Bantayan worker’s honesty recognized

The municipal government of Bantayan on May 28, 2021, gives recognition to one of its employees, Rowena Panique, for returning to the rightful owner an envelope containing P1 million in cash that was left in the municipal hall’s comfort room. | Photo from Municipality of Bantayan

CEBU CITY, Philippines — An employee of the local government of Bantayan town in northern Cebu was recognized for her honesty in returning an envelope containing P1 million cash to its rightful owner.

Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi on May 28 gave recognition to Rowena Panique, an employee of the municipality’s human resource department, for handing back an envelope she found in the municipal hall’s comfort room (CR) to its owner.

According to the local government’s social media post, the envelope contained P1 million in cash to be spent for materials for a construction project.

“Human makit-i ni Panique ang envelope, iya kining gidala sa iyang opisina aron hiposon. Gipahibawo usab ni Panique ang iyang kaupod sa trabaho mahitungod sa iyang nakit-an,” the post said.

(After Panique found the envelope, she carried it to her office. Panique also notified her colleagues about her discovery.)

The owner of the envelope returned to the municipal hall’s CR a few minutes later, and wherein Panique also asked her if the former left something behind there.

“Ang babaye mitubag, ‘usa ka brown envelope nga may unod nga papeles’. Matud ni Panique, wa gayud siya motuo nga papeles ang sulod sa brown envelope tungod kay sigurado gayud siya nga kwarta ang unod niini. Sa wa madugay, mitug-an ang babaye nga kwarta gayud ang sulod sa iyang envelope,” the post added.

(The woman replied ‘it’s a brown envelope containing papers’. But Panique did not believe it at first since she was sure it contained money. Not for long, the woman admitted the envelope indeed had money in it.)

Panique then did not hesitate to hand back the envelope she found to its owner, who requested to keep her identity anonymous for security reasons.

“Gumikan sa maong insidente, dako kaayo nga dungog sa lungsod sa Bantayan nga ang usa ka empleyado sa Munisipyo mipakita sa iyang pagkamatinud-anon. Nagpasalamat si Mayor Despi  sa maayong ehemplo nga gihatag ni Panique,” the municipality said.

(The incident brought honor to the municipality of Bantayan as it just shows the honesty of one of its municipal workers. Mayor Despi expressed gratitude to Panique for setting a good example.)

Bantayan is a first-class town located 140 kilometers northwest of Cebu City, and is among the three municipalities that comprise Bantayan Island.

/dbs

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