A 10-year old daughter of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) made her parents proud because of her honesty. Arabella Marcelino, who was at a supermarket in Manila with her father, noticed an angpao (red envelope) on the floor while she was looking for candies.
The girl picked it up, and told his father, “Papa, may pera.” His father, Almar, said the envelope was thick and he knew it had a huge amount of cash in it.
His role in returning the cash is undoubtedly crucial at this point. To instill a sense of righteousness in his daughter, he instructed her to report it to the customer service of the mall.
There, they saw an old woman, frantic and crying over her lost angpao bearing P10,000 cash.
“Diyos ko, nangangatog ako. Pangbayad ko ng amilyar ‘yan na bigay ng anak kong isa,” Lola Carmelita Zafra, the owner, told a local TV station.
Lola Zafra was all smiles and felt relieved when she got her money back, saying: “Magulang ang naghuhubog sa anak. Natutuwa din ako sa tatay kasi hindi siya nagka-interest [sa pera].”
As a reward, one of Lola Zafra’s children handed P500 to Arabella.
When asked why she returned the money, the OFW kid said: “Kasi po baka kailangan niya po ‘yun. Si papa po ang nagsabi kasi mahalaga po ibalik ang pera kasi hindi naman ‘iyon samin.”
She also advised children her age, as well as other people, to be honest when they encounter the same thing.
His father said that he and his OFW wife couldn’t be more proud of their daughter: “Tuwang-tuwa ‘yung mama niya. Proud na proud kami sa kaniya. Alam ko naman kasing ano siya, honest.”
The early years of a child are deemed to form a crucial stage; this is the time when their personality and traits are crystallized. And the role of the family is undoubtedly essential at this stage to lead them to the right path.
Photo: Shot grab from ABS CBN News
