An ordinary commute to work turned into a frightening ordeal after a man riding a jeepney was suddenly stabbed by a woman—but as his cries for help fell on deaf ears, a passing off-duty firefighter stepped in and rushed to his aid without hesitation.

In a Facebook post shared by the victim, Clang Castro, the incident occurred at around 7:30 a.m. on June 9 while he was riding a jeepney on his way to work. He said he was asleep during the trip when a woman suddenly got off at Anonas, Quezon City, and, without apparent reason, allegedly stabbed him.

He also said the jeepney driver told him to get off so he could go to the hospital, while adding that even the other passengers seemed unaware of his condition and did not offer help despite the incident.

After getting off the jeepney, he said he desperately asked for help from several passing motorists and riders. One rider even stopped for him, but allegedly drove away immediately.

Despite his repeated pleas for help, no one tried to assist him or call an ambulance or the police, leaving him to realize how heartless some of the people around him could be.

“Yung araw na ‘yun, nakita ko kung gano kasama at kawalang puso lahat ng tao dun na tinitignan lang ako at may pandidiri pa sa mga mukha nila (That day, I saw how cruel and heartless the people there were, as they simply looked at me, some even with disgust on their faces),” the post read.

At that moment, he thought no one would come to his aid—until he was seen by a motorcycle rider, Fire Officer 1 Mark Jayson Albania, a personnel of the Marikina Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-Marikina), who was off-duty at the time and on his way to the regional office.

Albania saw that the victim was seriously injured and immediately stepped in to help.

He placed the victim on his motorcycle and brought him to the nearest hospital, but the facility reportedly refused to admit the patient. He then asked if the victim could be given first aid so they could safely proceed to another hospital.

The firefighter then drove to Rizal Medical Center where the victim asked to go since it was closer to his home.

Albania then contacted Castro's family. He also stayed at the hospital and waited until they arrived so the victim would not be alone.

Castro is currently in stable condition. The incident has been reported to authorities for investigation.

He told the Manila Bulletin that he hopes the suspect who stabbed him will be arrested soon, saying the attack has forced him to stop working.

He added that he needs to work to support his one-year-old baby, who still needs milk.

Meanwhile, BFP Officer-in-Charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil A. Kwan Tiu commended Albania’s heroic action, saying it reflects the bureau’s core value of “Pusong Nag-aalab,” or compassion rooted in courage and service.

He added that a firefighter’s duty goes beyond putting out fires and also includes saving lives whenever people are in need.