SINGAPORE—A Filipino volleyball player was awarded a special token by the Ministry of Education Singapore for his honesty after he returned valuable items he found inside the rest room at the Republic Polytechnic here.
Kenneth Culabat, a member of Philippines boys’ volleyball team, found a wallet and Samsung S6 cellular phone inside the restroom situated near the volleyball court where they were scheduled to play a pivotal match against the host country Singapore.
Culabat immediately secured the valuables and gave it to his coach for the proper turnover to the officials of the organizing committee as Culabat’s team were busy preparing for the match.
It turned out that the wallet and the cellular phone is owned by a Singapore volleyball player.
Culabat’s act was greatly appreciated by the officials from the Ministry of Education Singapore, especially by the Divisional Director Student Curriculum Chen Kee Tan.
“Great character,” Tan said.
Tan also expressed her appreciation toward Philippine Sports Commissioner Charles Raymond A. Maxey for the great character and honesty Culabat has shown.
Culabat, 18, a Grade 12 student at St. Benilde International School in Calamba City, said he had to return it back to its rightful owner the moment he saw those valuable items left inside the comfort room.
But Culabat made sure that he and rest of his teammates were not distracted from their main focus, which was to win the match.
The Culabat-led Team Philippines whipped the host country Singapore in four sets, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-19.
Philippines Chef-De-Mission Rizalino Jose Rosales, in an interview, said Filipino students have imbibed the value of honesty.
“We are just showing the character that we, Filipinos have,” Rosales said.
“Sarap lang sa feeling. Nasuklian ang ginawa ko,” said Culabat as he received the Nila mascot as token of gratitude from the Singaporean player.
Maxey, for his part, said Culabat’s kind act makes him even prouder to be a Filipino.