Scaling the Gig Economy

Grab, MOVE IT, and DICT launch the first Asenso Center to accelerate an AI-enabled platform-work ecosystem

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Grab Philippines, MOVE IT, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) have opened the first Asenso Center in Marikina City, a one-hectare hub designed to elevate platform work and expand digital livelihoods across the country. Positioned as the first facility of its kind in Grab's Southeast Asia network, the Asenso Center aims to professionalize onboarding, deliver AI-powered earning tools, and streamline access to social protection for platform workers and micro-entrepreneurs.

Grab Philippines country managing director Ronald Roda said the center reflects what the company has learned from years of operating a mature platform-work ecosystem. “The Asenso Center turns that insight into action. It opens dignified, digitally powered livelihoods, equips our partners with practical AI copilots, and helps families convert opportunity into income at scale,” he said.

DICT Secretary Henry Aguda described Grab and MOVE IT partners as the “frontline of the digital economy,” emphasizing that every completed trip or delivery directly supports household essentials. He noted that initiatives like the Asenso Center show how public-private partnerships can unlock millions of digital livelihood opportunities nationwide.