Hidilyn Diaz Lifts Up Spirits in Cebu as She Gives a Speech and Joins Relief Operations

EVEN ON Christmas Day, the country's first Olympic gold medalist was still doing her best to lift the spirits of the nation.

Hidilyn Diaz personally conducted relief operations in Argao, Cebu, one of the areas hardest hit by the recent super typhoon Odette.

She and her fiancee coach Julius Naranjo volunteered to beef up the manpower of Set Forth Philippines, a nonprofit organization catering to various local communities in need.

Skateboarding national team head coach Dani Bautista, who invited them to join, was also present during the distribution and was the one who recorded Diaz's motivational speech. 

Hidilyn Diaz gives motivational speech in wake of Typhoon Odette

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A post shared by DANI BAUTISTA (@dcatbautista)>p

>pGiven the chance to speak in front of some residents, Diaz took the opportunity to motivate everyone who was hit by the storm.>p"Gusto ko lang sabihin na kayang-kaya natin to basta sama-sama tayo. Alam ko pong mahirap, [pero] tulad ng pandemic, nandito tayo, na-surpass natin yon," she said.>pShe drew inspiration from her own personal experience of struggle, right before winning the counntry's historic gold.>p"Alam kong mahirap, ako, dati before ako nanalo sa Tokyo, na-stranded ako sa Malaysia, mahirap ang buhay don, at wala akong kilala. Alam ko ganon din iniisip niyo mahirap paano magsisismula ulit sa umpisa pero kayang-kaya natin to. Merry Christmas sa inyo," she continued.>pThe soon-to-be-married pair helped distribute sets of grocery items, toiletries, infant care items, catering up to 1,000 families in the locale.>p"Our Kababayan from Visayas and Mindanao need your help, [hope] we can spare our hands and help them rise again as one," she said.>p>pThis story originally appeared on Spin.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.>p