Last year, Arci Muñoz was victimized in a modus operandi while on board a business flight back to the country after a trip to Japan. The 35-year-old actress admitted she has learned an important lesson after being victimized out of half a million pesos.
“It’s really unfortunate to be in that situation and you feel so helpless. Kasi I tried reaching out to the bank pero they couldn’t help me. They said that it’s my responsibility because it’s my card. And I approached them twice, thrice pa nga. So I even called people that are close to me na alam ko who can also help me out na baka may mga kilala dun sa bank. Kasi that’s not easy money naman ‘di ba? I worked hard for what I have and nung sinabi nila na hindi talaga puwede, it really broke my heart. Sabi ko, ‘Grabe, ilang travel na yun (laughs), ilan na rin kunwari yung matutulungan ko. Sana binigay ko na lang sa mga mahihirap. Nakakain pa sila,’” she shared during a JuanHand online event where she was introduced to the press as the new brand ambassador of the country’s leading online cash lending platform.
Arci said she is now more aware of her surroundings and careful when it comes to her belongings, no matter where she is.
“So ang natutunan ko dun is to be really aware all of the time. Kasi it’s not really a safe world out there. Isipin mo I was in the comfort of a business class plane, so iisipin mo wala na talaga. And dahil nga we raised awareness na kailangan mag-ingat tayo at di tayo maging lax lang, merong flight attendant na nagsabi sa akin, ‘Alam niyo Ma’am, may nahuli na kami diyan before,’ and modus daw talaga nila yun. So hindi ka puwede mag-relax, relax lang. Kailangan talaga medyo vigilant ka sa mga ganyan. So since then, talagang doble, tripleng kumot na yung pinapatong ko sa bag ko. Ang pinaka importante naman, ang dami namang pumapasok na blessings. Sabi ko, ‘Lord, alam ko hindi ka naman natutulog. Akala nila nakaligtas sila kasi hindi sila nahuli.’ Hindi, si Lord na bahala sa kanila (laughs). So ganun na lang yung consolation ko. And then ang dami namang blessings na pumapasok so sabi ko, at least may lesson and also we raised awareness. So sana na lang din wala na silang mabiktima. Yun lang (laughs),” she added.
As the new face of the lending app JuanHand, Arci said she can now breathe easier knowing she does not have to lend money directly to the people who used to borrow from her.
“Ang problem sa akin, pag may nangungutang sa akin, I don’t know how to make singil, kung paano sisingilin. Ako pa yung nahihiya. Ayoko rin kasi maka-offend. And pagdating sa mga money matters, hindi ba ang awkward na parang kayo pa yung nahihiya maningil? (laughs). I’m very glad na ako yung napili nila talaga kaya I’m really grateful that we have JuanHand now kaya hindi na ako magpapautang sa friends ko (laughs). I’ll just tell them to go to Juan Hand,” she admitted.
