Cristina Bugayong

One of Billy Joel’s songs goes like this… “Honesty is such a lonely word, Everyone is so untrue”. I couldn’t agree more specially these days when you hear about a president who had lied to her countrymen and a scientist who had lied to the world. You’d think that this world has no more hope!
Enter Cristina Bugayong… she isn’t a famous teen star nor an athlete but she’s been reaping praises and rewards left and right back home in the Philippines. For what? For her honesty. That virtue has become so rare that when you hear a story about a poor 12-year old girl returning 300,000 pesos (roughly US$6,000) in cash and checks to its rightful owner, you just have to join in the chorus of praises. She did not keep the money to herself like some people would have done had they been in her shoes. She doesn’t have a master’s degree nor a phD but she absolutely knew the right thing to do. Maybe she can teach a president and a scientist a lesson or two.
She is a role model for the young and I hope she would hold on to her values. I can just imagine our national hero, Jose Rizal, with a big smile on his face thinking… may pag-asa tayo sa kabataan natin.