Honest pupil returns P20,000

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya  ,Philippines – An 11-year-old grade six pupil from a remote central Isabela town earned accolades from townsfolk and her school for returning a lost bag with more than P20,000 in cash earlier this week.

According to San Guillermo town police chief Senior Inspector Charlemagne Tabije, the honest pupil, April Joy Marayag, of the town’s public elementary school, is set to receive a commendation from the municipal government for such honesty. 

Tabije said that April Joy’s display of exemplary honesty came when she, along with some classmates, chanced upon the precious item, while already on her way home along the road near the town’s public market Wednesday afternoon. 

When they opened the bag, reports said, they found out that it contained money worth P20,775 in cash and other valuable items, which were later learned to belong to one Maribel de la Cruz, 33, of Echague town. 

Instead of keeping or partaking of the money, April Joy asked her classmates to just return the item to the town’s police office.  

According to Tabije, the bag’s owner was thankful that her money bag had been returned that she went to find out who had returned it and gave her a reward as a sign of gratitude.