It was an ordinary day in the Dasmariñas branch. The fray of bank transactions, the to and fro of clients, the buzzing phone calls, and the humming of machines sounded like an orchestra of the daily grind. We, the staff, were all busy wrapping up as 3 PM began to tick. Suddenly, a loud “Bang!” was heard from the SSA desks. At first, I thought it was just an equipment that fell from the desks. Upon closer inspection, I saw a man sprawled on the floor with his whole body stiff and jittering! His eyes rolled to the back of his head as short jolts surged through his body, while his mouth was foaming with a mix of sweat and saliva. We were terrified; nobody could move. 

Our SSA Ar-En Ledesma, who just finished her transaction, was first to react. Running to the pantry to get a spoon and some tissue, she hurried to the client and placed the spoon into his mouth so that he would not bite his tongue.  After wiping the froth from his mouth, she managed to move his hands so that he would not hurt his palm. Ar-En was the only person who was alert and quick-minded enough to help while everyone stood frozen. Displaying first-aid expertise, she looked like a professional at work. As the client continued to convulse on the ground, she quickly instructed our utility staff to assist her. A few minutes after, the client stopped jittering. His breathing became normal as he went into a sleep-like state lying on the floor. 

 While the rest of us remained in total shock at what happened, Ar-En collected the client’s belongings and waited for him to wake up. When the client roused from his position, Ar-En was quick to help the client stand up. She gave him a glass of water as we recounted to him what had happened. He could barely speak, probably trying to remember everything as well. After his transaction, he gave a quick nod as if to say he was leaving the branch. Despite not receiving thanks from the client, Ar-En shared that she did not really expect anything in return. The only thing she wanted to be sure of was for the client to be well and all right. 

It is people like Ar-En—someone who is quick on her feet, selfless, and calm under pressure—who  prove that UnionBankers are capable of doing more, better, and greater for their clients. This is MAGIS personified!