It was a Filipino traveler’s worst nightmare.
Singer Jed Madela yesterday posted a series of tweets expressing frustration upon discovering that the pasalubong (gifts) bought by Filipino delegates to the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) were stolen.
Madela minced no words describing the situation, which he called “embarrassing.”
Wrote Madela: “Yes, we are back home! And we are happy! Except for one thing. Whoever broke into the luggages of our delegates and stole their ‘pasalubongs’ for their families, SHAME ON YOU!”
Yes, we are back home! And we are happy!
Except for one thing. Whoever broke into the luggages of our delegates and stole their “pasalubongs” for their families, SHAME ON YOU!— jedmadela (@jedmadela) July 25, 2018
Adds Madela in a mix of English and Filipino: “These kids barely have enough and they saved their money to buy gifts for their loved ones here in the Philippines. And then, it will just be stolen at the airport. Embarrassing. I don’t know how these people can do such a heartless thing.”
These kids barely have enough at tinabi nila pera nila para mabilhan nga pasalubong mga mahal nila sa buhay dito sa Pinas. Tapos nanakawin lang sa airport. Nakakahiya. I don’t know how these people can do such a heartless thing.
— jedmadela (@jedmadela) July 25, 2018
He said the luggage of the delegates were forcibly opened and that many of the items were missing.
Madela also wrote in Filipino: “I wonder what those thieves who took the gifts were thinking? Are they using them now? Aren’t they bothered by their conscience?”
Ano kaya ang nasa isip ng mga magnanakaw na kumuha ng mga pasalubong ng mga delegates sa maleta nila? Gamit gamit na kaya nila ngayon? Di kaya sila nako-konsensya?
— jedmadela (@jedmadela) July 26, 2018
The country sent 87 delegates to the WCOPA held in California where they won 286 awards. They dominated several divisions and won in various categories such as dance, instruments, vocals, and acting.
Madela was inducted into the WCOPA’s Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2005, he was the first Filipino to win the competition’s grand championship.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, however, the general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority, Ed Monreal said airlines should be held responsible for their passengers’ luggage.
He explained in Filipino: “We [airport officials] are not responsible for taking them from the airplane and for transporting the luggage.”
An investigation into the matter is being undertaken but Monreal took issue with the assumption that the gifts were stolen in the country.
He said: “Are Filipinos the only thieves in the world and why is it always being said that items were stolen in the Philippines? I challenge them to put up evidence and we’ll definitely crack down on them and we will definitely not let them [thieves] go unpunished.”
In January of this year, six employees from Clark International Airport in Pampanga allegedly stole more than PHP80,000 (US$1,591) worth of items from an overseas Filipino worker (OFW).
