Wife relies on her husband’s power and authority. She doesn’t care about anyone, challenges everyone, and then two days later, both husband and wife receive a bitter end.

Since Roberto Cruz was appointed as a barangay official in Quezon City, his wife – Marites – has completely changed her personality. Before, she was easy to approach and spoke softly, but shortly after her husband was promoted, she began to act arrogant and look down on her neighbors.

What makes the neighbors in the apartment complex most upset is the newly bought car. Whenever she goes somewhere, Marites parks wherever it is convenient, regardless of the common path.

Many times, the neighbors remind her:
– “Marites, pakiusog naman ang kotse mo, hindi makadaan ang motor namin.

But every time she raises her chin and replies:
– “Kalsada ito ng gobyerno, hindi ng kahit sino! At asawa ko ay barangay official, walang makakagalaw sa akin! (This road is made by the government, it is not someone’s private property, why forbid it? My husband is a ward official, no one dares to make things difficult!)”

That arrogant statement made everyone angry but did not want to argue.

The climax was one day, she parked her car across the front door of Kapitan Rodrigo’s house – the head of the neighborhood. Right at that time, his daughter needed to take her mother to the emergency room, but she could not let the car out. The people were upset and called the barangay police to handle the situation.

Insolent with the authorities

When the authorities arrived, Marites did not cooperate and shouted:
– “Alam n’yo ba kung sino ang asawa ko? Sino ang nagbigay ng karapatang galawin ang kotse ko? (Do you know whose wife I am? Who gave you the right to touch my car?)”

The police wrote a report and invited her to the barangay headquarters. Marites was still angry:
– “Sige, punta tayo! Nando’n ang asawa ko, tingnan ko lang kung anong magagawa n’yo!

When they arrived at the headquarters, the report was immediately sent to the leaders. Roberto himself – as the officer in charge of the area – had to step forward to receive it.

Seeing his wife being written up, he frowned, sweat beaded on his forehead, but could not defend her. A police officer said directly in front of many people:
– “Sir, ikaw ang opisyal ng barangay pero hinahayaan mong makasira ng kapayapaan ang asawa mo. May pananagutan ka rin dito.

Marites was still angry:
– “Anong pananagutan? Wala naman akong ginawang mali!

An elderly official gently replied:
– “Nag-park ka sa daanan, nagdulot ng kapahamakan sa taong may sakit. At sinabi mong asawa ka ng opisyal kaya walang makakagalaw sa ’yo – iyon ay pambabastos sa gobyerno.

In front of so many people, Roberto spoke sternly for the first time:
– “Marites, tama na! Ikaw ang mali rito. At idinamay mo pa ako!

She turned purple and was speechless.

That evening, the barangay committee called an emergency meeting and asked Roberto to write a report for “lack of exemplary family management”. Only one day later, the district leader also learned of the incident and requested a review.

Two days later, at the request of the neighborhood group and residents of the apartment complex, Roberto and his wife had to go to the house of Kapitan Rodrigo – the person who had failed to take his mother to the emergency room the day before – to publicly apologize.

That evening, almost the entire neighborhood witnessed a rare scene…
Roberto and Marites knelt down in the middle of the yard, in front of the Kapitan family and the neighbors. Roberto spoke first, his voice trembling:
– “Humihingi ako ng paumanhin sa lahat. Hindi ko napigilan ang asawa ko. Sana patawarin n’yo kami. (I sincerely apologize to the village chief and the neighbors for not being able to stop my wife. I hope everyone will forgive me).”

When it was Marites’s turn, she bowed her head, tears welling up in her eyes:
– “Aminado akong mali ako. Hindi na ako mangmamaliit ng iba. Sana mapatawad n’yo ako. (I admit my mistake. I no longer dare to look down on anyone. I hope everyone will forgive me).”

No one clapped, no one was happy, but the anger in everyone’s hearts was relieved. Kapitan Rodrigo simply said:
– “Pag may mali, ituwid. Dito lahat tayo kapitbahay, dapat magrespeto. (If you admit your mistake, correct it. Here, everyone is a neighbor, and we must respect each other.)”

A lesson for life

From that day on, Marites’s attitude changed completely: wherever he went, he parked his car neatly, and greeted everyone he met. Roberto was given an internal warning and almost lost his job.

People say: “Humility is a blessing, arrogance is a curse.”

Marites’s story is the most typical example in that apartment complex.