MANILA, Philippines - Who would have thought that a simple photo of a small shanty located on top of a mountain would capture the attention of netizens and go viral?
With over 26,000 likes and more than 4,000 shares, Dr. Gideon Lasco’s photo has certainly taken the social media by storm.
In his lengthy post on Facebook, Lasco, a physician, mountaineer, medical anthropologist and blogger, shared the heartwarming story behind the photo.
Prone to losing his cellphones in various circumstances, Lasco revealed he was used to losing his gadget to thieves, snatchers and even to the sea when the phone accidentally slipped from his hand while texting on a boat.
However, Lasco’s particular experience of losing his phone while traveling in Maguindanao helped him appreciate “an often-misunderstood part of our country.”
“I was traveling in Maguindanao when, upon returning to Cotabato City, I realized that my phone was gone. At the time, the Maguindanao massacre was still fresh on people’s minds and I have to admit that I felt a bit of unease while traveling in the area. In any case, even if the disappearance happened anywhere else in the Philippines, I honestly thought that there was no chance that I could ever get my phone back,” Lasco narrated in his post.
To Lasco’s surprise, his friend and host in Cotabato, Dr. Zhamir Umag received a message from his mobile number asking how he could return his phone. Apparently, Lasco left it on the jeepney on his way back to Cotabato and someone from Buldon, Maguindanao found it.
With Umag’s help, Lasco’s phone was safely returned by the finder to Cotabato City.
Lasco was already in Manila when the phone was returned through a courier. When he opened his phone, he was astonished with what he saw.
“When I opened the phone, I saw various pictures that the finder must have taken using the phone. It revealed a mountainous area and a wooden house (like the one in the picture) that must have been the finder's home. Surely, if he had sold the phone, it would have made for a significant sum. The more I looked at the photos - the finder's young kids, his wife, and their village - the more I marveled at the kindness of the finder.”
Moved by the photos he saw, Lasco sought the help of Umag in order to give a token of appreciation to the finder. However, the finder refused to accept it and said: "Please tell him that we're not expecting any reward. We're just being good Muslims."
--Mini, The Summit Express
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| Wondering why this photo has amassed over 26,000 likes and more than 4,000 shares on Facebook? |
In his lengthy post on Facebook, Lasco, a physician, mountaineer, medical anthropologist and blogger, shared the heartwarming story behind the photo.
Prone to losing his cellphones in various circumstances, Lasco revealed he was used to losing his gadget to thieves, snatchers and even to the sea when the phone accidentally slipped from his hand while texting on a boat.
However, Lasco’s particular experience of losing his phone while traveling in Maguindanao helped him appreciate “an often-misunderstood part of our country.”
“I was traveling in Maguindanao when, upon returning to Cotabato City, I realized that my phone was gone. At the time, the Maguindanao massacre was still fresh on people’s minds and I have to admit that I felt a bit of unease while traveling in the area. In any case, even if the disappearance happened anywhere else in the Philippines, I honestly thought that there was no chance that I could ever get my phone back,” Lasco narrated in his post.
To Lasco’s surprise, his friend and host in Cotabato, Dr. Zhamir Umag received a message from his mobile number asking how he could return his phone. Apparently, Lasco left it on the jeepney on his way back to Cotabato and someone from Buldon, Maguindanao found it.
With Umag’s help, Lasco’s phone was safely returned by the finder to Cotabato City.
Lasco was already in Manila when the phone was returned through a courier. When he opened his phone, he was astonished with what he saw.
“When I opened the phone, I saw various pictures that the finder must have taken using the phone. It revealed a mountainous area and a wooden house (like the one in the picture) that must have been the finder's home. Surely, if he had sold the phone, it would have made for a significant sum. The more I looked at the photos - the finder's young kids, his wife, and their village - the more I marveled at the kindness of the finder.”
Moved by the photos he saw, Lasco sought the help of Umag in order to give a token of appreciation to the finder. However, the finder refused to accept it and said: "Please tell him that we're not expecting any reward. We're just being good Muslims."
--Mini, The Summit Express
