Despite struggling to make ends meet, 23-year-old pedicab driver Aljon Torres of Mangaldan, Pangasinan did not think twice about returning a wallet containing P10,000 to its owner, a student who said the money was meant for tuition.

“Masarap sa pakiramdam na nakatulong ako,” Torres said.

Torres, a father of three from Barangay Nibaliw, earns about P300 a day from driving a pedicab, barely enough for his wife to stretch for their family’s daily needs.

He said the money could have bought sacks of rice, milk for his children, and food for weeks, but he could not bear the thought of someone else suffering because of the loss.

“Mahirap din po kung kukunin ko, kailangan din niya ‘yun. Sa totoo lang, marami na mabibili ‘yun pero hindi ko ‘yun pera,” he said.

On Monday, during the Mangaldan local government’s flag-raising ceremony, Torres was honored for his honesty.

“Congrats sa kasama natin. Sana pamarisan siya ng iba pa,” Gerry Ydia, Mangaldan POSO Chief, said.

The LGU also gave Torres and his family a cash gift and grocery items as a token of appreciation.

Local officials hope his example will inspire others to act with the same integrity.