Grab Celebrates 8th Anniversary by Fulfilling 120 Requests and Wishes of Filipinos During the Pandemic

July 1, 2020 - Manila Philippines — Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading everyday app, celebrated its 8th anniversary in June by giving back and helping fulfill the requests of Filipinos to help them adapt to the new normal. Throughout the years, Grab has expanded its services to continuously provide safe and convenient access to everyday necessities. Today, GrabCar, GrabFood, GrabExpress, GrabPay, and GrabMart continue to give Filipinos access to their essential needs despite the limitations that the country will continue to face as we transition to the new normal.

As a means of giving back, and reminding Filipinos that Grab has their backs, the company partnered with Nestle, Pringles and Kellogg’s, San Miguel Brewery, Ginebra San Miguel, San Miguel Foods, Lazada, Heineken, Unilever and P&G and launched its Sagot Kita campaign, showing how Grab now— more than ever— proves to be Filipinos’ partner in navigating through life in the new normal. Throughout the month of June, Grab granted over 100 wishes, big and small, of things Filipinos miss the most and surprising them with experiences they wish for— from snacks that used to be part of their daily routines, to milestones and occasions they missed celebrating, or even requests that extend help to others. To these wishes, Grab says, “Sagot kita.”

Using Grab as a means to help others
Filipinos prove that the spirit of helping takes centerstage when the opportunity arises. Instead of satisfying personal whims, many wishes were made for others— family, friends, or neighbors that need a little bit of help to get by during these trying times.

Jan de los Reyes has found a true friend in Jellie Tiu. When Jellie heard about Grab’s campaign, she used the opportunity to help her friend and her 10-month old daughter. Losing her job as an OFW after the lockdown, Jan is left scrambling for ways to keep providing for her child. With the help of Grab, baby supplies and milk were delivered safely via GrabExpress.

Through thick or thin, Lony Marvillo stands by her husband's side. She provides for them both by operating a small sari-sari store, as her husband is no longer fit to work and is in need of dialysis. Instead of wishing for financial assistance, Lony instead wished for more supplies to sell in her store to sustain their livelihood. Her small sari-sari store waa replenished with the help of GrabMart.

Having a soft spot for animals, Manila Santos went ahead and wished for supplies for the staff and animals of PAWS. Some of the staff were locked in the shelter during quarantine, and were in need of supplies. Animal food donation also dwindled, and a little help would go a long way. Delivered by GrabExpress, PAWS was able to receive groceries for the staff, and food for the animals.

Grab brings back experiences Filipinos missed the most
So many restrictions brought us realizations that there are experiences we can no longer do like before. To bring delight to this mood-dampening thought, Grab made ways for people to bring back these experiences one way or another.

Social distancing doesn’t allow much for close contact, and Greg Cendana expressed that he misses eating out with his girlfriend Iyrelle Mauricio. Granting his wish through GrabFood, a virtual pizza date was set up to make up for the distance.

Mary Ann Mangalindan’s weekend routine with her husband was to stop by Max’s after a grocery run. Bringing back that favorite weekend experience, GrabFood says “Sagot kita” by sending over their favorite Max’s items for her and her husband to share.

Julie Vega is a Grab delivery partner who is an independent parent to her only daughter. With her income just enough for their daily needs, they don’t often get the chance to enjoy their favorite food. But thanks to GrabFood, mother and child enjoyed a sumptuous meal of lechon and pancit palabok.

Life as we know it may not return to how it was for a long time. But with the help of Grab, adjusting to the new normal is made easier and safer with its services:

• GrabCar that ensures the safe transport from one location to another
• GrabPay that enables contactless and cashless transactions
• GrabExpress that helps individuals and merchants deliver goods to others
• GrabMart that allows customers to conveniently purchase essentials without the need to go out and,
• GrabFood that delivers meals to customers in the safety of their homes

Experience what Grab has to offer and avail of over 100 promos in celebration of its 8th anniversary. Make life in the new normal a little bit better with the help of Grab. Kami muna ang bahala. Visit https://www.grab.com/ph/featured-blog/grabsagotkita/ for more details.


About Grab

Grab is the leading super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 185 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food, package, grocery delivery services, mobile payments and financial services across 339 cities in eight countries.

Pexels Updates Search Algorithm to Increase Visibility for LGBTQ+ Community

Pexels, the multimedia library dedicated to sharing diverse, free stock photos and videos, announced that it has made a major update to its algorithm to increase visibility of content that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. This announcement follows Pexels’ previous partnership with Nappy in March of 2018 to highlight photos representative of diverse cultures and races. A company that values inclusivity at its core, Pexels has been on a mission to improve its search results to provide more well-rounded offerings since it launched in 2014 and was later acquired by Canva in 2018. Now, in light of Pride month, Pexels is permanently adjusting its algorithm for all relationship-based search keywords to deliver more diversity across genders and sexualities, giving presence to all types of relationships.

Pexels sets itself apart from its competitors with its artful, high-quality and curated library that offers over two million photos and videos for free. Additionally, Pexels’ library is the first truly inclusive collection focused on diversity across cultures, ethnicities and genders. While other stock photo sites do have images to reflect diversity, these do not naturally surface in the search results.

