Janitor Praised for Returning Envelope with ‘Significant Amount’ of Dollars

Finding a bag full of money, especially in dollars, can be quite tempting. After all, everyone needs money these days – and money in dollars is something much bigger because even just $100 is already a big amount when converted to pesos: Php5,250.

It is easy to see why there are a number of people who might be tempted to keep the money for themselves. But for Jeffrey Almoguerra, a building attendant working at Terminal 1 arrival lobby at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), finding money might be seen by others as lucky yet he only wants to do what is right.

Photo credit: MIAA / Facebook

For Almoguerra, the money could make his life easier for the next couple of weeks, but he knew it wasn’t his to take and spend.

An employee of Philcare Manpower Services, Almoguerra was just cleaning at the arrival lobby when he found an envelope near the foreign exchange counter at the area. The envelope did not have any markings to identify its owner, yet the janitor was still not tempted to put it in his pocket.

Upon checking the envelope, he found a ‘significant amount’ of dollars inside. He hurried to report the lost and found item to the nearest security guard who accompanied him to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Lost and Found Section.

With the security guard and the building attendant watching, the money was counted and properly documented.

However, the amount was not disclosed yet because this will be used as among the confirmatory information needed for the owner to claim the lost item.

Photo credit: MIAA / Facebook

For his honest deed, Almoguerra will be honored during MIAA’s flag raising ceremony for February. He will be included in the roster of award recipients.

We do this on purpose because we want everyone in the MIAA organization to emulate simple yet noble deeds such as what Mr. Almoguerra exhibited,” said MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal.

I urge all our service contractors to also recognize their employees for their simple achievements and take care of them because they set good examples. We want goodness and honesty to become viral in NAIA.

What a remarkable young man!

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