, a civil engineer, disclosed the full details of his proposal after announcing that his panel is closely working with the Department of Transportation (DoTr) to craft a roadmap which would solve EDSA's traffic problem.

In his proposal, Sarmiento said that the innermost lane of EDSA will serve as an "express bus lane" which can be accessed through stations used by the MRT. Like a carousel, the "express bus lane" will just circle around EDSA, duplicating the route of the MRT.

"People who use the MRT can now have the option to ride the bus which will be also operated like carousel. The buses will only load and unload passengers in a synchronized manner at the MRT stations so they are basically an extension of the MRT. Walang magiging traffic dyan because the entire inner lane from Taft Avenue to North Avenue and vice-versa will be enclosed and exclusive to the express bus lane ," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that the three lanes in the middle of EDSA will be dedicated for all types of private vehicles subject to the existing vehicle reduction programs like the number coding scheme. Private cars will be only allowed to use the outer lane when turning into an intersection.

The outer lane of EDSA or the yellow lane will be used as a dedicated city bus lane which will also adopt a centralized and synchronized dispatch system. Dedicated bus stops will be established one kilometer apart. Loading and unloading of passengers will be strictly implemented on these bus stops.
Sarmiento said that while the express bus lane will cater to passengers who also use the MRT, the city bus lane operation will extend up to the Parañaque Integrated Bus Terminal (PITX) in the south and the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal (VIBT) in the north and vice-versa.

" City buses will now be using the outermost lane in EDSA or the yellow lane. They will be traversing EDSA in a carousel-type system until they reach the proposed north terminal which is the Valenzuela Integrated Bus Terminal. From there, the city buses will now traverse to the south still using the outermost lane until it reaches the proposed south terminal which is the Paranaque Integrated Bus Terminal," Sarmiento said.

"We propose this to eradicate the kanya-kanya system of the buses wherein they compete with each other creating chaos through overtaking, overspeeding, and overstaying. Puno man o hindi, lalarga po ang mga city buses dahil may schedule na po ang biyahe nila at hindi na sila makikipag-agawan ng pasahero dahil hindi na commission-based ang kita kundi sahod na ang matatanggap ng mga drivers at konduktors," Sarmiento added.

Sarmiento said that also part of the proposal is to modernize the fare system using tap or beep card.

"Once everything has been set in theory and generated through computer by the MMDA, it will be presented to the public through a dry run, which will be implemented on a day with the least number of vehicles in the road. We are going to have a computer-generated simulation of this proposal to be led by the MMDA," Sarmiento said to dispel fears that this could end up just like the other failed "experiments" of the MMDA.

Sarmiento clarified however that his proposal can still be subject to improvements and adjustments by the DoTr and the MMDA which is will the frontline implementing agencies.

"Lastly, this proposal is a work in progress. Details will be discussed by the Executives. Ang inyong lingkod, bilang Chairman ng House Committee on Transportation ay willing na magbigay ng suporta sa DOTr kung may mga kailangang polisiya upang maipatupad natin kaagad ang mga planong ito," Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that if and when the plan is set into motion, the private vehicles that continue to clog EDSA middle lanes would be reduced eventually "because people would now start riding the bus rather than drive their car in what is described as one of the world's biggest parking lot."

"With this system, if the trains and buses will be fully operational, and the commuting public is now effectively and efficiently being moved, that’s the time that we can reduce the volume of private vehicles in EDSA and the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila," Sarmiento said.

" Once the volume of vehicles were reduced, that’s the time that we can introduce major infrastructures in EDSA and other major thoroughfares," he added.