@re-joyce 13 March 2026

“Closed mouths don’t get fed.” Kanina around 6PM rush hour, nahirapan talaga akong magbook ng ride. Ilang beses akong nagtry sa ibat-ibang app, pero halos 1 hour na wala pa ring nag-aaccept. Pagod na ako kakahintay, kaya naisip ko nalang na mag-jeep na lang pauwi. Habang naglalakad ako papunta sa sakayan, chineck ko yung wallet ko… ₱12 lang pala yung coins ko. Eh ₱13 yung pamasahe. Kulang ako ng piso. Mababaw man pakinggan sa iba, pero that moment medyo na-stress ako. Pagod ka na, gutom ka na, tapos kulang ka pa ng piso para makauwi. Then suddenly may naalala akong video sa TikTok na nagsabi ng isang simpleng lesson: “Speak up when you need help. Closed mouths don’t get fed.” So I took a deep breath. Kahit nahihiya ako, nilakasan ko nalang loob ko. May nakita akong babae na kakatawid lang ng pedestrian. Sinundan ko siya ng konti habang kinokompose ko sarili ko kung paano ako magtatanong. Finally lumapit ako at sabi ko, “Ma’am excuse me, pwede po makahingi ng piso?” Medyo nagulat siya at tinanong niya, “Para saan?” Sabi ko habang napapangiti nalang sa hiya, “Pang-add ko lang po sana sa pamasahe. Kulang po kasi ako ng piso pang jeep. One hour na po kasi ako nagbo-book pero wala talagang nag-aaccept.” Sabi niya, “Cashless kasi ako eh, wala akong coins.” Ngumiti nalang ako at sabi ko, “Okay lang po, thank you pa rin.” Pero sabi niya, “Wait lang, check ko wallet ko ha, baka meron.” Habang chinecheck niya yung wallet niya, sinabi ko nalang din, “Sorry po sa abala miss. Nahihiya rin po talaga ako manghingi ng piso pero nilakasan ko lang po loob ko.” Ngumiti siya at sabi niya, “No, it’s fine.” Tapos inabot niya sa akin yung pera. Pagtingin ko… ₱100. Nagulat ako. Sabi ko agad, “Ay miss, piso lang po hinihingi ko. Sobra na po ito.” Pero sabi niya, “Okay lang yan.” She insisted. So tinanggap ko nalang, sobrang thankful. You know what’s beautiful about this moment? Pinili kong lumapit sa isang babae. Hindi dahil sa stereotype, kundi dahil alam kong women often carry a natural compassion to help others. May instinct sila na umunawa, tumulong, at magbigay kahit sa simpleng paraan. And she proved that to be true. So thank you so much again, Miss Adie. You didn’t just give me ₱100. You restored my faith that kindness still exists in small everyday moments. Happy International Women’s Month. To all the women out there who lead with empathy, courage, and kindness, the world needs more people like you. Some people might see this as mababaw. Isang piso lang naman yung problema. Pero for me, this moment was a reminder that even in a world where everyone is busy, stressed, and dealing with their own problems, there are still people who choose kindness. Mga taong handang tumulong kahit sa taong hindi nila kilala. And it also reminded me of something important: Sometimes, the hardest part is simply speaking up. Kasi kung hindi ako naglakas ng loob magtanong, hindi ko mararanasan yung kabutihang loob na yun. So if there’s one lesson I want to share today, it’s this: Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you truly need it. Hindi lahat ng tao tutulong, pero may mga taong parang si Adie na willing tumulong without hesitation. And hopefully, stories like this remind us to be like her. Because sometimes, the smallest act of kindness can completely change someone’s day. “Kindness costs nothing, but it can mean everything to someone.” P.S. Nakalimutan kong hingin yung GCash number ni Ate Adie para maibalik ko sana yung hiniram ko. 😭 If anyone here knows her, please help me find her so I can thank her again properly. Also, if you’ve experienced a similar act of kindness from a stranger, share your story in the comments too. Let’s spread more stories like this. 🤍 #happyinternationalwomensday