How A Pizza Store Worker’s Kindness Inspired People to Help Poor Tribesman Dad

A little act of kindness, as they say, can always go a long way. Such can be said about this heartwarming moment that recently happened in Calapan, a city in the Philippine province of Oriental Mindoro.

In a Facebook post by Privado Retes Donzkie, we learn about how one pizza shop worker’s goodness served as an inspiration for many as he helped out a poor father and daughter he saw on the street.

The post has since touched a lot of netizens as it went viral on social media.

Privado wrote:

“We were dining at Shakey’s Calapan when I saw a Mangyan eating collected food from alms at the parking lot. While we were so comfy with our food and cool place, the sight was so compassionate as he was sharing the food with his daughter amidst scorching heat of the sun.

“While the public seemed to ignore them, I was surprised when the rider approached them after parking his motorcycle. He was from a delivery transaction. He invited them at the store’s party room and prepared pizza ingredients. Surprisingly, he taught the father how to make pizza for her daughter.”

“The scene was so touching that dining guests started taking pictures,” the post added.

“We felt proud how he was able to make the tribe man happy.”

“He even gave him hat and encouraged the latter to watch him cook pizza at the oven, without hesitation. This scenario drew the interest of some guests: asking his name, how old her daughter is, how he was able to come to Calapan from Bulalacao (farthest town of Mindoro). His miserable story triggered us to share some money and have some of our foods packed for Un-Eman (the minority’s name).”

Restaurant customers began contributing cash for the poor father and daughter.

The staff member, who was later identified as Joel Pacia, became a “catalyst of change,” according to the post.

“He inspired us to show sincere love to our less privileged brothers.

“Thanks to Shakey’s specifically to him for making us realized that true happiness is found in the unmeasurable, in the intangible.

“It is living with compassion that brings us our truest happiness.”