Honesty worth a million at Naia

The Department of Transportation lauded three individuals who turned over cash totaling P1 million that were left behind by passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade commended taxi driver Antonio Infanta, wheelchair attendant Rizalde Ocde, and security guard Alfredo Baldosa Jr., saying “it’s better that your good deeds are recognized [publicly] to show that they bear fruit, that kindness begets only good things.”

In rites held on Thursday, Tugade handed checks to the three men as a token of appreciation.

Infanta, who was born with a cleft lip, will also undergo surgery at Asian Hospital, Tugade said, saying a doctor had heard of the cab driver’s good deed and offered to operate on him for free.

On Jan. 9, Infanta returned a sling bag containing P220,000 in cash to a Cebu-bound passenger who left the bag in his taxi.

Two days later, Ocde turned over another bag containing $11,000 (or about P550,000) which belonged to an Iloilo-bound passenger at the X-ray area of Naia Terminal 3.

On Tuesday, Baldosa returned a pouch containing $5,500 (or about P275,000) at the Terminal 3 taxi bay. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE