By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
MARITES PEREZ GALAM, 33, head waitress at Imperial Herbal Restaurant in Singapore, found “gold” in a rest room, fought the temptation to keep it, and helped return it to its owner.
The owner, an Indonesian mother who was accompanying her deaf son to Singapore for a surgery, couldn’t thank her enough.
In a long-distance phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Galam said this was how it happened:
At about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, during her second shift, she stepped out of her work area to go to the common rest room of the VivoCity shopping mall. In the cubicle she used, she saw the raggedy gold wallet on top of the tissue box.
“Pero di mo talaga pag-iinteresan kasi lumang-luma na, naagnas na, at sira na. Flat din sya (You won’t really take any interest in it because it was very old, worn to shreds, and scruffy. It was also flat),” she said.
When she inspected the wallet, it contained S$16,600 (P485,085) wrapped in a white sheet of paper. Even then, she wasn’t blinded by the money.
“Hindi kasi akin (It wasn’t mine),” she told the Chinese Singaporean mall manager to whom she surrendered her find.
An hour and a half later, the owner of the money, accompanied by her son and the mall manager, came to her and hugged her.
While Galam couldn’t completely understand what the Indonesian mother was saying, she could feel the gratitude in her tears and her embrace.
"I think she tried to say thank you and God bless you," she said in Filipino.
Philippine Ambassador to the city-state Belen Fule-Anota later met with Galam and commended her for the deed.
The envoy said Galam is a model for the thousands of Filipinos who work and live in Singapore: hardworking, self-sacrificing, and honest.
Her story also saw its way to a Chinese magazine in Singapore.
Galam’s husband, who is also in Singapore, is still trying to find work. The Galam couple, originally of Nueva Vizcaya province, left their four children -- ages ranging from 4 to 15 years old -- October last year to earn more money so that they would lead a decent life.
With her deed, she already showed them how.
(1 Singapore Dollar = 30.31778 Philippine Peso)
Editor's note: Photo of Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Fule-Anota praising Marites Perez Galam courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore
MARITES PEREZ GALAM, 33, head waitress at Imperial Herbal Restaurant in Singapore, found “gold” in a rest room, fought the temptation to keep it, and helped return it to its owner.
The owner, an Indonesian mother who was accompanying her deaf son to Singapore for a surgery, couldn’t thank her enough.
In a long-distance phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Galam said this was how it happened:
At about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, during her second shift, she stepped out of her work area to go to the common rest room of the VivoCity shopping mall. In the cubicle she used, she saw the raggedy gold wallet on top of the tissue box.
“Pero di mo talaga pag-iinteresan kasi lumang-luma na, naagnas na, at sira na. Flat din sya (You won’t really take any interest in it because it was very old, worn to shreds, and scruffy. It was also flat),” she said.
When she inspected the wallet, it contained S$16,600 (P485,085) wrapped in a white sheet of paper. Even then, she wasn’t blinded by the money.
“Hindi kasi akin (It wasn’t mine),” she told the Chinese Singaporean mall manager to whom she surrendered her find.
An hour and a half later, the owner of the money, accompanied by her son and the mall manager, came to her and hugged her.
While Galam couldn’t completely understand what the Indonesian mother was saying, she could feel the gratitude in her tears and her embrace.
"I think she tried to say thank you and God bless you," she said in Filipino.
Philippine Ambassador to the city-state Belen Fule-Anota later met with Galam and commended her for the deed.
The envoy said Galam is a model for the thousands of Filipinos who work and live in Singapore: hardworking, self-sacrificing, and honest.
Her story also saw its way to a Chinese magazine in Singapore.
Galam’s husband, who is also in Singapore, is still trying to find work. The Galam couple, originally of Nueva Vizcaya province, left their four children -- ages ranging from 4 to 15 years old -- October last year to earn more money so that they would lead a decent life.
With her deed, she already showed them how.
(1 Singapore Dollar = 30.31778 Philippine Peso)
Editor's note: Photo of Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Fule-Anota praising Marites Perez Galam courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Singapore
yan ang tunay na Pinoy! Saludo ako sa iyo!
you're one in a million...yan ang pinoy!
There is no substitute for honesty and no amount of money can buy it. I salute you Kabayan!!!
Its very rare to see like Mrs Galam nowadays. But the nature of being a filipino sometimes will prevail to the extreme situation of temptation. Im very proud of her,thank you Mrs. Galam for your exemplary deeds. You are a true hero among the filipino people. God Bless You!!!!
greetings from KZ
mabuhay po kayo kabayan! hoping that this incident will bring more reward and success to you bcoz you have a good heart.. di kayang bayaran kahit pa ng jo malone(jokes) ang ginawa ninyo.
mabuhay po tayong mga ofws.
best regards to you and your family!
God bless!
Si Mrs. Galam ay isa lamang sa ating mga OFWs na dapat ipagmalaki at ipagkapuri ng sambayanang Pilipino at di tulad ng paglalait na ginawa ng isang aroganteng at matapobreng kolumnista na pati amoy ng sarili niyang kababayan ay ikinahihiya. Samantalang nagbigay karangalan si Mrs. Galam sa ating bansa, ano ang ibinigay ng kolumnista kungdi hiyain ang ating mga OFWs na pati kanilang mga pamilya ay isinasakripisyo para lang kumita ng dolyar na ang nakikinabang ay ang bansa. Mabuhay si Mrs. Marites Perez Galam!
