Pinoy volunteers to help in London Olympics

Carol Panday and Benedict Carandang are volunteer performers at the London Olympic Games' opening ceremonies.  Photo by Rose Eclarinal

LONDON  - They will help  make the biggest sporting event in the world happen. The London Olympic and Paralympic volunteers, collectively known as the "Games Makers" will play various roles  from menial to skilled and from everything in between to make sure that things go smoothly during the Olympic and Paralympic games. 
These volunteers will assume a variety of roles such as welcoming visitors, transporting the athletes, distributing food, serving as guides, performing in the opening and closing programs, helping behind the scenes in the technology department to make sure that results are in as accurately and quickly as possible, among many others.
Up to 70,000 Games Makers from diverse professional and social backgrounds and ethnic communities from across the UK and from abroad will take part in the Olympic and Paralympic games. 
As early as 2010, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG),  which is responsible for preparing and staging the 2012 Summer games, started the selection process of more than 240,000 applicants. LOCOG  interviewed more than 100,000 applicants in various UK centres.

Many young, accomplished,  talented and adventurous Filipinos in London wasted no time to take on the challenge of applying and auditioning.
"To be part of history"
Performing Arts student in London Carol Panday and British Chevening scholar Benedict Carandang will be performing in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics games on July 27.
The application and screening process alone were no mean feat but they were determined and focused.
"I applied online. Of course, I submitted my credentials and then I was called to audition. Nung tinatawag  kami, tatlong beses yung audition. May recall at sa final, saka mo pa lang malalaman na tanggap ka,"said Panday.
She applied in August last year and was called to perform in a series of auditions early this year alongside 500 or so performers.  Each audition lasted up to three hours.
Carandang took the balloting route where applicants signed up for a chance to be picked to audition. In February, he was called for two consecutive auditions for  a tedious screening process.
"They tested on our sense of direction and basic body synchronised  movement. The second one was tougher than the first one. After that,  nagkasakit pa nga ako dahil sa hirap ng pinagawa sa amin," he told ABS-CBN Europe.
"It was  group audition. Naka- video tape kayo tapos, titingnan lang nila kung sino ang makakasunod  at yung naliligaw.  From there,  ipu-pull out nila yung magaling," he added.
Last month, the rehearsals which last up to five hours, every weekend until the start of the Olympics, have already started for the Olympic volunteer performers.

Christine Nimfa Josef-Santos is performing during the opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympic Games.  Photo by Rose Eclarinal

Christine Nimfa Josef-Santos is a civil servant of the City of London Corporation. She was chosen to be a drummer for the opening and closing ceremonies.  During the Olympic games, all eyes will be on London and she wanted "to be part of  history."
She will also take on another role as a street guide ambassador.
"It’s for those people visiting London-- to help them, guide them with directions and probably disperse crowd," said Santos. 
The opening and closing ceremonies performers are not allowed to disclose the full details of their participation and dance routine but Panday and Carandang said they can only guarantee that it’s going to be a show like no other, with sights, sounds and performances from world-acclaimed artists who will showcase UK’s best.
Award-winning film directors Danny Boyle ("Trainspotting," "The Beach" and "Slumdog Millionaire") and Stephen Daldry ("Billy Elliot") are on top of "UK's biggest-ever live show" training and supervising the routines and acts of some 5,000 performers.

Dennis Dantic will help in transporting the athletes from the Olympic village to sporting venues.  Photo by Rose Eclarinal

Another Filipino volunteer is Dennis Dantic, a nurse who is also completing his postgraduate studies in London.  Dantic is a volunteer for the transport team who will assist and guide athletes participating in the rowing and canoeing event.
"When you grow old, you can say  that I became part of this event. Even if I’m not going to be paid, it’s a sense of fulfilment that I’m doing this, I’m part of history," said Dantic. 

For Philippines and for London
The Pinoy volunteers take pride on being chosen as volunteers for the Olympic and Paralympic games. For them, it’s a once in a lifetime chance to represent the Philippines in their own humble way and to give back to the city of London.
"Having lived in London for a long period of time now, I wanted to be able to contribute something towards it and be part of history making," said Santos. 
"Once in a lifetime event ito na mangyayari sa buhay mo and it’s your chance to represent the country in the opening, so I took advantage of the opportunity," explained Carandang.
"Para sa akin, this is a legacy for my family, for other Filipinos in the UK.  You will be performing to a million crowd, in front of the queen. So it’s really something," said Panday.
"First of all, it’s my dream to be part of the Olympics even just as a volunteer. Secondly, for the Filipino people, it shows that anywhere we go, whatever  we do,  we can achieve something, we can do it," said Dantic.
The excitement is building up in London in anticipation of the Olympic games and the Pinoy volunteers are equally thrilled. 
On Saturday, the Olympic torch relay commenced at Land’s End with triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie as the first torchbearer in the 8,000-mile relay.
Four Filipinos will also make the country proud by becoming part of the torch relay.