These kids became very popular and were rewarded for their unquestionable integrity. As highlighted on the Besao Mt. Province Police Station FB page, these six kids all patiently carried uphill and surrendered a sack of feeds to the police station when they found it along the road. It was suspected to have fallen from a truck without the driver noticing so. The FB page mentioned that the kids even removed their slippers to be able to carry on to the higher altitude where the police station is. They are kids from Padangaan village in the Besao, Mountain Province.
This very good deed reminds me of more amazing honesty and integrity stories.
Years ago when I started getting interested with traveling, I learned about an honesty store in Batanes. Apparently, it was very popular that I realized I have been stucking my head under the ground. When we went to Batanes and witnessed the store myself, it was indeed an honesty store. Nobody was managing or monitoring the store. All items have prices and buyers can just take what they want then drop their payment in a box. It was an amazing and humbling setup. That was when I started looking at travel blogs and noted that other places try to mimic the honesty store.
That was years ago which got off my head especially with the pandemic that trapped many people from traveling. Until one rainy day when I went to a department store...
By the entrance of the department store was a big screen with numbered hooks and corresponding tags. Some hooks have umbrellas hanging. I noticed a few people hanging their umbrellas and getting the tags in exchange, on their own. Okay, so you leave your umbrella and get the tag. Then you come back and retrieve your umbrella using the tag. There was no one guarding the hooks so they are applying honesty system. I can't help wondering how effective it is but that is very cool! I definitely cling on to the positive impact of the system.
Few days later, I went to another department store and noted the same honesty system. This time, they have a stand for umbrellas though there was no numbering system. I wondered and wished that everyone leaving their umbrellas will remember their own even if there are identical ones.
Few more days later, I came upon an honesty store in a certain office. I was waiting in queue when I looked around and spotted a table in a corner with box of goodies, bottled water and a note that declares its honesty system.
The office is in a bit remote area with no visible stores nearby so the officers must have thought of the in-house honesty store. It was mid-afternoon and having that store was very good idea that time as I badly needed a break from almost a day of running from one office to another.
I picked in my mind which of the biscuits to get and looked for eight pesos from my pocket. Unfortunately, the coins were not enough and my smallest bill is P50. I thought of checking if the payment box has enough to change my bill but I was so conscious of making a wrong impression. Unless I give up I had no other choice but to bug one of the officers to change my bill. And guess what? She had enough to convert my bill into all coins. 😁
Isn't this honesty system amazing to be incorporated in your workplace? With the more and more honesty system being adapted in different establishments, I strongly believe the good can be spread out and seen anywhere; at home, in the office, along the road, anywhere.
Integrity does not cost a thing to be exercised but can cost everything if ignored. Wonder how great the world would be if everyone keeps it in mind at work and in everything we do?