GMA reporter hits out at rude, bodyshaming rider while reporting on Angkas policy

While doing a report on Angkas' new "weight policy," GMA News reporter Saleema Refran shared on a Facebook post on Friday, that she was repeatedly insulted for her weight by an Angkas rider.

In her post, Saleema narrated that she was simply reporting on Angkas' new  policy which requires passengers to indicate their weight in compliance with government guidelines on motorcycle safety when the rider started to body shame her.

Saleema said that the rider kept calling her "mataba," "overweight," and "obese" and even wanted to use her as an example on why smaller bikes cannot handle bigger passengers.

The driver just kept laughing, said Saleema. Having enough of what the driver was doing, Saleema finally shot back by saying, "Opo, mataba ako pero hindi ako dapat pagtawanan. I have no issue with the policy as it is meant to partner passengers with riders using bigger bikes."

She opened up on her post that she has been struggling with her weight for the longest time, "pero hindi ko nga naman pwede sabihin kay kuya na I lost nearly 50lbs in the last 2 years. Only eating twice even once a day. Limiting my carbs. Going to the gym every week."

She added, "May mga tao talaga kukutyain because they think being fat is a laughing matter."

She shared that for riders who will refuse passengers because of their weight, the least they can do is not insult them.

"Wag nyo naman po pagtawanan. Tao rin po kami.," she said.

Saleema said that the rider, whom she no longer identified in her post, apologized afterwards but she decided not to interview him anymore and proceeded to interview other kinder Angkas riders.

"Di ko na ininterview yung Kuya. Mababait at matitino po yung mga rider na na-interview ko after," she said.

She also had a parting message for riders implementing the policy: "To riders who will refuse passengers because of their weight, wag nyo naman po kutyain or alipustahin. Wag nyo naman po pagtawanan. Tao rin po kami."

In one Brigada episode, Saleema also talked about her experiences about being body shamed with other victims. — MDM/JST, GMA News