This guy has reached an unparalleled level of obnoxiousness.
The Facebook page of local coffee shop Farron Cafe posted yesterday a screenshot of a message from a man complaining that the cafe has blind and deaf employees.
The cafe said in the caption in a mix of English and Filipino: “This is one of the realities that these people endure. But in Farron Cafe, we believe in their capabilities. Please respect, understand and treat fairly our employees.”
The man who complained, who was only identified as “John,” ranted about the bad service he allegedly experienced.
“So that’s why no one buys from you guys, your employees at SM Valenzuela [mall] are blind and deaf. No one can see that someone’s going to purchase, and even if you say your order, no one can hear. [B]ad bad bad service,” his message to Farron Cafe says in English and Filipino.
He said that he will never buy any products from the cafe again.
“[I] [w]ill also save the trouble for my friends and family to experience the same inconvenience,” he said. “I came there as a customer, not as a donor of some charitable institutions (sic).”
The audacity.
A member of the cafe’s marketing team who wished to be identified simply as Risa told Coconuts Manila through a Facebook message that they posted the message to “share [the] awareness that PWDs (persons with disabilities) can live and work normally, hopefully without being humiliated by anyone.”
She said that it crushed them to receive the discriminating message as most of their stores employ PWDs.
“We don’t really receive these kinds of messages. That’s why it breaks our hearts to find out that there is [that kind of person].”
The cafe said it simply asked the disgruntled customer to understand the situation their employees are in and to not discriminate against them.
This also became a learning moment for the cafe who said they’re now even more encouraged to create opportunities for PWDs.
“This gave us a more meaningful wake-up call to create more opportunities for them (PWDs),” Risa told Coconuts.
Their post had over 1,700 reactions and 580 shares as of this article’s posting. Netizens were angered by the incident.
Leila Saldua said in a mix of English and Filipino: “Tbh, your employees are much more approachable than other establishments. They’re always smiling. [Y]ou shouldn’t have censored the name of the person.”
“Your five senses being complete doesn’t give you the right to be an asshole,” Saldua added.
Charina Rose wrote: “Dear John, I’m deaf but I’ve never begged for alms because I have feet and hands that can do all the things you do.”
“What did you do to order? The deaf and blind have their own respective modes of communication. You should’ve used that if you were humane. Yes, it’s hard to communicate with us, but it’s not hard for us to understand, unlike you.”
Allan Kalan said: “The customer’s 5 senses are complete but he lacks a brain and a heart.”
Others, like Eddeilyn V. Fermo-Salvador, commended the cafe for hiring PWDs. She also named another establishment that hires PWDs.
“I have bought from them at Puregold [supermarket] in San Mateo and I love them. It’s amazing that they can do their work in spite of their condition.”
Eve Dogelio Yasoña said: “Let’s pray and support that more establishments employ our PWDs. They are functioning members of our society. Even those who are differently abled must be given the opportunity to have [a] meaningful and independent way of living.”
Do you know of other places that hire PWDs? Leave a comment below or tweet us @CoconutsManila.
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