PAL, Rotary Honor Honest Employee

Kapwa News
September 6-12, 1997

Philippine Airlines management has honored Armando Obo, the PAL station attendant who found and returned a lost wallet containing $4,400, by rewarding him with a free vacation to any domestic point of his choice plus P10,000 pocket money.

The Rotary Club of Makati, during their last regular meeting, also rewarded Obo with another P10,000 cash incentive for his honest deed.

The PAL management Chairman Lucio Tan, congratulated Obo for his extraordinary display of honesty. PAL President Jose Antonio Garcia, Mr. Manolo E. Aquino, Executive Vice-President for Administration and Services, and Mr. Henry So Uy, Vice-President and Executive assistant of the PAL Chairman, presented him a travel certificate, entitling him and his whole family to a vacation of three days/two nights (free accommodation) to any domestic destination of his choice.

He also received P10,000 as pocket money.

“He has acted as a model worthy of emulation by his fellow workers,” Mr. So Uy said.

Obo found a clutch bag at the baggage carousel of the NAIA last September 2 and immediately turned it over to his superiors. The bag/wallet belonged to Gordon Boyce, a British national, who thanked Obo profusely for returning the wallet intact with its $4,400.

“I never thought of keeping the wallet. Actually, I felt scared when I found out it contained a lot of dollars. It would have weighed heavily on my conscience if I kept it to myself,” Obo said.

The NAIA management as well as airport customs officials commended Obo on the spot.

Starting out as a contractual janitor for PAL in 1978, Obo had been described by his superiors at the Central Baggage Services Office as a conscientious, diligent, humble and unassuming worker.

Even if he only finished first year college, he has been allowed to take on heavier responsibilities such as the role of baggage master during the peak season. He could even operate the computerized baggage locator system after diligent self-study.

Although he was regularized in PAL in 1989, he has not done much traveling. The farthest he has gone with his wife and two daughters is his home town in Virac, Catanduanes.