By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
Last December, blogger Mike Garcia posted on Multiply an entry about a retired janitor from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
People then re-posted the story in their own blogs, while some forwarded it to various mailing lists.
This story eventually got the attention of the Filipino cyberspace community, in particular the university’s alumni.
Meliton Zamora or “Mang Mel” has been the university’s janitor for four decades. But after he retired, he was informed that he would only get about 90 centavos as retirement pay for 171 days.
He also revealed that he has been guarantor for several UP student loans.
UP students apply for loans at the Student Loan Board of the University to pay tuition fees. But to get that, they would need a UP employee as guarantor. The guarantor pays for the loans if the students fail to do so.
Filipino blogger Garcia was among the students who benefited from Mang Mel’s kindness. Last December, Garcia visited Mang Mel’s house near UP Diliman and was surprised to find the sad plight of the retired janitor.
Garcia learned that some students were not able to pay their loans, which Mang Mel was guarantor. Thus those debts were deducted from his retirement pay.
Garcia eventually called on other students who failed to pay their loan to help Mang Mel. This call later turned into a concert, where proceeds were given to Mang Mel.
“Hindi naman ako nagsisi na tumulong ako noon, basta sa akin ang mahalaga makatulong ako sa mga estudyante [I do not regret that I've helped students by being guarantor. What's important is that I've helped them],” said Mang Mel with glimmer of hope in his eyes. credits, a bulk of also affected his retirement pay.
But the story doesn’t end there. Mang Mel said there are discrepancies in the computation of his leave.
In this video, Mang Mel recounts his predicament:
12 Feedbacks on "The kindness of ‘Mang Mel’"
danny ho
COME ON GUYS,ALL OF YOU WHO MANG MEL CO- SIGN YOUR LOAN,HAVE THE HEART TO REPAY HIS KINDNESS.HE’S ONE IN A MILLION ..MORE POWER TO YOU MANG MEL………………….
Moski
A true heart of a Filipino. We need people like this in our government. Helping without the thought of getting something back. Politicians here in the Philippines even put their names on Projects which tax payers paid. I pray Mang Mel get what he deserves. Mabuhay ka Mang Mel. Ikaw yung mga tipo ng taong dapat tuluran ng mga bagong henerasyon.
McRhon Banderlipe I
I remember Mang Mel as a very jovial, talented and remarkable person who never failed to cheer me up every time I see him in AS. He is truly a person with a big heart for everyone.
I hope his story would appeal to a number of students who haven’t paid their loans yet. He doesn’t deserve this kind of retirement. Truly, his financial condition right now is a trade-off for his selflessness.
Sana naman mahiya po tayo. Utang niyo sa kanya kung ano man ang estadong kinalalagyan niyo ngayon.
Magkikita pa uli tayo Mang Mel!
Tom
Hoy, kayong tinulongan ni Mang Mel, mahiyahiya naman kayo. The least you can do to this man with a Golden Heart is to repay the amount he guaranteed plus interest. Do you realize that you would not have attained whatever your position you are in now without the charity of this man? It is payback time. No excuses. Just pay. Period.
emil
sana naman yong mga natulongan ni mang mel noon sila nangailamgan at d nag atubili si mang mel na tulongan sila kahit d sila kilala.now ang time na suklian nyo ang mga bagay na ginawa nya para sa inyo.ngayong sya .ang nangailangan.More power to you mang mel
emil
habang pinanood ko ang video d ko mapigilan na maluha sa awa o sa tuwa ng mayroon na tao na tumulong sa kanya.at doon sa taong tumulong sa kanya marami pang biyaya na darating sa mga tulad na katulad mo.sanay ikaw ang maging daan para kay mang mel upang matamasa nya ang nararapat na para sa kanya.more power to you sa tumulong kay mang mel at god bless you
Anne A.
I am reposting this article to my facebook account. I hope My friends who know some of their friends who used to study in UP will read it. I want to pass the message to others about Mang Mel’s plight. I hope in this way, I could reach out to some people who used to ask Mang Mel’s help. Good luck! Mang Mel, konting tiis. Hindi palalampasin ng Diyos ang kabutihan na naipakita niyo. May kapalit din po iyan.
Snow
Kind man…I have written a blog about him to spread the word!
Snow
here’s the link:
http://dearbloggery.com/2009/02/05/the-curious-case-of-mang-meliton-zamora/
Ivan
Ivan here, an Escolarian (CEU-Mendiola), but reading the article and watching the video made me realize that those students who have not paid their loans didn’t learn what they are suppose to. They may have graduated already, but still, they dont deserve the degree they are holding now for they don’t know how to be grateful to the persons who helped them.
My tita always tells me: “Iba ang utang, iba ang hingi”
Conscience guys, conscience.
willy sarmiento
to the recipients of mang mel’s kindness,
you are very lucky to have been given such a rare kindness ng taong hindi nyo man kaano-ano. I’m sure most of you are now hotshots in the corporate world or big businessmen or even politicians. please do something for Mang Mel and his family. everything comes around guys. there is no such thing as free lunch, remember.
from doha, qatar ofw’s
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