By RUFFIE NYHL CRUZ |

As informal workers struggle to survive the adverse economic effects of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), a tricycle driver in San Marcelino, Zambales returned P25,000 to a Korean national who accidentally left his wallet inside his cab.

Romy Jimenez, 61, said that he will never covet someone else’s money even in the midst of a crisis.

“Alam ko kung gaano kahirap kumita ng pera. Hindi ko pag-iinteresan ang pinaghirapan ng iba (I know how hard it is to earn money. I will never desire something others have worked hard for),” Jimenez added.

According to statements pieced together by Headline Zambales, Jimenez went to buy some lunch in the town market at about 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, when a Korean carrying bags of grocery flagged him in front of a pharmacy and offered to hire him for “private service” to Barangay Linasin.

Knowing there was enough time before lunch, Jimenez took the offer.

But upon reaching home later in the day, Jimenez found a wallet inside his cab.

“Hindi po siya sigurado noong una kung sino ang may-ari ng wallet (At first, he was not sure who owned the wallet),” Jimenez’s daughter Jyrlin told Headline Zambales. “Kaya dinala na lang po niya sa police station habang naghihintay kung sino ang magke-claim (That’s why he decided to surrender it to the police station while waiting for someone to claim it),” she added.

Aside from P25,000 in cash, the wallet also contained a bank passbook, identification cards, and some grocery receipts. Soon enough, the Korean national arrived to claim it.

Jyrlin said the owner must be a member of a Christian group in Barangay Linasin because of a religious book he was holding when he came to claim his lost wallet.

As a sign of gratitude, the foreigner gave Jimenez P500.

“Hindi naman po ako naghihintay ng kapalit, pero salamat (I was not expecting anything in return, but thank you),” Jimenez related.

“Malaking tulong po ito ngayong lockdown at mahirap makabiyahe (This is a big help at this time of lockdown, when I can’t have regular trips),” he added.

The Luzon-wide ECQ was extended from April 14 to April 30. President Rodrigo Duterte said he may extend it further if the number of positive Covid-19 cases in the country continued to rise.

A private group called “Project Ronin” also heard about Jimenez’s honesty and pledged to provide a week’s worth of grocery for his family.

“We need to acknowledge the good in people. We need honesty, compassion, and action especially during this time,” Project Ronin member, Jessie Domingo, told Headline Zambales.

“We will meet Jyrlin on Monday (April 20) to hand over our thank you gifts,” he said.