The body shaming incident that occurred in Bacolod City involving a conductor of a modern jeepney has reached Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez. In this incident, the conductor charged a double fare to the student Laniemae Joy Mag-aro due to her body size, which caused embarrassment and trauma to the student. As a result, the mayor summoned the involved parties to the Bacolod City government center on September 21, 2023.
Reportedly, the operator and the conductor apologized to Mayor Benitez and expressed their desire to appease the victim. The operator also promised to provide proper orientation to their drivers and operators on how to behave and interact with passengers and the public. The conductor, on the other hand, explained that he was only making a joke with the victim. Mayor Benitez called on everyone to be vigilant about their behavior and to avoid hurting the feelings of others.
As for Laniemae Joy Mag-aro, she still can’t believe what happened to her and feels fear whenever she boards a jeepney, worried that a similar body shaming incident might occur again. She expressed her gratitude to those who showed concern and support during her difficult experience. Her siblings and neighbors have also promised to protect her safety.
In a public apology statement, RSJ Lines Inc stated, “Internally we have reached out to the aggrieved individual privately and have taken measures to address the situation comprehensively, including a thorough investigation and the implementation of appropriate disciplinary action for our employee.”
The conductor has apologized to Mag-aro for his actions and pledged not to repeat them.
Before making jokes, let us consider the potential consequences, especially when our humor may come across as insulting and hurtful to others, especially to those we encounter for the first time and do not personally know. Source