A POST on Threads recently went viral after a local government worker shared a touching story of a teenager who borrowed P200 to start a small business and returned the same day with bags of kamote to repay the amount.
In the post, the GSO (General Services Office) staffer, one @fuschia_lilac, narrated how a young man, described as thin, shy, and wearing clean but old clothes, knocked on their office door and sat quietly across her.
“Mangungutang po sana ako,” the teenager said.
Caught off guard, the employee replied, “Hindi ako nagpapautang. Meron dito nagpapautang.”
But the boy explained that he just wanted to try his luck. “Nagbabakasakali lang po ako makahiram sa inyo. Gusto ko po magtinda, kailangan ko po ng pambili ng ititinda.”
When asked how much he needed, he hesitated before saying: “P200 po… nahihiya po ako.”
Moved by the boy’s sincerity, the employee gave him the money and said, “Good luck. Palaguin mo ‘yan.”
Later that same afternoon, he returned. He placed four plastic bags of kamote on the woman’s desk and politely asked to use the restroom. When he came back, she asked how much he was selling the kamote for.
“Ito pong dalawa tig-P50, itong dalawa tig-P100,” he said. Then he added, “Huwag n’yo na po bayaran itong dalawang tig-P100, bayad ko po sa hiniram ko.”
The employee was surprised and told him the loan didn’t need to be repaid, encouraging him instead to grow his capital and keep going. She told him to come back if he ever needed help again.
Since then, the boy has reportedly visited the office daily to show his sales and progress. He has shared that he hopes to start selling fruits next, but admitted the capital requirement is higher.
“Walang taong maghihirap kung marunong sa buhay at masipag,” the original poster wrote. “Hindi tayo pababayaan ng Diyos.”
She added that she hopes to get the teenager’s contact information soon in case others wish to support his efforts to build a better life.