I want to meet her! I'm also in Singapore right now but this is the first time I heard about this news. Wow! Galing! Hopefully lahat ng pinoy dito Singapore are in the likes of Mrs. Galam. Hats off to you!
Madam more blessings will come to you tandaan mo iyan coz GOD will take care of you dahil gumawa ka ng bagay na hindi makakalimutan ng buong mundo. GOD BLESS YOU MANANG.....
sana tulad din nya ang mga politiko natin! kaso malabo...
Nobody saw you found a large amount of case inside a toilet cubicle and without a second thought turned it in! You are indeed a very honest person, one of a rare kind, may your tribe increase!
ang sarap sabihing pinoy din ako,pag me mga pilipinong gaya mo....isa ka sa may pinakamagandang huwaran ng ating bansa,sana gayahin ka ng mas nakararami, God bless you and your family
I am so thankful to you Mrs. Galam of your honesty. I live now in Norway and i`m still practicing honesty because i work alone in the house with so much money around me. They trusted me a lot.Hoping that all filipinos will be like even we are in need.God bless you and your family.
We Filipinos are all proud of you!!!This really shows that there are still many people that are honest inspite of all the hardship in their life. Tayong mga magulang ay nakikipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa para mabigyan ng magandang kinabukasan na ating mga anak. At ito ay sa isang mabuting paraan ng pamumuhay at pagpapahalaga sa ating karangalan. MABUHAY ANG MGA FILIPINO !
Found a lady's purse which contained $1,627.00 years ago and returned it to rightful owner, a money she saved for a trip to Israel.
If it's not yours, return it, no matter how small or big, the only right thing to do.
Kudos to Mrs Galam and Karma reciprocates in myserious ways, what goes around, comes around. Cheers!
sa mga taong may ginintuan puso at bukal sa loob na makatulong.... endangered species na kayo....iilan na lang kayo ...
godspeed and mabuhay
cheers
your being honest, reflects what your parents instill to you and your good upbringing.
may your noble gesture inspired others to do the same.....mabuhay po kayo!
Mabuhay ka Mrs. Marites Perez Galam. Sana marami sa ating mga Pulitiko ang katulad mo at pati na rin kapwa natin mga filipino. Maraming salamat sa iyong ginawa at pagpalain ka ng Diyos.
GOD BLESS HER,HOPEFULLY THE AMBASSADOR WILL HELP HIS HUSBAND TO FIND A JOB.BE PATIENT PLS.GOD WILL GIVE YOUR DAY TO COME.IM PROUD OF YOU.TAKE CARE.GOOD LUCK.
GOD Bless You! In GOD's perfect time your husband will get a job. In every good deeds a rich blessing waiting to be unearth. Sana you should be presented in the Congress and Senate to be commended and a model. Because every OFW braves the sufferings ecountered in foreign land and serves as the backbone of our economy. Mabuhay Ka! Itaas nating ang dignity of OFW.
Mabuhay ka Marites!!!
Sana ganun ka honest ang karamihan sa government official ano? para hindi na maghihirap ang 'pinas at di na rin tayo aalis ng ating bansa, at malalayo sa ating minamahal na pamilya.
Sino ba kayang official ng goberno ang may ganitong puso gaya ni Marites..???
I am proud to be an OFW. Sana Marites ang pangalan ng Presidente ng Pilipinas.
wow.. God Bless you ate Maritess...
you are not only Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) but an Outstanding Filipino Witness (OFW)..
Im making a copy of your story and post it in our filipino community church dito sa Seoul, Korea....
friend..i'm so proud of you! God bless you!
awww...really nice to hear news like this...slowly we are changing global perceptions of Pinoys for the better.
Marites, you are really one of a kind pinoy that every one has to be... This will change the way we are pursuing the life we should be for the good of all... Like my parents always say to me, "THERE'S ALWAYS A BLESSING IN DOING GOOD DEEDS FOR OTHERS AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOOSE IN DOING THE SAME..." and honesty is one way that you did that will change the life of those who will benefit most...
We are very proud of you...
God Bless you and your family...
Wow... Some people are very honest. I'm not sure you would have many others acting in the same way.
I know I'd find it hard to return the money if that was me and I'd probably go out and buy myself a new compact tractor!
Wow... Some people are very honest. I'm not sure you would have many others acting in the same way.
I would find it hard to return the money as I would spend it on Ugg Boots Sale
While Galam couldn’t completely understand what the Indonesian mother was saying, she could feel the gratitude in her tears and her embrace. "I think she tried to say thank you and God bless you," she said in Filipino
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Her story also saw its way to a Chinese magazine in Singapore. download music for free, iscsi san
A very informative article and lots of really honest and forthright comments made! This certainly got me thinking about this issue, thanks all.
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Because every OFW braves the sufferings ecountered in foreign land and serves as the backbone of our economy. Mabuhay Ka! Itaas nating ang dignity of OFW. Best regards, Katya, CEO of dvdburn
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