Cabbie returns $10T to Japanese tourist

Empowered by a corporate principle that "an honest driver is an asset that would lure tourists to keep coming back to Cebu," a 50-year-old taxicab driver returned a wallet that contained about US$10,000 that was left by a Japanese national.

The driver, in a TV Patrol Visayas exclusive report, was identified as Toribio Malicay, resident of Banawa and a father of six.

According to the report, Malicay, who drives a Spider taxi, picked up three Japanese tourists at the Waterfront Hotel in Mactan at about 10:30 p.m. last July 15. His passengers went on sightseeing and bar hopping in Cebu until they went back to the hotel at about 3 o'clock dawn of July 16.

Clueless of a developing incident that would give him his shining moment, Malicay immediately left the hotel and went on to pick another passenger who asked him to be taken to Hilton Hotel.

On their way, Malicay noticed a wallet at the back seat so he kept it and went on ferrying his passenger at that moment to his destination.

"Pagkakita nako sa pitaka, akong giablihan ug nakugang ko kay daghan kaayo ug sulod," Malicay told The Freeman in a telephone interview last night.

He then rushed back to Waterfront Hotel where the Japanese national disembarked.

He admitted it was the first time that a big amount of money was left inside the taxi he is driving.

"Kadaghanan mga butang ug cellphone pero amo gayud nga ipang-uli kay mao man gyud ang order sa among management, dili sad ko gusto nga pakan-on akong mga anak sa kwarta sa hangin," Malicay said.

Upon arrival there, he saw one of his Japanese passengers at the lobby looking very worried. Malicay then confirmed the man's identity as the one in the identification card he found along with the dollars in the wallet.

Malicay then immediately went inside, approached the Japanese and gave him the wallet. The dollars were later counted in front of hotel manager Antonieto Laresma. After learning that everything was still intact, the owner, whom the hotel management identified only as Kin, reportedly embraced Malicay and thanked him wholeheartedly.

Malicay did not say whether Kin rewarded him with cash but he admitted that the Japanese got his contact details and treated him to a sumptuous meal later on.

Kin, who was said to be in his 20s, had already left for Japan last Monday together with his friends.

Spider Taxi operator Quito Obeso, in an interview with ABS-CBN, said it has been the policy of the company to return anything that is left behind by passengers and lauded Malicay for a job well done.

Obeso, who also operates Airland Taxis, said he is very happy with Malicay's noble act because it has added positive points to their company so that passengers would continue hiring their services knowing that drivers are honest and can be trusted.



Obeso also said that they need to do their job with all honesty so as not to turn off tourists from coming back, this way they could contribute something good to the tourism industry aside from the fact that they will always have passengers that means stable income. - Ryan P. Borinaga and Jose P. Sollano