Honesty is one of the qualities we seek and value in others. No surprises here, but it has always been an integral part of the Igorot's "Inayan" way of life - Igorots are honorable enough to return a lost wallet, even if it doesn't contain a lot of cash.
Take the humble Igorot restaurant helper and his uncle, for example, who turned over a found wallet containing PHP 171,000 to the Kiangan Municipal Police Station on August 30, 2021.
At about 11:50 am on August 29, Ms. Joan H. Habawil found a wallet accidentally left by a customer in her uncle's eatery where she is serving.
She immediately notified her uncle, Mr. Albano B. Tuguinay, who made an effort to get the owner's attention on Facebook and also reported the incident to local authorities.
With the help of social media and the authorities, the wallet was returned to the rightful owner Mr. Dagway Baguilat Kitungan Jr. of Impugong, Tinoc, Ifugao.
The honest citizens were accompanied by their barangay councilor, Hon. Normalita Balawon of Julongan, Kiangan.
Their story was shared on social media where it shortly went viral and garnered praises from countless netizens.
The Kiangan Municipal Police Station wrote:
God bless and More Blessings to Mr.Albano Tuguinay and Ms.Joan Habawil of Julongan Kiangan Ifugao who turned over cash amounting to Php 171,000.00 to Mr.Junior Baguilat Kitungan (owner) of Tinoc, Ifugao at Kiangan MPS Poblacion, Kiangan, Ifugao.
Said cash was found at about 11:50 AM of August 28, 2021, at SJS restaurant at Awa, Julongan, Ifugao. Kudos to the good kindhearted persons who found the money. May your tribe increase Mam/Sir.!
