MANILA — Actress Xyriel Manabat said she plans to take action against a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) driver who posted lewd remarks about her online.

In an interview with entertainment journalist MJ Marfori shared on TikTok, Manabat said she was initially unaware of the viral post.

“Hindi kasi ako pala-phone,” Xyriel said, adding she only later realized something was wrong when fellow “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate AZ Martinez repeatedly tried to contact her.

A Facebook post by a user identified as Boss Toyo Mani, which included a photo with the actress and sexualized remarks, has since circulated online despite the account being deleted.

Manabat said the incident directly relates to her advocacy against harassment and the sexualization of women.

“Even before naman ako bumalik sa showbiz, diyan din naman isa sa reason kung ba’t ako umingay, kasi I’m really vocal about protecting women, protecting me against any sexual assault or sexualizing women. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung advocacy ko,” she said.

She stressed that such behavior should not be treated as entertainment.

“Now that I’m seeing this, I’m sure na I’ll do something about it. Hindi dapat nagiging entertainment ‘yan in any form,” she said. “And at the same time, I hope the platform or the app should do something about this because it’s not petty.”

Manabat added that the experience reflects a broader issue faced by many individuals.

“It’s not something na any woman or anyone, not just women should experience on a daily basis,” she said.

“Nagtrabaho ka lang, may nagpa-picture lang sa’yo. You’re just being kind. You’re just being a human. A decent human being—and you’ll get this in return,” she added.

She also emphasized that clothing should not be blamed, noting that she was dressed appropriately and treated the driver with respect.

“Again, it is never about the piece of clothing. Naka-pang-work ako. Maayos ako nakipag-usap. As far as I can remember, ang bait ko pa sa kanya. Nag-tip pa ako kasi nahihiya ako kapag may pinaghihintay akong tao. I hope your mom, family, sister, wife, daughter, makita nila ‘to, makitang ganyan ka na tao.”

Meanwhile, Grab Philippines said it is conducting a full investigation and reiterated its policy against misconduct.

“Rest assured we have invited the driver involved as part of our full investigation and are committed to taking the necessary actions,” the company said.

In a separate statement, the firm apologized to Manabat and described the incident as unacceptable.

“What was reported is deeply concerning and does not reflect the standards we uphold on the platform,” it said.

“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,” Grab added.

The company said the driver-partner has been placed under preventive suspension pending the outcome of the investigation, noting that such behavior is a grave violation and may lead to a ban under its guidelines.

Grab added that while drivers undergo mandatory anti-harassment training, the incident has prompted a review of its policies, including those covering post-trip conduct.

“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,” it said.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to user safety and encouraged passengers to report incidents through its 24/7 Safety Center.

Manabat is among the housemates of Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition 1.0 and currently stars in The Secrets of Hotel 88.