Aklan security guard praised for coming to the aid of student in need

A security guard in Aklan has gone viral for coming to the aid of a student who had no money to buy food.

According to Oscar Oida’s “24 Oras” report Friday, criminology student John Boy Saldivia ran over 1 km to the remittance center in New Washington to get money sent by a friend.

Saldivia said tricycles were even asking him to take a ride but he didn’t have fare money.

When he got there, however, the remittance center was already closed and the security guard was packing up.

“Sabi ko, paano ’yan, wala na ’kong makain mamaya,” the student recalled telling the guard on duty.

He asked the guard if he could still get the money even if the shop was already closed. The guard, however, told him it wasn’t possible.

Exhausted, Saldivia sat on the ground nearby, wondering what to do next. Later, he was surprised by the guard, who handed him a PHP100 bill.

“Sabi niya, ‘kunin mo ’to. Baka wala kang makain. Pambili mo na lang ng bigas.’ Hindi ko naman in-expect, ’yung expression niya is concerned na concerned siya,” said Saldivia.

“Sabi nya sa ’kin, mag-aral ka ng mabuti. Pagtapos mo, balik mo na lang sa ’kin.”

The student later shared online his encounter with the guard named Mariel Bolivar, which soon went viral.

“Kahit di kami magkakilala, tinulungan niya ako,” said Saldivia. “Sana ipagpatuloy niya ’yung ginawa niya sa ’kin, gawin din niya sa iba at maging inspirasyon siya sa mga kagaya ko.”

Bolivar, meanwhile, still couldn’t believe he had become popular in his hometown.

“Sikat na daw ako,” he said, laughing, adding that people had been waving at him whenever he passed by and asking to take photos with him.

Bolivar said he helped Saldivia because he had been through the same experience.

His wish for the student: “Mag-aral po siya ng mabuti, at saka tumulong din siya kung meron siya.” – RC, GMA News