The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Friday urged passengers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to report drivers and conductors who charge double fare to overweight passengers.

"There must be no discrimination in public utility vehicles," LTFRB spokesperson Atty. Ariel Inton told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Inton was responding to a case reported by this writer, in which an obese person with disability (PWD) was forced to get off a jeepney after the driver attempted to charge double fare, claiming the passenger was “too fat” and would occupy the space of two riders.

Humiliated, the PWD exited the vehicle.

"Kahit gaanon kataba pasahero ang pamasahe niya ay pang isang pasahero. Ang pagsingil ng double ay isang uri ng overcharging. Ang pagtangi sa pasahero sa dahilan ng kanyang itsura ay diskriminasyon (No matter how heavy a passenger is, their fare is for one person. Charging double is a form of overcharging. Refusing a passenger because of their appearance is discrimination)," Inton explained.

He encouraged passengers who experience similar incidents to “record or document” the encounter and file a complaint.

"LTFRB will penalize those who are found discriminating passengers on the basis of looks, race or size," Inton said.