As young adults, we are often compelled to spend on things we want more than we need. The next travel promo would always be so appealing, just like the mall-wide sale that just occurred over the weekend. We become so engrossed with the money that we are earning that we often forget to set aside money for the future. There is a term for the millennials pertaining to how you only live once and it becomes the basis for the splurge of money for the youngsters, as if there is no tomorrow.
When there is already the urge to save up, it may be too late. But like what they say, it's better late than never. The only alarming issue now is the presence of people who try to rob the hard-earned money of not just the young adults, but of those who are of ripe age as well. We live in a metropolis where the population is relatively dense and people live for convenience. There have been countless reminders by the Cebu Bankers Club in order to avoid being victims of ATM skimming but some instances could just not be avoided.
Recently, reports surfaced of bank clients being victims of this modus. They lost their money, their savings, and what could have been a couple of grocery bags for the family. CCTV footage around the area of the machine showed all of us that they are foreigners. The National Bureau of Investigation pinpointed them as Romanians who had all the paraphernalia to commit such crime. When they were detained they raised their middle fingers to people who wanted their comment as if trying to show anger.
Funny, how they have the urge to feel such ire when they are in another country and siphoning locals of their money. We treat tourists and visitors in our place as our own family, yet with this recent case it feels like we are being stabbed in the back by those whom we treated well. Where does the line blur between being alert and being hospitable?
Despite the efforts of the authorities in apprehending the suspects of the ATM skimming crime, there is now a cloud of fear among people who want to keep their money safe in the bank. Back in school we were taught that keeping money in our own homes in safety boxes is a form of hoarding, instead of keeping it in a bank where it can be used to fuel the country's economy. Banks are supposed to be trusted institutions to take care of our finances while we toil. In the light of recent events, every move one should make in terms with finances must be very sure.
We are not certain if these foreign individuals will stop taking money from the Filipinos but we can always keep watch and prove to them that we are smart enough to catch them. On the other hand, we can always be vigilant as well.