To find these photos, users must use search terms that clearly indicate whether they want a photo of a straight or a same-sex couple. Pexels’ algorithm update is focused on inclusivity and prioritizing LGBTQ+ imagery, democratizing all images, not requiring a user to delineate between same sex or other descriptors. Search terms like ‘couple’ or ‘holding hands,’ that typically only return images of heterosexual couples, now yield photos representing all races, genders and identities, increasing visibility and encouraging mainstream use. In a space that is crowded with cisgender, heteronormative, and white-washed content, Pexels continues be a pioneer in supporting underrepresented communities. The company hopes to empower its own community to tell better stories and inspire other stock photo sites to do the same.

“As one of the premier free photo and video libraries, we understand the power a photo or video can have,” said Monica Silvestre, Head of Community at Pexels. “Media has the power to make or break ideologies, challenge the status quo and humanize experiences. Images fuel stories and create movements, and it’s our responsibility as a global platform to act as a force for good; a force that helps power progress. This is why we’re improving our learning algorithm. The next time someone searches for “couple” or “love” they will find refreshing content that reflects life as it really is around us—straight couples, same sex couples, interracial couples, non-binary folks and more.”

In addition to the algorithm update, Pexels has amped up its efforts to partner with creators and companies that prioritize images and videos that challenge relationship norms and offer LGBTQ+ perspectives. The team will continue to adjust how its algorithm learns, making it intentionally calculate equal representation in order to offer its users choices they might not have previously considered. Pexels also employs a team of curators to specifically view, tag and boost submitted images to ensure the highest level of diversity and equality across the platform. Pexels encourages all photographers and creators to upload their LGBTQ+ photography to the platform.

For more information about Pexels, please visit pexels.com.


ABOUT PEXELS

Launched in 2014 and acquired by Canva in 2018, Pexels is a free to use photo and video library powered by a community of photographers. Its beautiful library of images and videos is donated by a global community of talented contributors who upload their work for everyone to use freely, helping millions of creators around the world develop beautiful products and designs. Pexels believes in diversity as a force for good and creative innovation. The team of over 30 people worldwide celebrates strength in different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds and embraces its community of imaginative photographers.

ABOUT CANVA

Launched in 2013, Canva is an intuitive online design and publishing platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast library of templates ranging from presentations, social media posts, posters, invitations to resumes, a huge collection of stock photography, illustrations and fonts, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Canva is available on web, iOS and Android.

Lockdown Career Tips: 5 Pointers on How to be an All-Star at Work

Even in times of uncertainty, there are still ways you can improve yourself and make great strides in your career. While under a community quarantine, utilize the extra time to reevaluate your career trajectory and seize opportunities to move it forward.

Much like an NBA All-Star, you need a concrete game plan to achieve desirable outcomes in your career. AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurers and the official insurance partner of the NBA in the Philippines, is here to help with some job advice.

Improve personal branding. Your branding is largely based on your online image -- it allows you to let employers know your story, goals, skills, and expertise. It can make you stand out and give your career a boost. To build your personal brand, make sure to update and organize all your online profiles, especially on social networking platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. On your profile, use a professional photo and quantify your accomplishments. Try to avoid posting anything that isn’t appropriate for work. You should also opt to follow leaders in your field and share top industry stories. You can also create a personal website, portfolio, or blog where you can showcase your professional journey, work, and achievements.

Keep learning. If you want to be productive during quarantine, why not take online classes? There are thousands of options that can enhance your knowledge on business, communication, marketing, financial literacy, and more. Many websites, experts and even Ivy League schools in the U.S., are offering classes for free during the lockdown so make the most of this opportunity. You can also read career advice books that can help you be a more well-rounded person at work. Whether you want to know how to achieve work-life balance, become an excellent leader, develop better work habits, or recover from a career setback, there is something for you. Once the crisis is over, you’ll have gained new learnings that can be used in your career. Additionally, think about pursuing higher education and getting your master’s degree, which sometimes is a requirement for a job or even a promotion.

Find a mentor. A mentor can benefit you and your career in many ways. They can offer valuable insight in advancing your career and be a sounding board for your ideas at work. Since you may come from different backgrounds, having a mentor can sharpen your communication skills and provide a new perspective, which can be helpful in relating to your co-workers and other individuals you cross paths in your career. A mentor is also an avenue to build your network. When looking for a mentor, it’s advisable to consider someone you know who is at a job or position you aspire to be at. Alternatively, you can reciprocate the relationship by offering them resources or promoting their projects to your network.

Gain experience. Experience is one of the key factors that hiring managers look at. Consider making use of your spare time to gain more experience in the field that you’re currently in or an area you want to transfer to, while also earning some extra income. Even at home, you can seek virtual tutoring opportunities and other online freelance jobs. Try not to spread yourself too thin and find a side hustle where you can manage your own time, like being an AXA financial advisor. During this time, you might also want to consider doing volunteer work like organizing fundraising activities, food drives or PPE donations. You can even help the community and join a cause you’re passionate about.

Be smart with money. Living from paycheck to paycheck may hinder you from taking chances on progressing your career given the fear of being left with no steady source of income. If you want to take risks and advance your career, creating a financial plan is a must. Start building an emergency fund, save up for retirement, and opt to buy the right health and life insurance products so that you’ll have a safety net when emergencies or unexpected job problems occur. AXA Philippines has an extensive portfolio of insurance and investment products that suits every need and budget.

For more information, visit https://axa.com.ph/.