A 39-year old overseas Filipino worker who became an instant hero-celebrity in Saudi Arabia was formally honored by the Philippine Embassy for his act of heroism.
Daud Saripada Balindong, a father of seven from Pagadian City, rescued last Nov. 21 an elderly Arab man stricken with polio who was trapped inside a car submerged in floodwaters in the Abruq AR Rughamah neighborhood in Jeddah.
As a crowd helplessly watched, Balindong jumped in and swam toward the trapped man.
Balindong asked the man to wear a lifevest tossed by a rescuer before he carried the man to safety.
His act was caught on amateur video, which went viral on social media.
In a ceremony in Jeddah last Nov. 27, the Philippine Embassy awarded Balindong a certificate of commendation for his “act of heroism.” —Dona Z. Pazzibugan