Grab and HOPE break ground for new classroom project in Bicol

The new classroom will benefit Inang Maharang Elementary School.

Grab Philippines and HOPE have officially broken ground on the first classroom to be built at Inang Maharang Elementary School. [L-R] Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda, HOPE Founder and Executive Chairperson Nanette Medved-Po

Partners aim to expand the project beyond Bicol

Grab Philippines and HOPE have broken ground on a new public school classroom in Manito, Albay.

In a statement, Grab said this development was achieved after they raised about PHP 1.4 million through in-app donations. The funding came from a combination of user-donated GrabRewards points through GrabBayanihan, which allowed customers to channel "GrabCoins" to the project, and a dedicated "Grab HOPE Hour" drive that generated additional donations from GrabCar rides and GrabFood deliveries during a designated 60-minute window.

The classroom will be built inside Inang Maharang Elementary School, which serves more than 100 students in the remote barangays of Manito.

The site was selected after Typhoon Uwan damaged public facilities in the area and destroyed two makeshift classrooms at the school.

These are new safe spaces where Filipino children can learn, dream, and grow. By making it easier for communities to support these initiatives, we help build a stronger foundation for the country’s next generation, said Grab Philippines Country Head Ronald Roda.

The Grab and HOPE classroom is designed as a 7-by-9-meter learning space with four windows, wall-mounted electric fans, complete electrical wiring with outlets and lighting fixtures, and an in-room bathroom with full plumbing. It will also include standard interior fixtures such as a teacher’s desk and a chalkboard.

This classroom is the first of many that we hope will not only guarantee safe access to learning but also inspire communities around business for good. We look forward to more activities with Grab this coming new year, and more classrooms for our public schools, said HOPE Founder and Executive Chairperson Nanette Medved-Po.

The companies plan to sustain the collaboration through 2026, expanding infrastructure and development initiatives beyond Bicol.

To participate, users can navigate to the GrabRewards catalog in-app and allocate points to HOPE.

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