Have you ever wondered what ride-hailing service drivers think of their passengers? Or if they ever talk about them at all? It turns out a public Facebook group will tell you everything you need to know. A post on X went viral for calling out the disturbing behavior of some drivers who “make fun of their clients” and it’s safe to say Pinoys are now traumatized.

Ride-hailing service drivers

“Apparently, Grab drivers have this public Facebook group where they make fun of their clients. Somehow appalling behavior, given that the names and addresses of the clients are also posted,” said one Pinoy on X.

Since the initial post didn’t name the Facebook group, Pinoys didn’t waste time and immediately launched an investigation. One shared screenshots from the Facebook group Grab Operator and Driver where a driver posted a photo of his passenger who allegedly didn’t pay him enough for the trip.

“Tandaan niyo mukha, ‘pag sumakay sa inyo [sa] North Fairview Puregold. Php 150 bayad niya hanggang NIA road,” wrote the disappointed driver.

Digging into the comments section of the Facebook group, the driver himself clarified that he’s a regular taxi driver and isn’t affiliated with any ride-hailing company. However, this admission didn’t do much to quell the fear of Pinoys, who are now worried their private information might be blasted in public.

Pinoys are worried for their safety

“If proven right, it’s not safe then for us commuters. Imagine having our privacy being posted for fun? Dangerous too having our address being posted,” said one X user.

“Taking photos of clients needs permission. Publishing names and other personal details without consent of the person, etc is against Data Privacy Act of 2012 or RA no. 10173. [Grab] should ensure the company, including its employees, complies with the law,” said another.

Meanwhile, others are demanding accountability from Facebook: “Shouldn’t [Facebook] flag this page? Aware silang violation ng data privacy yan e.”

Grab Philippines assures Pinoys they’re upholding passenger data privacy

our zero tolerance for data and information sharing. Each driver-partner, as part of their onboarding process, commits to abide by these guidelines. Furthermore, we continuously conduct data privacy webinars and online courses via GrabAcademy for our driver-partners. [2]

— Grab Philippines (@grabph) December 20, 2023

While the driver in the screenshot spreading on social media turned out to be a regular taxi driver, Grab Philippines released a short statement on the issue. In a statement, the company assured everyone that they’re committed to keeping both their driver-partners and passengers safe, and this includes taking data privacy seriously:

“In line with our commitment to the safety of both our driver-partners and passengers, Grab strictly upholds data privacy on the platform. Our driver guidelines clearly state the expected decorum around passenger handling, which includes our zero tolerance for data and information sharing. We assure you that we are thoroughly investigating this matter. Any required sanctions will be swiftly implemented as part of our commitment to data security and passenger safety.”

Pinoys call out other ride-hailing services for similar issues

It wasn’t just taxi drivers who were put on blast online, Pinoys also dug up issues with driver-partners from other ride-hailing services including Lalamove, Angkas, and even Shopee.

“Dati member ako ng mga ganyang group. Ang mamanyak. Lalo na ung angkas group. Pag binabasa mo o mga posts, bet na bet nila ung iprepreno bigla ung motor para madikit sa likod nila ung boobs ng babaeng pasahero, pero offend na offend naman pag sinabihang mabaho ang helmet,” said one X user.

“I joined that [Facebook] group kasi I [thought] para siyang group ng mga Angkas na nag-hahabal. Only to find out they talk shit about their clients,” said another traumatized passenger.

Another shared their experience about being part of a Facebook group where express delivery drivers complain about their customers on a public Facebook group.

“Minsan sinasadya nila na tagalan yung mga deliveries kasi nagdodouble booking sila. Tapos ‘pag nagalit ka kasi gusto mo madeliver agad, ipopost ka nila sa group,” said another Pinoy.

What are your thoughts about these drivers making fun of their clients via public forums? Share them in the comments section!

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