GRAB Philippines is partnering with the Department of Tourism (DoT) to pilot test a scooter service in Intramuros and to stream Philippine tourism videos in Grab cars across Southeast Asia.

The ride-hailing company signed two memoranda of understanding with DoT yesterday to join efforts in promoting “personal mobility” and tourism.

“Grab is present in eight different countries across Southeast Asia…and we want to see how we could use this as a platform to educate our fellow Southeast Asians about the beauty and wonders of the Philippines,” Grab Philippines President Brian P. Cu said in a briefing in Intramuros.

For GrabWheels, the company is deploying 30 scooters that may be used within Intramuros for free for three months — similar to what Grab launched in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) earlier this year.

“Personal mobility is a trend we’re seeing in transport. It’s taking over the zero to three-kilometer trips… It’s a cheaper and faster option,” Mr. Cu said.

After the three-month pilot test in Intramuros, the Grab president said the company would have to evaluate if the transport option is viable to maintain in the area.

Looking forward, Mr. Cu said Grab is looking at areas in Quezon City, Pasig City, Subic and Clark to test the scooter service, noting that the offer had to be pulled out from BGC as the area is yet to finalize its traffic scheme.

“The city needs to come up with its regulations on bike lanes and pedestrian lanes. The whole initiative of the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) to take back the streets and give it to pedestrians is going to be beneficial for the future of a service like GrabWheels,” he added. — Denise A. Valdez