Grab Philippines' GrabScholar program produces its first college graduates, welcomes new batch
GrabScholar's first five full-ride scholars earn their college degrees, as the program's support reaches around 2000 Filipinos through three tracks: college scholarships, bursaries for school essentials, and BPO skills training
INAUGURAL GRABSCHOLARS: (R-L) Jessa Mae Tabares, John Lloyd Villa, Jasmine Nicanor, Mary Flor Valerie Rull, and Cesario Cabuello III, the first cohort of graduates under the GrabScholar program.
Grab Philippines is marking a major milestone as five pioneering Filipino scholars become the first GrabScholar college graduates in Southeast Asia, completing their degrees under Grab’s flagship scholarship program.
The graduates, Cesario Cabuello III, Mary Flor Valerie Rull, John Lloyd Villa, Jasmine Nicanor and Jessa Mae Tabares, earned degrees across education, business and finance, with three already taking their first steps into the workforce.
Cabuello is now a senior high school teacher at PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City, while Nicanor is completing a government internship in Iloilo. Tabares, who is also working as a corporate legal assistant, is preparing to take the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers alongside fellow education graduates Rull and Villa.
Driven by perseverance
Tabares, who graduated with a degree in Education, majoring in English, delivered a speech on behalf of the graduating scholars during the awards ceremony.
“When college came, I almost convinced myself it wasn't part of my future because I didn't want to be a burden to my family. Then GrabScholar came. It was never just about a diploma—it gave us a community that believed in us when it would have been easier to stop. Now that this opportunity has helped us rise, it is our turn to reach back, extend a hand, and help others move forward, too,” Tabares said.
In her speech Tabares – who also served as a working student at Grab Iloilo for nearly three years, assisting drivers, TNVS applicants, and passengers – reflected on how the scholarship eased her family's financial pressure, allowing her parents to devote more resources to essential household needs.
Since its launch in 2023, GrabScholar has supported around 2,000 Filipinos nationwide at different stages of their education and career journeys. The program has awarded 30 full college scholarships to date, provided school-expense assistance to 1,500 elementary and high school students, and equipped 400 individuals with skills and training to pursue careers in the BPO industry. This year, GrabScholar welcomes its fifth batch of scholars, extending the program's reach to more Filipinos.
Supported by the GrabForGood Fund and delivered in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and BagoSphere, GrabScholar provides support beyond tuition, including learning materials and living allowances, alongside development programs, internships, and career opportunities that help scholars transition from education to employment.
“People know Grab for rides, deliveries, and financial services. But those have always been part of a bigger mission: creating opportunities. GrabScholar is one example of that mission in practice. Five graduates in, we’re seeing what opportunity can build when someone gets a real shot, with degrees earned, careers started, and doors opened that weren’t there before. And it never stops with just one person. It lifts a family, changes what’s possible for the people around them, and reaches our communities. That’s the asenso we’re really after,” said CJ Lacsican, President of Grab Financial Group Philippines.
“The first graduating cohort shows what sustained investment in education can make possible. These scholars were not only given the opportunity to enter college, but the resources and guidance to stay the course and reach graduation. We are proud to have walked alongside them throughout that journey, and we hope their stories encourage more partners to join us in strengthening our education sector and enabling more young Filipinos to complete their studies,” said Elvin Ivan Uy, Executive Director of PBSP.
Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Constance See also highlighted the program's practical impact on workforce readiness.
“That is why programs such as GrabScholar matter. Grab is offering support to students for school expenses, tuition fees, and equipping job seekers with skills that can lead to employment. I am particularly happy that Singapore-based social enterprise BagoSphere is part of this effort. The knowledge and skills imparted will help workers secure a job, build a career, support a family, and eventually create opportunities for others.”
Reaffirming the government’s support for public-private initiatives in education, Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Hon. Edson Sy delivered a message on behalf of DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara:
“DepEd is truly grateful to organizations like Grab Philippines that are more than willing to extend a helping hand and help us create more pathways for our learners to reach their full potential. Because in the journey of education, we may take different roads, but we are heading towards the same destination: a better future for every Filipino child.”
