Motorcycle ride-sharing company Angkas on Thursday, Aug. 1, morning released a statement following backlash from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and others from the online community for a racy promo message they posted on Twitter for first-time Angkas users.
Angeline Tham, Angkas chief executive officer (CEO), admitted a “misstep” on posting the tweet and apologized. “We are deeply sorry for this, and would like to reassure everyone that we are committed to the safety of our passengers, above all else,” Tham said.
Before it was deleted, the tweet read, “Angkas is like sex. It’s scary the first time pero masarap na ulit-ulitin (but feels good to repeat over and over).” The tweet went viral after the PNP’s reply saying Angkas is scaring its own users and does not promote safety in public transport.
DOTr assistant secretary for communications Goddes Hope Libiran in a message sent to reporters said she has approached Angkas for their tweet’s inappropriate content before it was deleted. “I approached them last night and told them that we think their post is inappropriate. They deleted the post already,” Libiran said.
The company’s CEO emphasized the safety of their service and clarified their playful tweet only meant they can be trusted once tried. “Angkas is a service you can trust once you’ve tried it. If nothing else, our 99.997 percent safety record is a testament to the quality of our service,” Tham said.
She has also apologized to their bikers for casting them in an unfair light. “Our biker-partners have been trained to respect their riders and make them as comfortable as possible. And no tweet can change that fact,” Tham said.
Tham added that while they believe sex should be discussed maturely and openly, it must be treated more desirably. “Sex should never be used to create shame, fear, or disgust, and certainly not used lightly for the sake of some buzz,” she said. — Raymond Carl Dela Cruz (PNA)
