Honest
trike driver returns P12,500
By Gideon C. Corgue
PAGADIAN
CITY, Jan.15 (PIA) – An honest tricycle driver won praise and received an
unexpected reward for returning P12,500 that he found along the road in Gatas
District, this city.
Abelardo Tugahan Jr., 44, a resident of barangay
Alegria said while he was driving his tricycle with body cab no. 0127, he found
a wallet along the road. Tugahan said his unknown passenger convinced him that the
wallet was his, but he did not listen to
him.
Instead of keeping the money,
Abelardo without any delay turned-over the lost and found item to DXPR radio
station in barangay San Jose.
A staff inspected it and found that
the wallet contained P12,500 in cash and an ATM card.
Tugahan
said he returned the wallet because it was not his property.
“Kinasing-kasing
nga giuli nako ang pitaka tungod kay dili man to akoa ug ang Ginoo nakakita sa
tanang mga panghitabo sa palibot nato, (I heartily returned the wallet because it
was not my property, and God sees everything that is happening around us),” Tugahan explained.
“Ang tawo nga
mawad-an ug butang nga mahalon dako gayud ang iyang kaguol. Tungod niini
malipayon ako nakatabang sa akong isigkatawo pinaagi pag-uli sa nawala nga
butang,(A
person who loses something very precious to him would be so sad. With this, I
am happy that I have helped my fellowman by returning the lost item),” Tugahan
added.
The trike driver said that it is important that
we live by the word of God and be honest.
“Kitang
tanan temporaryo lamang ning kalibutan busa magpuyo kita sa pulong sa Ginoo ug ang
pagkamatinud-anon usa ka mahinungdanon nga butang nga atong sundon, (We are
all temporary in this world, thus, we live by the word of God and being honest
is one of the most important things to follow),” he said.
Tugahan said this was not the first time that he returned
valuables left inside his tricycle. He also returned a Cherry Mobile phone
(touch screen) to his lady passenger in barangay San Jose a year ago.
Meanwhile, DXPR station manager Melchor Coronel lauded Tugahan
for turning over the lost-and-found wallet to their station-- RMN DXPR.
Coronel said he was elated by the
virtue shown by the driver.
“I was amazed upon knowing that there are still a few good tricycle
drivers who have the value and principle of returning what is not theirs. Indeed,
this tricycle driver is worthy of
emulation,” Coronel said.
“The value of returning is an exemplary virtue.
Even if he has less in life, he has proven that the spirit of honesty remains
in his heart and mind,” Coronel added.
“May the good deeds of Tugahan serve as a challenge for all tricycle drivers to emulate what he has done,” Coronel concluded .
