A porter and a security guard at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have joined the list of “honest employees” who returned money and belongings left behind by airline passengers inside the airport.
Fifty-two-year-old Victor Perez, an airport porter, was commended by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) for his honesty in returning $10,000 that he found on the floor at the east bridge of NAIA Terminal 1 on April 13.
Honest airport workers hailed
MIAA General Manager Eric Ines has expressed appreciation to the porter who has been working in NAIA for 32 years, taking different jobs, and for the past 10 years he has been working as a porter/pushcart retriever under a porterage concessionaire in NAIA.
Reports said that Perez was walking in the area to collect used pushcarts when he noticed something on the pavement.
Upon checking it, he discovered a bundle of US dollar bills held together by a bank money binder.
Perez immediately turned over the currency to the lost and found office, believing that the owner was surely looking for it.
A joint inventory yielded 100 pieces of one-hundred-dollar bills, approximately amounting to P565,735.00 at prevailing exchange rate.
At "around 2:15 p.m. of the same day, a Korean national who arrived via Asiana flight that morning, came to claim the money which according to him fell out of his pocket while going down the ramp leading to the arrival extension area," the MIAA said in a statement.
Review of CCTV footage confirmed the identity of the Korean as the rightful owner of the money.
Meanwhile, a security guard identified as Albert Bautista of Lanting Security Services also turned over a bag, which contained a laptop, smartphone and a gold necklace, he found at Bay 7 of the Terminal 3 arrival area while on patrol on April 14.
Bautista surrendered his find to the Terminal 3 lost and found office and was later claimed on Tuesday morning by the owner.
"Hats off to Messrs Victor Perez and Albert Bautista for their honesty. Both should be emulated by everyone in NAIA. Let the culture of honesty thrive in the midst of endless temptations around us," Ines said.
The airport chief has ordered the awarding of commendation to Perez and Bautista in MIAA's May flag raising ceremony.
Airport authorities conducted an inventory of 10 thousand US dollar bills that were discovered by a porter at the NAIA arrival extension area on April 13, 2024.
Honest airport workers hailed
Photo Courtesy: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Facebook Page
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #honesty #airportworkers #miaa