Photographs: Erik de Castro/Reuters
Measuring just 59.93 cm, Junrey Balawing, a Filipino who turned 18 on Sunday, was declared the world's shortest man, taking over the title from a tiny Nepali.
Son of a Filipino blacksmith, Balawing stopped growing when he was a toddler.
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Meet the world's shortest man
Photographs: Erik de Castro/Reuters
Balawing was born in the rural town of Sindangan on the Philippines' southern island of Mindanao.
When he reached the age of two, he fell always sick and showed signs that he was no longer growing anymore. His parents had him checked by doctors but to no avail, Manila Bulletin reported.
Meet the world's shortest man
Unable to find any medical remedy for Balawing's physical condition, his parents slowly learned to accept their son's fate, it said.
In 2010, the Guinness Book of World Records had declared Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal who measured 67 cm as the world's shortest man.
Meet the world's shortest man
Balawing, wore infant-sized shoes and a white shirt emblazoned with the Guinness seal underwent three sets of official measurements by the Guinness adjudicator to confirm his height.
"Thank you to all of you for supporting my son, the world's shortest man," Junrey's father, Reynaldo, told a crush of reporters and photographers.
Meet the world's shortest man
A throng of wellwishers, including politicians, witnessed the official measurement then handed him wads of cash which his parents said would go towards the family's meagre savings.
Meet the world's shortest man
Sindangan Vice Mayor Bess Jagonio, a doctor, said Junrey "was just the size of a 1-liter (2-pint) soft drink bottle" when he was born and speculated he may have suffered from an endocrine or a birth-related defect.
Meet the world's shortest man
Junrey's three other siblings -- a brother and two sisters -- are all of average size for their ages.
Meet the world's shortest man
Junrey's parents call him "their lucky charm." His father had been unemployed until he was born, then found a job as blacksmith after his birth.
"He needs my care every minute of every day. Junrey can only walk with some help and he can't stand for too long because he's in too much pain," his mother, Concepcion, said.
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