For former ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, 33, to be given the role as a Global Citizen Athlete Ambassador is an honor. The Igorot mixed martial artist sees it as an opportunity to give back to his fellow Filipinos.
Recently, ONE Championship announced a partnership with Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization with the goal of ending extreme poverty across the world by 2030. As part of the partnership, Folayang was selected as an ambassador along with ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, 40, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee, 21.
On January 26, 2018, ONE Championship held its first 2018 event in the Philippines titled “ONE: Global Superheroes.” Prior to the fight night, Folayang, Vera and Lee participated in an outreach activity in the Smokey Mountain area of Tondo, Manila, Metro Manila, the largest slum area in the country’s capital.
With the help of a local non-government organization called Young Focus, the Global Citizen Athlete Ambassadors helped children in Tondo in their various classes, from English to Mathematics, to Music and Dance, and inspired them by sharing their own personal stories and reinforcing the importance of education. The day finished with a martial arts demonstration.
“It was such an amazing experience, of course,” Folayang said. “You really feel for the hardship my countrymen are experiencing now, especially the youth. As a ONE Championship athlete, it is my honor to be able to give back to the Filipino people.”
“I’m sure the entire world would also love to be a part of this movement,” the Team Lakay hero added. “So I encourage everyone to check out Global Citizen and how each of us can help in our own little ways.”
Folayang, Vera and Lee are expected to have one fight each in the ONE Championship café in 2018. Have a glimpse of their recent visit in Tondo here:
CONAN Daily 