Angono, Rizal – In a rare situation and at a very tempting moment, one would probably take the opportunity of pocketing a huge amount of money if found within his reach. Well perhaps, but not for this young man from a small town in Rizal province – Angono.
John ‘Eric’ Tolentino Medina was on his way home after providing a home service massage to a friend (as part of his extra income to support his family). While waiting for a passenger jeepney bound for Angono, he walked a block further to a place where less passengers are waiting. Until he reached San Martin Subd., in Brgy. San Isidro, Angono, Rizal where a jeepney stopped in front of him to unload one lady passenger.
And so Eric boarded on that trip and took the seat vacated by the lady passenger. Upon seating, he noticed something bulky underneath, and surprised to see a wallet with a white bulky enveloped inside. He was even more astonished to see what’s inside – a huge amount of peso bills which he assumed to be more or less a hundred thousand pesos – cash!
Without any hesitation, and while the jeepney is still not gone far from the last stop, he politely ask the driver to pull-over for him to go back and look for the lady passenger who could be the owner of that envelope. All the passengers on that jeepney were so amazed to see and watched as Eric ran back to look for the lady, and found her shaking and crying on the last stop.
With his both hands holding the envelope, Eric gently asked the lady if she owns the wallet with that envelope left at the jeepney. And with a tearful eyes and shaking voice, the lady immediately hugged Eric , embraced him so tight and even gave him a motherly kiss while repeatedly saying “Maraming Salamat, Maraming Salamat po” (Thank you, thank you very much!)
And after that incredible display of honesty and incorruptibility, the lady offered some cash but Eric politely refused to accept it. She introduced herself as Ms. Cecille from Cainta, Rizal. She had that money to be delivered as part of payment for a lot her family bought recently in Angono. Overwhelmed with Eric’s sincerity and trustworthiness, Ms. Cecille eagerly invited Eric to have a dinner sometime with her family and as thanskgiving as well.
With so much gratitude and inspiration, Eric posted this extra-ordinary experience on his Facebook. “Being a God-fearing Christian and a devotee, I just did what I feel is the moral thing to do that time.” Eric said. “Temptation to these kind of situations that rarely happened to anybody can be avoided if God is always in the center of our heart” he added upon the interview with ADN (Angono Dream News Online).
Eric is a freelance visual artist from Brgy. San Roque, Angono, Rizal. He is a cartoonist, an excellent freehand artist and have done dozens of portraits and human figures. During his spare time, he works in a small gym in Angono as an instructor, and accepts home massage services as an additional income to support his family.
Eric’s works can be viewed thru his FB account @ https://www.facebook.com/johneric.villaluz
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MANDA ICASIANO
June 13, 2014
Angono, Rizal
Manila Time
Angono Dream News Online! 