#CulturePH - How Grab’s Newest Scholars Are Turning Everyday Hustle Into Big Dreams
Some stories just make you pause for a moment—the kind that remind you how hard work, a bit of luck, and a community that believes in you can open doors you didn’t even know were possible. That’s the feeling that lingers after meeting the newest batch of GrabScholars, a group of students stepping into STEM, Business, and Sustainability courses with a full four‑year scholarship from Grab Philippines.
Each of them comes from a family with their own version of the daily grind. Some have parents who navigate Metro Manila’s streets as GrabCar driver‑partners or GrabFood riders; others are supported by parents juggling multiple jobs to make sure school isn’t out of reach. And now, here they are—accepting scholarships at schools like Mapúa University, the Cebu Institute of Technology University, and PUP, with not just tuition covered but a monthly stipend, a new laptop, and all the essentials that make college a little less overwhelming.
The stories behind each scholar feel like chapters from a book you’d want to keep reading. There’s Harvey Blaize Ramirez, stepping into AI Engineering with dreams of one day joining Grab’s engineering team—or maybe building something groundbreaking of his own. His dad’s journey from rider to GrabCar driver became the quiet push that shaped his ambitions.
Then there’s Reign Quiñones from PUP, balancing Industrial Engineering classes with freelance editing gigs. Her father’s GrabFood deliveries help keep things afloat, and she’s already thinking ahead about tech solutions for disaster risk mitigation—something the country desperately needs.
The impact goes far beyond Metro Manila. In Cebu, Dainty Jurzhail Balde is tackling Civil Engineering with a heart set on mentoring future engineers. In Davao, Wrench Maxenne Singcol is deep into Computer Science at the University of Mindanao. And farther south, in Cagayan de Oro, Chrislyn Bacalso is working toward a Business Administration degree while aiming to become the first in her family to earn a college diploma. Each path looks different, but all of them share the same upward climb.
What’s refreshing is how the GrabScholar program doesn’t stop with college students. More than 300 elementary and high school learners receive one‑time bursaries to help with uniforms, books, and school supplies—small things that, for many families, make a big difference. Sometimes an extra P2,500 means a student won’t have to borrow or make do; sometimes it’s the difference between staying in school and sitting the year out.
Seeing these young people step up feels like watching a generation slowly reshape what’s possible. They’re studying fields that are pushing the world forward—AI, engineering, accountancy, sustainability—and they’re doing it with the hopes of their families, communities, and their own lived experiences guiding them.
What Grab has created with GrabScholar isn’t just a scholarship program. It’s a bridge—one built on everyday hustle, long‑term dreams, and the belief that opportunity shouldn’t just belong to those who can afford it. And seeing this new batch take that first confident step? It’s the kind of story that makes you root for the future a little harder.
Comments
Post a Comment