Rhys Buccat, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- When Gelica Manuel Tulauan shared her GrabCar experience on Facebook last Sunday, netizens thought it was another complaint about an abusive driver.</p><p>However, it turned out to be an inspirational story.</p><p>According to Tulauan&#x27;s post, she was riding a GrabCar vehicle when the driver suddenly stopped the car and took a brown bag under his seat. He headed to the dark sidewalk, where an old, homeless woman was sleeping.</p><p>&quot;I saw the old woman point at herself, probably asking, &#x27;Para sa akin?&#x27; And the Grab Driver replying to whatever she said with a nod. The sidewalk was dark and lonely, but the look on her face after that lit up the whole street. She smiled at the Grab driver and said something to him again. He said something too, waved goodbye to her, and quickly returned to the car,&quot; she wrote.</p><p>Tulauan admitted that her initial reaction was fear. But at that point, she felt relieved to have witnessed such an act of kindness.</p><p>&quot;By this time, all thoughts of gory news headlines and horrible viral Facebook stories in my head were gone. They were replaced with a bit of relief, and a lot of shock and embarrassment for the way I acted,&quot; she added.</p><div id="fb-root"> </div><script type="text/javascript">(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3';  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1134078063270474&amp;set=a.607555822589370.1073741826.100000048737007&amp;type=3" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1134078063270474&amp;set=a.607555822589370.1073741826.100000048737007&amp;type=3"><p>Hindi ako nakakuha ng picture dahil madilim na at nagulat ako sa ginawa niya. But I want to share what happened. This is...</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gheckieee">Gelica Manuel Tulauan</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1134078063270474&amp;set=a.607555822589370.1073741826.100000048737007&amp;type=3">Sunday, February 7, 2016</a></blockquote></div></div><p>As of this writing, Tulauan&#x27;s post has already garnered 26,400 shares and 180,000 likes on Facebook, reminding people that kind-hearted cab drivers still exist.</p><p>Meet the GrabCar driver</p><p>Carlo Santiago Diaz, 25, was the driver of the Toyota Wigo that Tulauan took. He bought his car last September and joined GrabCar four months later.</p><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Diaz said he is not the only one in his circle who gives food to the homeless.</p><p>In fact, his girlfriend, Cristina Sotelo Anastacio, cooks the food and prepares the brown bag, which contains a cup of rice, a dish (usually adobo) and a juice pack. They also give used clothes.</p><p>Diaz and Anastacio, who were batchmates in high school, have been together for four years now.</p><div id="fb-root"> </div><script type="text/javascript">(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3';  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201148314786386&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201148314786386&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3">Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/star.taisie">Tin-Tin Anastacio</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201148314786386&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3">Sunday, September 27, 2015</a></blockquote></div></div><p>Anastacio works as a supervisor at a restaurant, while Diaz works as a full-time GrabCar driver. They currently live in Mandaluyong.</p><p>A deep compassion to the homeless</p><p>According to Anastacio, Diaz has always been compassionate to the homeless even before they met. In fact, it was Diaz&#x27;s kindness that won her heart when they were still in the early stages of their relationship.</p><p>&quot;Actually Carlo inspires me a lot. Bago palang kami in our relationship, at that time we were having our breakfast. And then, nag-order siya ng extra pa. Akala ko gutom pa siya pero hindi naman niya kinain; instead, pinabalot niya,&quot; she told ABS-CBN News in an interview.</p><p>Anastacio thought her boyfriend was saving the food for his family. But as they were driving home, Diaz stopped the car to give the leftover to an old woman on the street.</p><p>&quot;Suddenly, my heart melted noong sinabi niyang &#x27;Wait lang, Yam [Anastacio].&#x27; Tumawid siya then binigay &#x27;yong food doon sa matandang pulubi,&quot; she said.</p><div id="fb-root"> </div><script type="text/javascript">(function(d, s, id) {  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;  js.src = '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3';  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200650235774722&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3" data-width="500"><div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200650235774722&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3">Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/star.taisie">Tin-Tin Anastacio</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200650235774722&amp;set=a.1187640707582.24093.1725243682&amp;type=3">Friday, May 22, 2015</a></blockquote></div></div><p>After discovering her boyfriend&#x27;s compassion for the poor, Anastacio suggested that they give donations to charitable organizations, but Diaz disagreed. He said it is better to help homeless people on the street because they are rarely noticed by the government.</p><p>&quot;Actually ang first choice ko is isang charity, pero sabi ni Carlo doon daw marami nang tumutulong. Mas gusto niya talagang bigyan &#x27;yong mga nasa kalsada lang na halos walang pumapansin,&quot; Anastacio said.</p><p>&quot;Pinipili po naming tulungan &#x27;yong mga natutulog sa kalsada kasi sabi nga po ni Carlo &#x27;yung mga &#x27;yon tinulog na lang &#x27;yung gutom. Kaya alam namin ;pag binigyan namin sila ng pagkain mapapawi ung gutom na &#x27;yon kahit isang gabi lang,&quot; she added.</p><p>The simple joy of giving</p><p>According to Diaz, he gets different reactions from the people he helps.</p><p>&quot;Minsan po nakangiti habang nagpapasalamat; minsan naman po parang nagulat na nagpapasalamat. &#x27;Yung iba naman po makikita mo sa kanila &#x27;yong excitement,&quot; he said.</p><p>Diaz recalled how a woman reacted when he gave her food and used clothes.</p><p>&quot;Nagpapadyak &#x27;yong paa niya sa tuwa nung makita &#x27;yong mga damit,&quot; he said.</p><p>Diaz also recalled a young street boy who looks like Onyok, Xymon Ezekiel Pineda&#x27;s character in ABS-CBN&#x27;s prime time series &quot;Ang Probinsyano.&quot;</p><p>According to Diaz, the boy felt bad because none of the shirts he got fit him.</p><p>&quot;Cute &#x27;yong bata, pero sumama ang loob kasi po walang magkasya sa kanyang damit,&quot; he recalled.</p><p>When asked about his reaction to abusive cab drivers, Diaz said, &quot;Sana po tigilan na &#x27;yong ganoon na pang-aabuso. Para naman po makagalaw tayo ng walang pangamba sa sarili nating bansa.&quot;</p>

When Gelica Manuel Tulauan shared her GrabCar experience on Facebook last Sunday, netizens thought it was another complaint about an abusive driver. However, it turned out to be an inspirational story. 

Meet the GrabCar driver in viral Facebook post

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Meet the GrabCar driver in viral Facebook post

Rhys Buccat,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 09, 2016 06:27 PM PHT

Read More:

grabcar

viral

Gelica Manuel Tulauan

Carlo Santiago Diaz

Cristina Sotelo Anastacio

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