Airport cabbie returns $3,000 left in car to OFW

An airport cabbie has returned $3,000 that was left behind in his taxi by an overseas Filipino worker on Monday, the Department of Transportation has said.

Virgilio Legaspi, who arrived from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, took Gilbert Punzalan's yellow taxi at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 to go to a bus station in Sampaloc, Manila.

When he checked his belongings, he had noticed that his cash was missing. He took a cab and went back to the airport, hoping he could get his money back.

As for Punzalan, found the envelope containing $3,000 beside the hand brake of his car.

He then informed his employers about the incident and rushed to the airport to give back the money.

The OFW expressed gratitude to the honest taxi driver for returning his money.

"Ako po ay nagpapasalamat kay Bro. Honest siya talaga kaya bilib po ako talaga sa kanya. Talagang improved na," Legazpi said.

"Pera lang 'yan madaling kitain. Ang tiwala mawawala sa inyo kung sakaling pag interesan ninyo ang mga bagay na hindi sa inyo. Sana tularan niyo si Bro sa ginawa niya," he added.

Meanwhile, Punzalan, an accredited airport taxi driver for six years, has a piece of advice for his fellow cabbies who may be put in the same situation.

“Alam ko pong pinaghirapan ni sir 'yang perang 'yan. Mahirap pong gastusin ang perang hindi mo pinaghirapan. Mas importante po ang trabaho namin,” Punzalan said.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal lauded the honesty of the taxi driver.

“Ako ay nagagalak sa katapatan ni Mr. Gilbert Punzalan. Sana manatili siyang tapat sa kanyang trabaho at maging tunay na ehemplo ng kabutihan sa mga kapwa niya transport drivers," Monreal said.

"Ang mga maliliit na kabayanihang tulad ng kanyang ginawa ay malaking tulong sa ating efforts na mapaganda ang imahe ng NAIA sa mundo," he added. —Anna Felicia Bajo/NB, GMA News