By Ariel Fernandez
A Turkish traveler who inadvertently left his sling bag in the male restroom of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) got it back in less than two hours, his cash – in euro currency -- and valuables intact.
(MIAA / MANILA BULLETIN)
Sixto O. Brillante, Jr., airport cleaner of Manila Allied Management Service Cooperative, assigned at the male restroom near the immigration area was mopping the floor at about noon Saturday when a passenger informed him about a black sling bag that was left behind by a passenger.
Brillante, Jr. immediately coordinated with his partner assigned at the female restroom to locate the owner through the paging system. The black sling bag with its contents were subsequently turned over to the Lost and Found Section of the Intelligence and Investigation Division of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).
Inventory showed that the bag contained €7,300.00 (approximately P430,000) placed in two white envelopes, a wallet, and an iPad.
The bag was released to the owner, an arriving Turkish passenger after a verification process.
“Mr. Brillante could have easily kept the bag and favorably benefitted from what's inside it, but he chose to surrender it. I admire him for his integrity. Hearing stories like this makes us Filipinos proud," said MIAA GM Ed Monreal.
The airport chief encourages airport workers to always practice the virtue of honesty in any situation that may call for it. "Doing good should never be an option. It must be a way of life for all of us.