EXCLUSIVE: The Story Behind Renier Bona And His Viral Grab-Uber-LTFRB Post

Two days ago, in the heat of public discussion about the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s actions against ride-sharing networks Grab and Uber, a young netizen named Renier Louie Benesa Bona decides to share his thoughts on the issue. His Facebook post which he posted on July 18 at 3:55 p.m. is based on his personal experience with public transport in Manila. It has gone viral since then – shared over 10,000 times, with over 42,000 reactions and over 6,000 comments.

Pilipinas Popcorn got in touch with Renier Bona through Facebook and here is an exclusive story behind his viral post.

A Different “Flavor” To A Popular Argument

Renier is currently taking some subjects at the University of the Philippines, and he used to work for a non-government organization that advocates for access to health care. He experiences riding public transport first-hand especially when he commutes to UP Diliman. He himself is a rider of Grab and Uber, except during peak or rush hours. This is when he goes back to riding jeepneys and buses just because they are cheaper.

He first thought of this post after a fellow jeepney passenger accidentally sat on his lap. He was on the jeep from Katipunan to UP when some students from Ateneo got on the jeep. And because there were no more seats left, one of them decided to sit on his lap.

His hilarious way of describing what transpired after that seems to have captured the attention of netizens. He says: ” Nagulat ako. Nagulat ang kanyang mga kaibigan. Nagulat ang jeep. Nagulat ang Katipunan Avenue. Nagulat ang Diyos.” He then goes on describing the amusing moments after the passenger realized the mistake.

In his parting shot, he pushes his point that the state of the public transport system is not good for people like him who fall for the charms of those who accidentally sit on their laps.

Renier Bona And His Stand On The Issue

In all seriousness, Renier also thinks that the post going viral also means that its message has been sent across and has reached many people. He also believes that it reflects the public’s frustration on the public transport system, which is why many people support ride sharing services such as Grab and Uber. These services presented better options to the public when in comes to going around the metropolis.

Renier Bona says he is happy that his post went viral. Although it took him by surprise, he still embraced the fact that total strangers were reacting to it and were engaging him in a discussion. He said, “I’d assert that the post is beyond me. It is about the frustration of the public in our failing transportation system. That story is not just mine. It is also theirs. I think that’s the reason the post went viral.”