Filipino teacher breaks down in tears when pupils buy him a new pair of shoes

This is the heartwarming moment pupils give their teacher a new pair of shoes to thank him for walking for two hours every day just so he could teach them.

Science teacher Cesar Punzalan, 50, walks around five miles from his home to reach the secondary school in Laguna, the Philippines.

His shoes had become tatty and old with holes in and his pupils worried he could not afford a new pair as he spends all his wages taking care of his family.

But his grateful students, all aged 16 and 17, wanted to show their appreciation for the lengths he goes to in order to reach the school each day - and clubbed together to buy him a brand new pair of black leather shoes.

They surprised Cesar with the gift when he started lessons at the Immaculate Heart of Mary School last Thursday (August 1) morning.

Pupil Mary Ann Claire Garcia, 17, filmed as a classmate gave the teacher the present - and he began well up with tears after opening the gift.

The veteran Science teacher jokingly told the students before opening the box "What is this? Is it a snake?"

He became emotional after finding a new pair of black shoes inside the box. He said: "You didn't have to do this. Why did you spend your money?

"In my profession as a teacher, we don't expect anything in return."

Mary said that everybody in the class admired Cesar and loved being in his lessons.

She said: ''Mr Punzalan is so dedicated to his job. He has to walk so far to reach school, but he does it because he wants the best for all his pupils.

''We noticed that his shoes were falling apart and we know he's careful with money so we just wanted to help.''

Mary said that the teacher was overcome with emotion and ''cried a lot'' after she stopped recording him.

She said that one of the teacher's children is sick so he saves a lot of his money for his family.

Mary added: ''Everybody contributed to buy the shoes for him.''