As Grab and MOVE IT drivers face the sharpest fuel price increases in recent memory, both platforms are deploying an immediate driver support program designed to protect the earnings and livelihoods of tens of thousands of driver-, delivery-, and rider-partners nationwide.
The intervention comes amid an unprecedented run of pump price hikes driven by escalating conflict in the Middle East and global supply disruptions. With diesel prices surging by double digits in a single week and gasoline recording its ninth consecutive weekly increase, the cost of staying on the road has become an existential concern for drivers who power the country’s ride-hailing, delivery, and motorcycle taxi networks.
The support program rests on three pillars: fuel cost relief, earnings protection, and regulatory engagement — reflecting a deliberate decision by both Grab and MOVE IT to cushion the crisis’s impact on the driver network while preserving service reliability for passengers.
“Our immediate priority is to help ensure that our drivers continue to earn viably and fairly for their families, while preserving service reliability for passengers and the sustainability of the platform as we collectively navigate volatility in the global fuel market,” said Grab Philippines Managing Director Ronald Roda.
“Fair earnings are what keep drivers on the road. This is also critical at a time when more Filipino families may look to shared mobility to help manage the impact of the ongoing oil price shock on driving privately owned vehicles,” he added.
Why it matters for drivers and the riding public
When fuel costs spike, the first to feel the squeeze are drivers who shoulder these expenses out of their own pockets every day. If left unaddressed, rising costs force drivers to go offline, reducing the availability and reliability that passengers depend on. By acting now, Grab and MOVE IT are also investing in the riding experience: ensuring Filipinos who rely on platform-based transport for daily commutes, medical trips, deliveries, and family errands can continue to count on safe and reliable service.
Pillar 1: Direct fuel cost relief through industry partnerships
Through partnerships with Seaoil across major branches nationwide, Caltex nationwide, and Blu Energy in select cities, driver-partners operating both four-wheel and two-wheel vehicles can access fuel savings of up to Php 4 per liter. Grab and MOVE IT are also continuing to build partnerships with more fuel brands to further expand the program’s reach across participating stations nationwide.
In addition, Grab Finance is introducing a targeted fuel rebate program through the Shell Fuel Card for nearly 20,000 eligible drivers and riders nationwide. Beginning 16 March 2026 through the end of March, qualifying partners who refuel using their active Grab Finance Shell Fuel Cards will receive a Php 3 per-liter rebate, with the accumulated cashback credited to them directly, per program mechanics.
Pillar 2: Earnings protection and expanded incentives
GrabCar driver-partners will benefit from commission rebates under a refreshed incentive model designed to stabilize take-home earnings by shifting more value back to drivers through real-time per-trip cashback and targeted commission rebates, particularly during busier periods when fuel costs are felt most acutely.
For GrabFood delivery-partners using motorcycles, Grab is piloting a ₱3 Spot Bonus per completed delivery nationwide, regardless of total online hours or trips completed. The top-up was calibrated against prevailing fuel price movements and average fuel consumption on the platform, with the most active delivery-partners currently consuming around three liters per day.
Recognizing that motorcycle taxi rider-partners operate on fundamentally different economics, MOVE IT is launching Power Pasada — a dedicated fuel resilience program designed from the ground up for two-wheel transport. The program includes fuel allowances through monthly top-ups for consistently active rider-partners, and AM/PM incentives for all rider-partners during peak-demand periods.
Pillar 3: Active regulatory and stakeholder engagement
Grab and MOVE IT are maintaining consultative discussions with the LTFRB and the DOTr on the fuel shock’s impact on ride-hailing and motorcycle taxi professionals. The government recently announced a ₱5,000 fuel subsidy for affected transport workers, distributed by the DSWD in coordination with the DOTr, with government officials indicating that TNVS professionals are included among the eligible sectors.
“We thank the DOTr and DSWD for recognizing TNVS professionals as equal partners in keeping the country’s transport ecosystem alive,” said United Transportation Coalition Philippines President Lisza Buscaino-Redulla. “We will continue to work with platforms such as Grab to help ensure that support programs remain responsive and appropriately calibrated to movements in the market.”
Both platforms also continue to engage the DOTr and the DICT to explore adjacent fuel support mechanisms for motorcycle taxi and on-demand delivery professionals.
“It is imperative that the entire transport ecosystem works together in finding the right support programs as we collectively try to survive this oil challenge,” said Motorcycle Taxi Community Philippines Chairman Romeo Maglunsod. “Platforms and government must make sure that drivers not only endure this period, but continue to have dignified livelihoods and a strong support ecosystem — so our families are fed, our needs are met, and we can continue to thrive as transport professionals despite the oil crisis.”
Commitment to the long haul
Grab and MOVE IT affirmed that today’s measures are a first response, not a final one. Both platforms have committed to monitoring real-time developments in the global oil market and are prepared to adjust support as conditions evolve. They will continue to work alongside regulators, transport groups, and driver communities to ensure the country’s ride-hailing and delivery ecosystem remains resilient — and that the drivers who make it possible are meaningfully supported.