Grab Philippines, together with PBSP, Bagosphere, and its government partners, will continue the work of making education and skills development more accessible to Filipino youth. As one cohort graduates and another begins, GrabScholar’s next chapter is about keeping that opportunity moving forward, from one student to the next and from one generation to another.
The graduates, Cesario Cabuello III, Mary Flor Valerie Rull, John Lloyd Villa, Jasmine Nicanor and Jessa Mae Tabares, earned degrees across education, business and finance, with three already taking their first steps into the workforce.
Cabuello is now a senior high school teacher at PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City, while Nicanor is completing a government internship in Iloilo. Tabares, who is also working as a corporate legal assistant, is preparing to take the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers alongside fellow education graduates Rull and Villa.
Driven by perseverance
Tabares, who graduated with a degree in Education, majoring in English, delivered a speech on behalf of the graduating scholars during the awards ceremony.
“When college came, I almost convinced myself it wasn't part of my future because I didn't want to be a burden to my family. Then GrabScholar came. It was never just about a diploma—it gave us a community that believed in us when it would have been easier to stop. Now that this opportunity has helped us rise, it is our turn to reach back, extend a hand, and help others move forward, too,” Tabares said.
In her speech Tabares – who also served as a working student at Grab Iloilo for nearly three years, assisting drivers, TNVS applicants, and passengers – reflected on how the scholarship eased her family's financial pressure, allowing her parents to devote more resources to essential household needs.
Since its launch in 2023, GrabScholar has supported around 2,000 Filipinos nationwide at different stages of their education and career journeys. The program has awarded 30 full college scholarships to date, provided school-expense assistance to 1,500 elementary and high school students, and equipped 400 individuals with skills and training to pursue careers in the BPO industry. This year, GrabScholar welcomes its fifth batch of scholars, extending the program's reach to more Filipinos.
Supported by the GrabForGood Fund and delivered in partnership with Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and BagoSphere, GrabScholar provides support beyond tuition, including learning materials and living allowances, alongside development programs, internships, and career opportunities that help scholars transition from education to employment.
“People know Grab for rides, deliveries, and financial services. But those have always been part of a bigger mission: creating opportunities. GrabScholar is one example of that mission in practice. Five graduates in, we’re seeing what opportunity can build when someone gets a real shot, with degrees earned, careers started, and doors opened that weren’t there before. And it never stops with just one person. It lifts a family, changes what’s possible for the people around them, and reaches our communities. That’s the asenso we’re really after,” said CJ Lacsican, President of Grab Financial Group Philippines.
“The first graduating cohort shows what sustained investment in education can make possible. These scholars were not only given the opportunity to enter college, but the resources and guidance to stay the course and reach graduation. We are proud to have walked alongside them throughout that journey, and we hope their stories encourage more partners to join us in strengthening our education sector and enabling more young Filipinos to complete their studies,” said Elvin Ivan Uy, Executive Director of PBSP.
Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Constance See also highlighted the program's practical impact on workforce readiness.
“That is why programs such as GrabScholar matter. Grab is offering support to students for school expenses, tuition fees, and equipping job seekers with skills that can lead to employment. I am particularly happy that Singapore-based social enterprise BagoSphere is part of this effort. The knowledge and skills imparted will help workers secure a job, build a career, support a family, and eventually create opportunities for others.”
Reaffirming the government’s support for public-private initiatives in education, Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Hon. Edson Sy delivered a message on behalf of DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara:
“DepEd is truly grateful to organizations like Grab Philippines that are more than willing to extend a helping hand and help us create more pathways for our learners to reach their full potential. Because in the journey of education, we may take different roads, but we are heading towards the same destination: a better future for every Filipino child.”
Grab Philippines, together with PBSP, Bagosphere, and its government partners, will continue the work of making education and skills development more accessible to Filipino youth. As one cohort graduates and another begins, GrabScholar’s next chapter is about keeping that opportunity moving forward, from one student to the next and from one generation to another.
