The Davao City pilot introduces stronger search and verification tools for halal-certified and Muslim-owned restaurants on GrabFood.
Grab Philippines has partnered with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Region XI to make halal food easier and more reliable to discover on GrabFood.
Piloted in Davao City, the initiative adds enhanced search and filtering features designed to help consumers identify halal-certified and Muslim-owned restaurants that match their dietary needs. The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 9 at Bajada Suites in Davao City.
Halal results tied to verification
A key part of the initiative is a stricter verification process for merchants using halal-related identifiers on the platform.
Davao-based merchants must have NCMF endorsement before they can be tagged as halal on GrabFood. When users search for “halal,” the results are intended to show merchants vetted by halal certification bodies, while the universal Philippine Halal logo will appear on the merchant icon as an additional visual identifier.
Muslim-owned merchants can also choose to display a “Muslim-owned” tag following NCMF endorsement, helping distinguish business ownership from halal certification while improving their visibility in relevant searches.
Grab is also reviewing inaccurate or unsupported uses of the word “halal” in restaurant names to reduce potential confusion and improve the credibility of search results.
Building confidence into food discovery
“Our vision is to build an inclusive platform that empowers consumers to make food choices with absolute confidence,” said RJ Cabaluna, vice president for cities at Grab Philippines.
“That means going beyond basic food delivery and equipping our app with the right filters and verification systems needed by the Muslim community.”
The changes aim to address a practical problem for Muslim consumers and travelers: finding food that aligns with their dietary requirements without relying solely on merchant descriptions or incomplete search terms.
Broader support for the local halal ecosystem
The partnership also opens the door to future collaboration beyond search and tagging.
Potential initiatives under the MOU include halal merchant education, consumer-awareness campaigns, and capacity-building sessions. These efforts are intended to support both consumers and merchants while strengthening the broader halal food ecosystem in Davao City.
“This partnership goes beyond just an app feature; it is about respecting traditions and building a community where Muslim Filipinos and travelers can order food without worry or hesitation,” said Arch. Sherrila Porza-Sawah, regional director of NCMF Region XI.
“By working directly with a platform like Grab, we are reducing the barriers to discovering certified halal food and ensuring that our Muslim merchants and consumers are supported.”
Starting in Davao City
The initiative currently focuses on Davao City, where Grab and NCMF Region XI are testing how stronger verification, clearer merchant identifiers, and better search tools can improve the food-discovery experience.
If the model proves effective, it could provide a useful framework for making halal food discovery more consistent and credible in other markets with strong Muslim communities and growing demand for verified halal options.