In ceremonies at the labor department's main office, Jesus Sumook, 35, received a plaque of recognition from Christer Themner, chairman of the Swedish Mercantile Marine Foundation, for rescuing the man aboard the Saga Spray on Nov. 16.
He also received about P170,000 in ceremonies witnessed by Labor Secretary Arturo Brion and Swedish Ambassador Annika Markovic.
"I didn't expect the reward. What's important is that I helped someone so he might live," said Sumook who has been a seaman for 10 years.
He didn't know the name of the man he had rescued, but he recalled that on Nov. 16, he heard of an emergency at the cargo hold of the Saga Spray, so he grabbed a breathing apparatus and went down a shaft to check.
There, he saw a fellow Filipino lying on the floor, killed after inhaling carbon monoxide, and then the Swede who was gasping for air. He gave him his oxygen mask.
"I tried to lift him to safety to the upper deck, but he was too big and too heavy for me," Sumook said, so he stayed with the Swede until rescuers arrived.
He fainted eventually from inhaling carbon monoxide, but the rescuers found him and the Swede eventually and took them to a hospital.
Sumook is now resting and enjoying his three-month vacation with his family in Eastern Samar.
http://www.goodnewspilipinas.com/docs/the_...o_seafarer.html
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Unbelievable!
