YouTube vlogger “Buknoy Glamurrr,” otherwise known as Andrew Luis Lapid, was perceived to “belittle” tricycle drivers in a viral video clip where he was supposed to motivate his viewers to strive hard in reaching their dreams.
Buknoy in a 26-second clip taken outside his house encouraged his viewers to never stop fulfilling their dreams and warned them that they might end up like a tricycle driver if they fail to do so.
“Pero ang gusto ko talaga sabihin sa inyo is ‘wag na ‘wag kayo sumuko mangarap, ‘wag na ‘wag kayong sumuko na tuparin ‘yung mga pangarap niyo kasi kung hindi kayo magsusumikap sa buhay, walang-wala kayong mararating, tulad nito,” he said and then gestured to a tricycle passing by at that moment.
Buknoy then called the driver and then asked him to say “Hi” to his vlog.
The tricycle driver willingly stopped to make an appearance in the video and then gave a cheerful greeting to the viewers.
“‘Yan kuya, sikat ka na!” Buknoy exclaimed as he shifted the camera back to him with a laugh while the driver sped away.
The clip has so far garnered more than two million views on the microblogging platform.
Keywords such as “Buknoy” and “TRICYCLE DRIVER” also entered the local top trending list on Friday morning, where some Filipinos expressed their anger and disappointment over the vlogger’s remarks towards the workers.
Buknoy clarified his remarks and said that he wasn’t “degrading” anyone but added that people can be “more than that” if they continuously push themselves to reach their dreams.
“Hindi ko naman po sinabi na kahihiyan maging isang tricycle driver. What I mean is that you can be more than that if you keep pushing yourself. I’m not degrading anyone here. Look at the bright side people there’s too much negativity dadagdag pa ba tayo?” he tweeted early Friday morning.
Nevertheless, the vlogger’s remarks and its implication have not been lost in the local online community. Twitter users who have fathers or relatives that work as tricycle drivers aired their comments on the microblogging platform.
“My father is a tricycle driver and for him to say that people like my father doesn’t have a dream in life is so f*cking stupid. I will never be ashamed of having a father like mine because he was able to send me to school (private school in high school) even if the money he makes from driving isn’t enough sometimes,” an online user said.
“So Buknoy, you are so insensitive and cruel. I hope you know that,” he added.
“Hi, Buknoy. Tricycle drivers are victims of circumstances. It’s not that they didn’t dream enough for themselves. It’s coz they dream more for their kids. I‘m a son of a tricycle driver, nakapag-UP. May naabot si Papa sa pagmamaneho – ‘yung mga pangarap ko,” another online user wrote.
A licensed teacher likewise called the vlogger’s attention and told him that his father, a pedicab driver, was able to send him and his brothers to school.
“It was just a dream for him before but through his hard work he was able to achieve it. Soon, my brother will take Engineering. Listen, Buknoy,” he said.
Another Twitter user pointed out that Buknoy should look up to tricycle drivers especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic since they are the ones who ferry frontline workers who continue to provide service to the public.
“Buknoy, what’s wrong with being a tricycle driver? Sa gantong moments you should call him a hero kasi sila naghahatid ng other heroes to protect YOU. YOU BETTER LEARN HOW TO NEVER DEGRADE SOMEONE’S WORK,” she said.
Tricycles were one of the first public transport to be allowed to operate in the first few months of the community quarantine. When public transportation was temporarily suspended, they briefly became the primary transport of essential workers.
They were then relied upon by Filipinos, including residents and employees who needed to access essential services or report to work, because of the minimal health risks since the passenger does not come into contact with anyone else inside.
Automobile magazine TopGear Philippines even published an article noting down reasons why a tricycle could be a “much better” alternative than driving a car to work.
Some of these include the affordable fare and having a “hassle-free means to get to your destination,” among others.