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Arnel Aba is not your ordinary person with a disability. He is a paratriathlete and member of the Philippine Para Swimming Team. But his awesomeness doesn't end there because he also went viral late last year after a netizen posted photos of him moonlighting as a delivery rider.

Before the pandemic, Arnel's source of income was his monthly allowance as a national athlete and his second job as a swimming instructor.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, Arnel had to look for another way to generate income as swimming classes came to a halt during the lockdown.

So, in June 2020, Arnel decided to moonlight as a delivery service rider using his personal motorcycle.

Since then, his daily routine included training in the morning then heading out at around 11 a.m. to do deliveries until the evening.

“Kung masipag ka, tiyaga ka talaga hanggang gabi, malaki naman maiuuwi. Nasa mga 800 to 1,000 a day,” Arnel told On Record.

What Arnel didn't know was that he was bound to become a viral star on social media after a customer posted photos of him on Facebook.

One of the viral photos of Arnel Aba on Facebook / Source: On Record

On October 25, 2020, Kristaleen Doroy shared photos of Arnel after being impressed by his hard work, dedication, and how he did not let his disability get in the way of performing his job as a delivery rider.

“Nung pagdating ko, nagulat lang ako na natuwa siya tapos binigyan niya ko ng tip, na kahit daw sa pagkakaroon ko ng kapansanan, nagde-deliver pa rin ako.

“Pero hindi ko alam na pinicturan niya ako nung time na 'yon kasi medyo na-late rin ako eh.”

Aside from moonlighting as a delivery rider, Arnel was also able to put up a motorcycle shop amid the pandemic.

He is temporarily focusing on his shop and says when he's done training his staff, he will go back again to being a delivery rider.

Arnel Aba talks about his swimming career and his stint as delivery rider / Source: On Record

As for his swimming career, Arnel has already won several medals for the Philippines, including a gold and a silver medal during the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) World Games in India in 2009.

He also competed last June in the Para Swimming World Series in Berlin, Germany, which would have been his gateway into this year's Tokyo Paralympics in August.

Although Arnel failed to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics this year, he was happy with his performance and achievement given that they were only able to train for three weeks prior to the competition.

Arnel finished at 11th place out of 47 para swimmers from different countries and he was also able to reach his best time ever.

“Para sa'kin 'yung three weeks na training, magandang performance na na nakamit namin ng team and then 'yung instructor ko, 'yung coach namin.”

Arnel also shared what his greatest motivation is and what the ultimate goal is for differently abled athletes like himself.

“Naging motivation ko is 'yung pamilya ko, 'yung teammates, instructors, sa coaches namin, at siyempre para sa bayan.

“Lalaban, hindi susuko dapat, (at) makikipagsabayan. 'Yan 'yung adhikain naming mga differently abled athletes, na hindi dapat susuko kahit na ano mang kapansanan mo.”

Watch Arnel Aba's inspiring story in the On Record video below.

For more inspiring stories like this, watch On Record every Sunday, 5:20 p.m. on GMA-7.

Viewers abroad can also watch On Record via GMA's flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

And for more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.

Speaking of athletes, here are the Pinoy athletes who made us proud at the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics.