Pelayo: Gilbert Makabanti’s honesty

IF YOU happen to see a wallet unattended for so long in a particular location, would you care to check on it? I’ve seen YouTube videos of pranks where a wallet is intentionally left along the sidewalk while the prankster is waiting for people who would fall for the trap. Some would look for the owner while others would kick it until they think the coast is clear and get the money.

Last August 15, Gilbert Makabanti of Barangay Sapang Bato, Angeles City had been tested. He found a pouch containing cash amounting to more than a hundred thousand pesos, an expensive iPhone 6, jewelries, and other important cards and documents inside SM Clark.

Instead of considering this find as a blessing from above, he made an effort to find the rightful owner. He needed the money but it’s not his. Who does not need cash? Everyone has to pay something – for hospitalization, for education, for medicines, for electric and water bills, for payment of debts, etc. Despite all of these, Makabanti was able to resist temptation.

A father of two, perhaps Gilbert wanted to show and teach his children to know the value of things and not the price. Educate them to be happy instead of being rich. I’d like to share some inspiring messages I got from my friend Dean David who got it from Rocheflume Flores and Lorelee De Jesus. The posting tells that as we grow older, and hence wiser, we slowly realize that wearing a thousand-peso watch or a hundred-peso watch would still tell the same time… that true inner happiness does not come from the material things on this world.

Maybe Mr. Makabanti prefers to be a good father than a hundred thousand-peso richer man. His daughter, who is a student at University of the Philippines, could not be more proud of her dad. Gilbert is a tricycle driver but he is contented with his blessings. He is able to support the schooling of his two children, the other one (son) is enrolled at Systems Plus College. Gilbert is a reminder to us that there are more valuables in this world other than money.

In last Monday’s flag ceremony, Angeles City Mayor Ed Pamintuan lauded the man for his honesty and goodwill.

I hope his story will go viral. We need more inspiring stories like this.

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