MANILA, Philippines — Actress Xyriel Manabat said she will pursue action against a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) driver who allegedly posted lewd remarks about her on social media following a recent ride.
The issue surfaced after a Facebook user operating under the name “Boss Toyo Mansi” shared a selfie with the actress, accompanied by a caption and subsequent comments that drew backlash from netizens for being inappropriate and sexually suggestive.
In an interview with entertainment reporters MJ Marfori of TV5 and Anna Cerezo of ABS-CBN News, the actress said she was initially unaware of the viral post but immediately expressed intent to act upon seeing it.
“I’m not really on my phone, but now that I’m seeing this, I’m sure I’ll do something about it. Even before I returned to showbiz, this was already one of the reasons I became visible again — I strongly advocate for protecting women, protecting myself against sexual assault, and calling out the sexualization of women. That has always been my advocacy, and this is actually the first time I’ve seen that post,” she said, as translated to English.
Manabat stressed that such incidents should not be normalized or treated as entertainment, and urged platforms to take responsibility.
“I won’t let this pass. This should never become entertainment in any form, and at the same time, I hope the platform or app does something about this because it’s not petty. It’s not something that any woman — or anyone, not just women — should experience on a daily basis,” she said.
She also expressed frustration, pointing out that she had been respectful and kind during the ride.
“I was really shocked because I was just on my way to work. Imagine how difficult it already is to be a woman — you’re simply going to work, someone asks for a photo, you’re being kind and a decent human being, and this is what you get in return,” she said.
Rejecting any implication that her clothing or behavior justified the remarks, the actress added:
“Again, it’s never about the piece of clothing. I was dressed appropriately for work. I spoke properly. As far as I can remember, I was even kind to him. I even gave a tip because I feel shy when I make people wait. So wow. I hope your family — your mother, your sister, or worse, if you have a daughter or a wife — sees this. I hope they see what kind of person you are,” she said.
Manabat reiterated her resolve to take action and continue advocating for victims of harassment.
“I’ll do something about it. I’m sure I will. I’m never afraid to express my passion for protecting women and protecting victims or the voiceless — regardless of gender or age. I’ll be their voice, and I’ll use my platform wisely. There’s nothing to be scared of. This only fuels our reason to be braver and to spread more awareness about this kind of issue,” she said.
Following the backlash, Grab Philippines said it has launched a full investigation and placed the driver under preventive suspension.
In a reply to X (formerly Twitter), the company said they apologized to Manabat and emphasized that the incident violates its policies.
“Grab Philippines extends its sincere apology to Ms. Xyriel Manabat for the unacceptable experience she had with a driver. What was reported is deeply concerning and does not reflect the standards we uphold on the platform. We are already in direct contact with Ms. Manabat, have offered our full support and ensured her concerns were heard. We are also prepared to cooperate fully with relevant authorities,” the company said.
It added that the driver’s actions constitute a serious breach of guidelines and that further safeguards are being reviewed to prevent similar incidents.
“Upon our initial investigation, the driver-partner involved has been placed under preventive suspension. Grab affirms that such behavior constitutes a grave violation and a bannable offense under our Driver Guidelines,” they said.
“While all driver-partners on the Grab platform undergo mandatory safe spaces and anti-harassment training through Grab Academy and accredited partner organizations, we recognize that this incident demands more than a restatement of existing protocols. We are now undertaking a comprehensive review of our driver behavior protocols, including those governing post-trip conduct, and will introduce further safeguards to address any gaps this incident may have exposed,” Grab Philippines added.
