Isang garbage collector, nakakita ng pera sa basurahan na nagkakahalaga ng halos P500k

“Be honest – even if others are not, will not, cannot”. This is the doctrine of life that is being embodied by the kind garbage collector in Bulacan who returned the amount of PHP 427,798.00 that he found inside a garbage can. Emmanuel Romano, a sanitation department personnel of the Municipality of Baliwag, Bulacan was simply doing his job as a garbage collector at Barangay Tangos yesterday when he found a plastic bag full of money.

In an interview with GMA News, Romano confessed that he got nervous upon seeing the plastic bag with a large amount of money.

“Kinabahan po ako nu’ng nakita ko po ‘yung pera. Hindi ko po muna dinampot. Tapos po tinabi ko po muna sa isang gilid. ‘Di ko po muna pinakita sa mga kasamahan ko.”

Despite having great financial needs, Romano did not hesitate to return the money to its rightful owner. After his work, he immediately went to the barangay office and with the help of Barangay Captain Joel Miranda and some barangay tanods, Romano found the owner.

The money could have been a great help for Romano’s family. However, he did not hesitate to do what is right.

“‘Di ko po ininteres ‘yung pera na ‘yun na ikakayaman po namin. Kaya po ginawa ko po, sinurrender ko na lang po.”

According to the owner of the money, her husband thought that the plastic bag was just garbage so he threw it away. Out of her gratitude towards Romano, she pledged that they will help with the medication of the honest man’s child.

On the Facebook photos that were shared by a netizen named Gerry Diño, Romano’s honesty was highly appreciated and admired by the personnel of the barangay as well as the owner of the money.

As for Capt. Miranda, he expressed his admiration towards Romano by saying:

“Sana po tayo ay maging matapat, unang-una sa sa sarili natin at siyempre, maging matapat po tayo sa tao. Nakita po natin ‘yung nangyari sa kanya. Sa katapatan po niya napakarami pong biyaya ang darating sa kanya.”