MANILA PHILIPPINES – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a statement following the incident of body shaming by a jeepney driver.
In Joysh Gutierrez’s Facebook post, she did not think that she would be embarrassed by riding a jeep because of her body.
He said the driver let him down because “fat people are not allowed in his jeep.”
The LTFRB issued the statement after a female passenger was forced off a jeepney by the driver due to her physical size in Parañaque City.
The agency condemns any form of shaming on public transport passengers, saying its doors are always open to complaints.
“The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) condemns any form of shaming on public transport passengers, saying its doors are always open to complaints“ said the LTFRB in a statement.
It reminded all drivers and operators that they must know not to choose who to serve and cannot force an onboard passenger who got off the vehicle because of body size or physical appearance.
The agency also asserted that PUV drivers are not allowed to double or triple the fare depending on the passengers’ physical condition.
“The LTFRB said operators and drivers should be aware not to choose who to serve and could not force an onboard passenger to get out of the vehicle due to body size or physical appearance,” the agency added.
The passenger also contacted the LTFRB on Monday who filed a police report against the driver for unjustified frustration and was assisted by the agency’s legal department.