Lingayen vice mayor lauds honest city employee

FOR Lingayen Vice Mayor Edith Hallare, every good deed has to be commended for others to follow.

The Pangasinan city official in Monday’s flag raising program lauded a City Hall employee who returned her purse containing some P17,000 and several important identification cards.

Two weeks ago, Hallare, who owns a house in Phil-Am barangay was about to pay several city dues at the City Treasurer’s Office when she lost her purse.

She was already panicking asking around in City Hall for her purse containing her hard-earned money intended to pay taxes but to no avail. Several hours passed with her thinking the wallet will never be returned.

She was about to report the incident to the police in the afternoon when she received a text message from Michael Lopez, an employee of the City Environment Parks Management Office (Cepmo), who found the wallet.

“Ma’am, we found your wallet. Please claim it here in Cepmo,” the text message said.

Upon meeting Lopez at the Cepmo, the lady vice-mayor was so thankful and promised friendship with the employee whom she claimed have reflected a trait to be cherished and treasured for life.

Hallare commended Lopez for his honest deed as well as Cepmo chief Cordelia Lacsamana whom she said is able to lead her employees well.

Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas said the honest deed of Lopez should be emulated by City Hall employees as it reflects the honest character of the people of Baguio.

He said many city employees in the past have also returned valuable belongings to residents transacting business in City Hall.

Earlier this year, an honest taxi driver was also commended at City Hall for returning more than P300,000 in foreign currencies to a Filipino-Canadian who left the money inside his cab.

In Monday’s City Council session, Councilors Philian Weygan-Allan and Fred Bagbagen also commended Lopez for his deeds exemplifying Baguio as a Character City where residents remain honest and responsible citizens.