Isang Pinoy nakatanggap ng Parangal, matapos sagipin ang isang arabo na na-trap sa baha.

The overseas Filipino worker (OFW), who recently made the headlines after saving an elderly Saudi man trapped in a submerged car during a flood, has been given recognition in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

David Balendo on Tuesday was caught on footage rescuing an elderly man trapped in flood following heavy rains in Saudi this week. In an interview with the newspaper Almowaten, he reported:

“I left the house at 9 A.M. and the rain was pouring down. I saw the man held in the water. I did not stop myself, I left the car I was driving and rushed to save him. Civil defense men were watching me saving him.”

The OFW added in the interview that the Civil Officers watched him as he swam his way to save the man. Balendo went on and narrated that the authorities told him that they have to wait for the flood water to subside before they can rescue the man. But to him, he could not stand seeing the victim in such a situation.

“Without thinking about any consequences, no one helped me, I did everything on my own, and when I took the man out of the water, the rescuers told me that they were waiting for the water to recede to get him out of the middle of the stream. The police and civil defense officers said that I risked myself, because the torrent could have washed me away, and they were kept away from the water.”

The Interior Minister has also ordered to commence the investigation of the incident and asked why the officers did not do the job themselves.

Meanwhile, netizens shared their reactions on David’s heroic deed.