Naglabas ng pahayag ang isang Cebu restaurant kung saan naganap ang isang insidente na kinasangkutan ng isa nilang wait staff o waiter at ang LGBT+ personality na si Jude Bacalso.
Sa Facebook nitong Lunes, inilahad ng Ulli's Streets of Asia na, "deeply concerned" sila sa nangyari noong Linggo sa loob ng kanilang establisimyento .
"We have sat down with the server involved and the rest of the team to console and brief them following the altercation," sabi ng Ulli's, na tinitiyak sa kanilang mga kliyente na, "they are educating our people and people their welfare of utmost priority."
Humingi rin ng paumanhin ang Ulli's sa kanilang mga kliyente at tiniyak na ang kanilang "concerns are well noted."
"Ulli's Streets of Asia respects and celebrates people from all walks of life, including our LGBTQIA+ community. Discrimination has no place in our restaurant," sabi ng restaurant, na matatagpuan sa loob ng isang mall.
Pagkaraan ng ilang sandali, naglabas ng isa pang pahayag ang Ulli's na nagsasabing suportado nila ang kanilang mga tauhan at maging ang staff na sangkot sa insidente.
"We aim to provide a safe and respectful environment for both our guests and our people. We are taking steps to better handle these situations moving forward," sabi ng Ulli's.
Nag-ugat ang kontrobersiya sa isang post sa social media na makikita sa larawan ang LGBT+ personality na si Jude Bacalso na diumano'y pinagagalitan ang isang wait staff ng Ulli's, at pinatayo ng dalawang oras.
Hindi umano nagustuhan ni Bacalso na tinawag siyang "sir," ng waiter.
Ipinaliwanag ni Bacalso sa GMA News Online sa telepono nitong Martes na tinanong niya ang waiter kung gusto nitong maupo at magpahinga. "He shook his head and remained standing," sabi ni Bacalso. "I didn't say 'stay there.' I also didn't demand."
Binibigyan lang umano niya "gender sensitivity information" ang staff nang sandaling kunan sila ng larawan ng netizen.
Nag-post si Bacalso sa Facebook nitong Lunes para ipaliwanag ang kaniyang panig.
Humingi siya ng paumanhin "to the rest of the staff who are disheartened by the way things have escalated, as well as to the customers present at that time."
"This is a huge chunk of humble pie that I must ingest, because I have erred," dagdag niya. "May we start here with, as the supervisor pointed out, an uphill path to reconciliation." --FRJ, GMA Integrated News
