Hella, Grab partner for COVID-19 vax initiatives among drivers and riders

MANILA: Hella has partnered with Grab Philippines for initiatives to encourage more drivers and riders to get vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to boost the number of inoculated drivers and riders and keep themselves and their customers safe.

Since the pandemic broke out in the country, ride-hailing, courier, and food delivery became some of the most in-demand services. These services are continuing to expand and grow, especially with the many lockdown measures being imposed across the country, ensuring that everyone stays at home or has a safe and dependable mode of transportation when they go out. Grab drivers and riders are among those who continue to operate to provide these services despite the risks.

Grab drivers and riders share weekly testimonials that focus on their vaccination stories and experiences as frontliners. They also talk about their initial hesitations and concerns, as well as their realizations that they are doing it not only for themselves, but also for the safety of their families.

“Mga Ka-Grab, nais kong ibahagi ang aking karanasan sa pagbakuna laban sa COVID-19. Maganda ang aking naramdaman. Lumakas lalo ang aking resistensya. Hinihikayat ko kayong magpabakuna dahil hindli lang ito para sa atin ito kundi para sa safety ng ating pamilya at customers (My fellow Grab riders, I want to share my experience in my COVID-19 vaccination. It felt good. My immune system is further strengthened. I encourage you to get your vaccine because this is not only for ourselves, but also for our families and customers),” Grab rider Christopher Tamayo shared.

Meanwhile, Grab driver Rolando Reque said, “Ang aking karanasan sa pagpapabakuna ay isang panibagong hamon sa buhay. Iniisip ko na lang na ito’y kailangan malampasan para mapangalagaan ang aking kalusugan ganon din sa aking mga kapamilya (My experience with vaccination was quite challenging. I just kept in mind that this needs to be done in other to keep me healthy, as well as my family).”

Hella complements these stories by providing them with car parts and accessories that can help increase their visibility on the road.

Grab also reaches out and communicates with its drivers and riders through livestreaming, which is useful for announcements and updates. This time, topics about health and safety are discussed, as well as the importance of vaccination in order to educate people on how to better protect themselves. To encourage more Grab drivers and riders to participate in the information drive, Hella is raffling off 50 dash cams valued over P250,000 to lucky viewers, providing them with an additional layer of protection while on the road.

Hella also hosted a Rainy Day Livestream in collaboration with Grab. Hella Asia Country Manager for the Philippines Jason De Leon shared tips to keep vehicles safe during the rainy season. Thousands of drivers and riders tuned in to the discussion which was timely and relevant. Some drivers and riders also shared their own tips with their co-drivers and riders, particularly when it comes to specific maintenance routines for certain car and motorcycle parts.

Hella also teamed up with Grab to organize a dance challenge and competition, which drew a large number of drivers and riders from all over the country. The Grab community showcased their creativity and talents on Facebook and Tiktok by dancing to the “Vacc to the Beat” jingle. Hella sponsored the grand prize of P50,000, which was won by the driver who showcased the best #HellaBakUNAMoves.

These are only some of Hella and Grab’s initiatives to help the country achieve herd immunity through its driver and rider community.

In a statement, De Leon said, “For the longest time, Hella has been a strong advocate of road safety by offering the market with the parts that matter. With the current pandemic, Hella wants to give back to the community through initiatives that support vaccination and what better way to do it than through a trusted partner. Extending our partnership with Grab enables us to reach more drivers and riders who tirelessly work during these disruptive times. We want to recognize their sacrifices by providing them another layer of safety by improving their visibility on the road.”

In parallel, Grab Philippines Country Operations Head RJ Cabaluna stated, “We appreciate having Hella as a partner because we believe that this is reflective of how Grab values the health and safety of our driving community. We hope to encourage and inspire more drivers and riders to be vaccinated through our combined efforts to contribute meaningfully in our goal of herd immunity and continue keeping our patrons safe as well.”

More collaborations are in the works as Hella and Grab continue to develop programs not only for their COVID-19 vaccination advocacy, but also for overall road safety.

Photos from Hella

Also read: Rewards, discounted rides await Grab users who get vaccinated