As we get deeper and deeper into this era of “new normal”, many facets of our everyday lives have either already adapted or are currently adapting to the strange times we find ourselves in at this very point in time. I’m certain I can speak for most, if not all, of us when I say that we, as a people and as a community, are likewise adapting to these times. One specific aspect of our daily lives that is still having an ongoing adjustment period is public transport. Not only do we use these services significantly less due to extended stay-at-home orders, but for general health and safety precautions as well. Hence, the government has been pushing for cashless payment during transportation in order to minimize as much as possible any form of contact.
In light of the government’s initiatives to push for a contactless transport system, Grab Philippines will soon launch their Top-Up Via Driver feature that will ultimately serve as an e-wallet for the various Grab services. Despite the recent shift to these types of methods, many Filipinos are still cash-based which hence affect their ability to commute to accomplish essential activities and duties. In fact, 70% of Grab users are cash-based while only 30% of users are cashless, thus Grab’s initiatives to further encourage all users to adopt contactless payment systems.
So, how does the Top-Up Via Driver feature work? There are only 3 simple and easy steps to get your GrabPay wallet up and running. Firstly, the user would be able to apply and setup their GrabPay wallet on the app itself during their first GrabCar ride once this feature has officially been launched. Secondly, the user’s GrabPay wallet will be activated once the essential information such as name, identification, address, account details and payment methods are all appropriately filled. Lastly, the user will enter the amount they wish to load into their GrabPay wallet through the app and give said amount to the driver-partner upon completion of the GrabCar trip for an easier and seamless top-up channel. Keep in mind, however, that the payment of cash to the driver-partner to be loaded into your GrabPay wallet will only be necessary during this first trip as the starting balance is 0.
This feature will roll out next month in November simply through an app update. The availability and accessibility of this option will depend and differ per area as this initiative is still in its early phases and as the government constantly updates certain health and safety regulations. In Metro Manila, this feature will be available for GrabCar 2-seater and 4-seater. Meanwhile in Cebu and Pampanga, this feature will be available for GrabCar 2-seater only, at least for now. Additionally, this will likewise be available for GrabBayanihan Car, one of Grab Philippines’ latest special transport services for healthcare workers of Grab’s partnering hospitals and clinics within Metro Manila.
As previously mentioned, the user will only need to pay the driver-partner with cash only once during the first trip as there are several different options for users to top-up their GrabPay wallets through various means. Users can load through electronic fund transfer services such as InstaPay or directly transfer money from their bank accounts. Offline payment methods, on the other hand, are also available and accessible through convenience stores such as 7/11 and MiniStop. Ideally, users would be able to also top-up through the many Grab booths strategically located in many places. However, due to the temporary cease in operation of these Grab booths for safety reasons, this option will be unavailable for now.
There are many benefits for the user with the use of GrabPay wallet and cashless payment systems in general. Not only would the user commute safely and conveniently, but both the user and the driver-partner will be protected as well. The GrabPay wallet will also be applicable to other Grab services for a frictionless experience when paying for food and deliveries, among others. With this feature, users will also be able to earn points which, in turn, will allow them to redeem exciting prizes, rewards and perks. Users will also be given exclusive access to OneGrab G! Pass, a subscription service that offers exclusive packs and deals in GrabFood, GrabExpress and GrabCar altogether, which will be launching some time soon.
According to Ronald Roda, Grab Philippines Head of Transport and Shared Services, “Through this innovation, we hope to help ease the cashless barrier for our commuters by enjoining our driver-partners to not only provide a safe and reliable means of transportation, but to also help more Filipino commuters embrace cashless payment, and unlock the many benefits that await them with GrabPay.” Clearly, it is quite important and essential for everyone—from the government, to service companies, and to each and every individual –to adapt to the new normal and put everyone’s health, safety and wellbeing at the forefront if we all want to move forward together.
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