The online community praised two sisters after they decided to help a jeepney driver, who accidentally scratched their parked van at a gasoline station in Pampanga.
“Minsan hindi mo kailangang maging tama, kailangan mo lang talagang umunawa. The fact that he stayed there, hindi niya tinakbuhan, meaning na mabait po talaga siyang tao,” owner Kamille Joy Bansil Alvarez said.
Karla Espino Bansil witnessed the unforeseen incident on July 18, 2023.
“Nagla-live selling ako, naka-park ‘yung car sa harap ng boutique. Then may narinig talaga akong may bumangga, napa-end live ako. Pagkatingin ko po sa labas, nakita ko ‘yung van na po ‘yung nasagi ni tatay. ‘Yung katabi po kasi ng boutique namin is gasoline station. Parang si tatay is magpapa-gas doon,” Karla told The Philippine STAR.
Upon seeing the situation, Karla admitted that she was shocked and scared since she is just the caretaker of Kamille’s van.
“Sabi niya po, ‘pasensya na kayo hindi ko napansin.’ Bumaba si Tatay sa jeep, hirap na hirap na siya. Hinihingal siya. Imbis na mainis ka, talagang awa talaga ‘yung naramdaman ko,” she recalled.
Karla’s husband immediately called a car expert to check the damage to the van.
“Ang sabi is 3,000 pesos ‘yung halaga ng damage. Sabi ni tatay, “sige hintayin ko lang ‘yung operator ko, siya ‘yung magbabayad.” ‘Yung operator ‘yung nagbayad tapos ikakaltas sa sahod niya daw,” Karla revealed.
Due to time difference, Karla did not receive any reply from her younger sister, Kamille, who is currently based in Canada.
“Kasi pinahabilin lang sa’min ‘yung sasakyan, so wala akong power na mag-[decide]. Sabi ko, tanungin ko muna ‘yung kapatid ko, pero nagbayad pa rin po ‘yung operator that day din,” she said.
Kamille said that when she learned about the incident, her initial reaction was to help the jeepney driver instead.
“Pinasa sa akin ni ate ‘yung video ni tatay na naglalakad siya. Doon talaga ako naiyak. ‘Ibalik niyo ‘yung pera,’ ganoon po ‘yung reaction ko. Sabi ko, the first [thing] you need to do in the morning is look for tatay. Paano kung ‘di siya nakatulog? Paano kung may binubuhay siya? Sabi ko, sasakyan lang ‘yan. Materyal na bagay lang ‘yan,” Kamille recalled.
“After mong ibalik ‘yung money, mag-grocery ka. Bilhan mo siya ng bigas tapos isama mo kapag binalik mo ‘yung money. Para in a way, ma-feel good si tatay,” she added.
Karla then bought grocery items for Tatay Victor and prepared the money for him.
“Siguro ‘yung hugot ko doon, kasi tricycle driver po before ‘yung tatay namin, labandera po ‘yung nanay ko, bago pa sila napunta ng US. So sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan din namin,” Kamille said
“Naaalala din namin ‘yung core memory sa tatay namin laging nahuhuli ng LTO. which is umiiyak kami during our grade school, Akala namin makukulong siya lagi. Alam po namin ‘yung pakiramdam na minsan makikita mo ‘yung magulang mo na hindi nakakatulog sa problema,” she added.
Kamille also had a chance to meet Tatay Victor via video call upon knowing the driver’s health condition.
“Sabi niya, ‘yun lang daw po talaga ‘yung pinaka-income nilang family. Two weeks prior to that po pala is na-hospital siya. Nagkaroon po siya ng tubig sa baga. Nagpapasalamat lang siya. Tapos sabi ko, may pa-grocery pa diyan. Magbibigay po kami ng konting cash.‘Yung reaction niya, nabigla siya. Nangingilid na ‘yung luha niya,” Kamille noted.
Kamille hopes that their experience will open the minds of netizens to keep helping other people especially during hard times.
“Kahit isang tao lang ‘yung matulungan mo. Makakatulong ka pa rin, kahit small act lanng. It doesn’t matter kahit magkano lang ‘yan or kahit small amount lang. Basta tumulong ka malaking bagay na po ‘yon,” she stressed.
