PLUS-SIZE COMMUTERS NOT OBLIGED TO PAY EXTRA FARE

‘Plus size’ commuters not obliged to pay extra fare

Instead of treating her as a victim, public service program ‘CIA with BA’ hailed a complainant as a hero in the episode on Sunday, April 7.

In the ‘Payong Kapatid’ segment, Florence sought help and advice about the discrimination she experiences when riding public transportation.

“Minsan, hindi po ako hinihintuan or sinisingil po [ako] ng [pang]-dalawang tao. Minsan po kahit magbayad ng [pang]-dalawang tao, marami pa rin pong sinasabi,” she shared.

“Meron po ba akong karapatan na ‘di magbayad nang mahigit [sa] isa at magreklamo…?” Florence asked.

“Usually [ang] humihingi ng advice ay victim but I want you to know, you’re a hero because ang dami-daming nakaka-experience ng discrimination, not necessarily because of one reason, but just because they’re different without knowing that we’re all different. Kaya nga tayo unique e,” Senator Alan Peter Cayetano told her before addressing her issue.

“I just want you to know that you’re a hero because it’s difficult when you’re different or you think you’re different, or other people tutuksuhin ka for being different and may mga typecast of what a wonderful person is,” he added.

“One thing that we will do immediately is to inform the transportation secretary [na], ‘You know there’s this problem,’” Kuya Alan said. “They have to find a way to communicate sa lahat ng public transport na kung may discrimination na nangyayari and how to deal with it.”

He explained that here in the Philippines, there is no general law on discrimination.

“Unlike, for example, violance against women and their children — may general law about that… In this case kasi, per situation. And then while generally public transportation is a franchise or certificate of public convenience, meaning ‘yan ay privilege, hindi ‘yan karapatan, so ‘pag binigay ‘yan, may mga kasama usually ‘yan na general guidelines of how you take care of your passenger,” he said.

Kuya Alan stressed that one “shouldn’t have to pay extra.”

“Our lawyers were saying na sometimes ‘pag may kasama siya or elderly or malaki, sila na nag-o-offer, let’s say sa FX, para hindi na tignan ng driver. But they cannot demand and they cannot even tease you about it,” he added.

For her part, Pia Cayetano reiterated: “We just have to bring it to the attention of the agencies na if it’s not a safety issue, then they should make it clear na kailangan naman talaga.”

“But the most important thing is you should never feel discriminated,” she told Florence.

‘CIA with BA’ carries on the legacy of Senator Rene Cayetano, the late father of the sibling senators. The senior Cayetano was a renowned lawyer who gained fame through his radio and TV program 'Compañero y Compañera,' which aired from 1997 to 2001.

Hosted by Alan, Pia, and Boy, ‘CIA with BA’ airs every Sunday, 11:00 p.m. on GMA7, with replays on GTV the following Saturday, 10:30 p.m.