Typhoon Ondoy hero Joven Mallo and devoted mother Marcy Reyes are among the five Filipinos chosen to carry the Olympic torch on June 30.
They have been handpicked by one of the sponsors of the upcoming Olympic Games, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Its hotels include brands such as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn.
Eight representatives were chosen across Asia, Middle East and Africa—three are from the Philippines—because of their inspiring stories.
Joven, 29, is a sales and services assistant of Crowne Plaza Manila. He was an inspiration because his heroic act during Typhoon Ondoy.
Instead of fleeing to safety with his belongings, he chose to stay and brave the flood to rescue his old neighbor that he barely knew.
Knowing the dangers of rising water, he carried her on his back and never left her until they were rescued hours later.
At the height of the typhoon, Joven also lost all of his precious belongings and had to be on leave for a week to recover them.
Joven had no regrets. For him, the chance to save a life was a priceless once-in-a- lifetime experience.
Meanwhile, 47-year-old Mercy can be a good role model for moms.
She has spent 18 ½ years of her life in Holiday Inn Manila. A decision she held on to despite lucrative offers elsewhere because of her desire to raise her children.
As a devoted mother, she was able to perform her duties without the help of a nanny.
She committed herself to motherhood but also became a steadfast worker earning her the first Employee of the Month recognition in June of 1998 and several management positions including Purchasing Manager and her current post.
While Marcy leads a multi-faceted lifestyle, she still finds time to help the community through running for a cause and feeding programs.
Marcy has proven that dedication to family, commitment to work and caring for the community are all possible at the sane time.
The three other Pinoys are 19-year-old Steven Cheung, an Olympic Youth Ambassador for Waltham Forest in the United Kingdom; 30-year-old Reymund Enteria, an occupational therapist also in the U.K., and Filipino-American thyroid cancer survivor Rodolfo Sebastian Carlos
There are about 8,000 inspirational people who will carry the Olympic Flame during the Torch Relay this year.
After being lit in Greece, the Olympic Flame will arrive in the U.K. on May 18, 2012.
Torchbearers will carry the Flame through more than 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the U.K.
