Honest NAIA Porter Earns Admiration for Returning $10,000 Found Cash

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – An honest NAIA porter earns praise from the online community after returning a found sum of $10,000.

A 52-year-old porter at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 has earned admiration after returning a found sum of $10,000, equivalent to over P565,000.

Victor Perez, the honest porter, shared that he was not tempted by the money he found because he did not earn it through his own hard work.

“Ibabalik ko talaga sa tagal ko naman dito sa trabaho. Masisira pa ako sa mga pera na yan, saka hindi naman ako nagdalawang isip kasi lahat naman ng napupulot eh binibigay ko sa lost and found,” Perez explained.

“Gusto ko yung pinaghirapan ko na pera hindi yung napulot ko kasi may may-ari nun… Pinaghirapan nya yun,” he added.

Last Saturday afternoon (April 13, 2024), while organizing pushcarts at the arrival extension of NAIA 1, Perez found a bundle of cash. He immediately picked it up and called a passing Korean tourist to act as a witness before taking the money to the airport’s lost and found section.

Later on, a 60-year-old Korean tourist who had just arrived in the country sought assistance from the Airport Police Department. Reviewing the CCTV footage revealed that the money had fallen from the Korean tourist’s pocket.

The tourist was overjoyed and gave a $100 reward, which Perez shared with his coworkers. Perez, who has been working at NAIA for ten years, expressed an understanding of his own financial needs, including supporting his wife who works abroad, their two children’s education, and paying off their home loan.

However, he emphasized that he would not tarnish his name for money alone. “Lahat naman tayo nangnangailangan pero sa tamang paraan na pinaghirapan natin,” he explained.

In another post, an honest taxi driver returns passenger’s lost belongings to radio station

Perez’s colleagues and the entire management of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) admire and commend his honesty. MIAA General Manager Eric Jose Ines expressed admiration for Perez’s integrity. The MIAA management is preparing to honor Perez’s honesty and uprightness.

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