This policeman from Cavite simply asked for a photo with his idol Manny Pacquiao, but got the surprise of his life when the boxing icon-turned-senator gifted him with cash.
Police corporal Carlo Romero, a member of the Cavite Provincial Police Office’s Operations and Management Unit, was assigned to an event last November 27 where Pacquiao gave out cash, medicine and groceries to indigent residents in Dasmariñas City.
After the gift-giving program was over, he took the opportunity to approach Pacquiao because he also wanted to have a souvenir photo with him.
But to his shock, Pacman gave the remaining cash to him after the picture-taking!
A very grateful Romero decided to pay it forward and share his blessings.
On Saturday, November 28, Romero wrote about this experience in an open letter to Pacquiao on his Facebook account.
“Sir Manny Pacquiao, ako nga po pala yung Pulis na nagpakuha ng picture sa inyo kahapon sa Dasmariñas, Cavite. 
(November 27, 2020). Nagulat po ako dahil pagkatapos natin magpakuha ng picture ay inabot nyo sa akin ang natirang pera sa mga ipinamamahagi ninyo at nung bilangin ko ito ay mas lalo akong nagulat. 
“
In return for the surprise gift, Romero spent the same amount to buy relief goods for distribution. A photo of the relief goods he also shared along with the post.
“Ang nais ko lang po talaga ay magpakuha ng picture kasama kayo, hindi ko po inaasahan na ibibigay nyo ang ganun halaga sa akin. Kaya eto po, bilang pasasalamat po sa inyo ay ibinili na rin po namin ang halagang inyong ibinigay ng mga bigas, de lata, kape at noodles upang maipamahagi po sa mga mahihirap nating kababayan. Alam ko po mas marami pa po ang lubos na nangangailangan nito kesa po sa amin.”
He is also hoping to meet his idol someday again. “Maraming Salamat po sa inyo. Sana po mabasa nyo itong post ko at sana rin po ma-meet ko pa ulit kayo. God Bless sir! Salute!”
On Sunday, in separate messages to The STAR’s Latestchika.com, Romero revealed that Pacman gave him P8,000 cash — already a large amount for him, he added — so he used it to buy items for relief packs.
“Yung relief po nandito pa sa bahay, hindi pa namin mai-distribute kasi maulan po dito sa Cavite ngayon. Ang ginagawa ko po kasi, meron ako laging nakaready na packs sa sasakyan tapos kung may madaanan po ako na sa tingin ko ay nangangailangan habang ako ay nasa byahe papasok at pauwi,” he said.
Latestchika.com learned that this policeman has already been going out of his way to offer these packs to the people in need he meets while traveling to and from police work, as seen in a couple of old videos on his personal YouTube account.
When asked why he chose to post about some of these encounters, Romero explained, “Gusto ko rin po ipakita sa lahat na hindi po lahat ng pulis ay masasama mam. Karamihan po kasi ng lumalabas sa news tungkol sa pulis. Siguro isa na rin po itong way para makatulong sa PNP na para maibalik ang tiwala mamamayan sa amin.”
Romero also said he has been inspired by the random acts of kindness he reads on social media. But never did he imagine that he’d be a recipient himself through Pacman’s surprise gift.
“Mahilig po kasi ako mag-browse sa mga socmed kapag may free time. Nai-inspire ako sa mga napapanood ko na mga tumutulong. Kung sila kaya nila why not ako na simpleng tao lang.
“At lalo na po nung dumating ang pandemic, maraming naapektuhan, pero kami po nasa hanay ng kapulisan, blessed po kami kasi hindi kami nawalan ng hanapbuhay. Ito po siguro yung paraan ko para makapag paabot ng pasasalamat sa mga biyayang natatanggap po,” Romero said.
His Facebook post has since received nearly 3K reactions as of writing.
