An Honest Centavo

By Cheeno M. Luang

(Vol. XXVIX No. 8, Editorial Cartoon)

Early this semester, several incidents of theft at the University Library baggage counter have been brought to the attention of the Office of Security Matters (OSM). Police Colonel Rosalinda Abellon, chief officer assigned to the case, reported that the culprit behind the five cases of theft at the said location is a student and that she has finally been caught and is now under disciplinary action by the Board of Discipline.

The student was apprehended with the help of the close-circuit camera installed at the library baggage counter. “Technology is really working and is very important,” said Abellon. The NORSUnian agrees to that. In today’s advent of technology, crimes such as theft can be easily solved because of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras that are installed in some areas here in the university.

However, that does not mean that because of this technology, we will just become careless and irresponsible with our belongings. Since it is not every time that the CCTV is there to record activities inside the university, it is our primary responsibility to safeguard our things.

We encourage all students to take good care of your wallets, bags, and valuables when inside and even outside the university. As what this unfortunate event has shown us, people may get tempted, and anyone may be a culprit. On the other hand, anyone can also be a victim. Bad elements never warn you of their intentions. They simply wait for the opportunity to pounce.

Life is hard, and many have made this a reason for their criminal acts. But life’s difficulty does not absolve us of our moral values. Poverty does not justify dishonesty. Being underprivileged does not give us license to prey on those who are also less fortunate.

We have to learn to live within our means. We have to learn to find honest sources of income. There are part-time jobs out there that we can avail of. NORSU also has some student jobs available. Maybe it is a good idea for the university someday to have a mechanism to help students who are really financially challenged. But while we hope and work for things to turn out better for us, let us not forget that stealing is never acceptable and that “an honest centavo is better than a stolen peso.”