His wife recently gave birth to their baby; thus, one bread vendor woke up extra early to bring his goods around the town in Sibulan, Negros Oriental in central Philippines. But he was among the many who were caught for driving with no driver’s license.

Because he didn’t have a license, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG) impounded his motorcycle.

Photo credit: DYWC RMN DGTE (DYWC Dumaguete) / Facebook

With just Php200 in sales and still a lot of bread in his modified motorcycle, 48-year-old Ruel Leong could not help but cry as he tried to plead for consideration from the HPG. But the cops wanted to set an example to everyone by upholding the law. This led to a heated debate over law and compassion on local social media pages.

With no means to sell his bread because the motorcycle was impounded, Manong Ruel could only cry as he watched the HPG wheel his ride away.

Photo credit: DYWC RMN DGTE (DYWC Dumaguete) / Facebook

Local radio station DYWC RMN DGTE (DYWC Dumaguete) shared photos of Manong Ruel, encouraging people to buy his bread. The goods were brought to PNP Sibulan – and many people arrived to help the old man!

And while many helped, there were also those who debated over whether it was right for the cops to take his motorcycle. After all, this could lead to loss of income for the next days, probably even months!

Considering how high the penalties are for violations like not wearing a helmet and not having a driver’s license, Manong Ruel didn’t have the means to get his motorcycle back. Moreover, he needs to have a driver’s license before he could get the motorcycle.

Enter Jhae Calma, a member of Charity Riders from Mindanao. The group heard of Manong Ruel’s plight and expressed willingness to help. Not only will they shoulder the fees that the old vendor needs to pay in the violations he committed, they will also help him get a license!

Photo credit: DYWC RMN DGTE (DYWC Dumaguete) / Facebook

As netizen Jeffrey T Marabolas put it:

Two great points:

A police enforcing a law without exemption.

Hope in humanity restored thru those who offered help.

What is Compassion?

Compassion is the feeling of sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

It is so sad that a lot of Filipinos lack discipline and don’t really care about the environment. This leads to canals and streets getting clogged up by various garbage that were carelessly thrown away. Of course, many of the garbage eventually find their way to the rivers and seas, making the beaches dirty and the seas polluted.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

Recently, a foreigner was spotted cleaning up a popular boulevard in Southern Philippines, leading many people to express their admiration at his actions and sadness that many Filipinos don’t care about cleaning up our own country.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

Jovi Mira shared pictures taken at the boulevard of Dipolog City. According to Mira, he saw the foreigner cleaning up the beach. With his shirt and footwear off, the foreigner whom Mira identified as Simo Aaltonen from Finland wore shorts to best clean up the beach and reach the dirty parts kissed by the seawater.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

Based on the trash piles Aaltonen placed on the boulevard’s seawall, it was clear that the beach was dirty with varied garbage. There are plenty of plastic bags, water and softdrinks plastic bottles, glass bottles, and even slippers, shoes, and a shoulder bag!

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

The foreigner did not mind getting wet and dirty on that beach, because he cared enough for the environment to clean it up.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

He doesn’t even have to do this, technically, as he is a visitor to this country and this is not his trash! Yet he shows everyone that it is important for us to care about the environment because this is our planet – and we have nowhere to go to if it gets filled entirely of trash.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

In his early morning cleanup, the foreigner was able to gather several sacks of trash. This earned him much praise from netizens who wished that everyone would do their share to help save the environment and keep our planet clean.

Photo credit: Jovi Mira / Facebook

What is a Boulevard?

A boulevard is a type of road that is wide and is often lined with trees. This is also a type of road that is often seen in coastal areas where people can take a stroll while enjoying the beach.

They were supposed to have a better life after her husband went to Qatar to work as foreman, but their family was broken when the guy found a new woman and had a child with her; this left the wife to find various odd jobs, including working as construction worker!

Left with no choice, Rowena Reyes went to Raffy Tulfo in Action to seek help against her overseas Filipino worker (OFW) husband, Rommel Reyes.

Photo credit: Raffy Tulfo in Action / YouTube

Accompanied by her only child, Shane who is still 13 years old, Rowena told Tulfo about the hardships they faced after her husband went to Qatar. Instead of having a better life, they experienced a bitter one because Rommel claimed he was nabbed for selling drinks.

He also claims he’s a TNT in Qatar; thus, he is unable to send money to his family. Taking pity on her husband, Rowena found lots of odd jobs and even became a laborer, a construction worker! Shane would also be absent from school from time to time so she could help her mother when she is hired as laundrywoman.

Photo credit: Raffy Tulfo in Action / YouTube

There were times when Rowena and Shane would share just a piece of lumpia for lunch, so they have money to go to church and pray for Rommel’s safety. But it turned out he’s not sending support because he already has a new family – and even has a child whose birth certificate bears his name!

With this hard evidence against her husband, Rowena went to Tulfo for help. But Rommel said she should be ashamed of herself; Tulfo disagreed, telling the OFW that Rowena becoming a construction worker is not something she should be ashamed of – it’s something he should be ashamed of, because his wife had to do this due to his actions.

Photo credit: Raffy Tulfo in Action / YouTube

“Yung mukha mo singtigas ng semento, singkapal ng bakal,” Tulfo told him.

Rowena is determined to file a case. Tulfo also offered the mother and daughter capital for their sari-sari store so Shane no longer has to be absent from school.

Here’s their story:

What’s a Laborer in Construction?

The laborer or simply ‘labor’ is the lowest-ranking worker at the construction site. His job is to provide support for the carpenters and masons, such as carrying and transporting sacks of cement, sand, and gravel.