Be Kind but Be Wise

Have you ever tried borrowing money online? How was it? Did you pay it on time or have you experienced being posted on Facebook just because you did not pay your debt on time?

Two days ago, my sister called me to tell me what was happening in Tita Ging's family. She is my father's sister. My sister told me that one of Tita Ging's sons was so mad at her because her face was posted on Facebook with a caption that said, "Di nagbabayad ng utang, wag tularan."

I immediately checked the group chat and there I saw the messages from Nikko, about how mad he was about what happened. Most of the words were so disrespectful toward her mother, so I intervened. I asked him what happened, and he told me everything. Eventually, Tita Ging borrowed money online, but the money was not for her but for their neighbor. That neighbor asked her to borrow money on the said app on her behalf. Tita Ging trusted her neighbor because she was a good friend and they had known each other for years.

At first, that neighbor was paying her debt on time, but after that, she ran off, like gone in the neighborhood. My Tita was left with her debt, and the creditors kept calling her. And then that thing happened, her face was all over Facebook. I understand my cousin, but what I hated about it was that he deliberately disrespected his mother, so I gave him an earful that led to an argument, a very hot argument.

I just can't stand that he was throwing bad words at his mother. Tita Ging is a very kind and soft-spoken woman. Maybe that's the reason why she was put in this kind of situation, humiliated at the expense of others. I called my Tita after I had an argument with his son. I asked her why she allowed her name to be used in a lending app. She said that she felt pity for that woman and so she helped. That woman borrowed five thousand pesos and it grew to eight thousand because of the interest. And because my Tita has no work and her husband is on dialysis, she was not able to pay the debt that was not hers.

She was crying the whole time we were talking because she was so stressed about what happened and did not think that her son would do that to her. All she wanted to do was help.

I told her that I would send her money if I had spare or extra, but she declined. She said I needed it more for my medicine. I told her that it is okay because my husband has a job now and I am earning online by blogging. We ended our call, and I cried after it. I pity my Tita. Ever since I was small, she is so kind to me and never pinched me, unlike my other titas. I really wanted to help her the best way I could.

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I hope this will serve as a lesson to those who are so kind and generous. Know your limitations, guys. It is okay to help, but you should also think, especially if your name is on the line. 

By the way, my cousin called that creditor, and he told them that they would sue them for doing that. It is against the law. And then they tried calling that number again, but it couldn't be reached.

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Date Published: April 24, 2022

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