Joshua: Special child at heart of Unity Swim

MANILA, Philippines –  President Noynoy Aquino could not make it but he was represented by his special nephew, Kris Aquino’s son Joshua, in the Great Pinoy Peace and Unity Swim early Saturday morning at the Diliman Preparatory School Swimming Center on Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

To everybody’s surprise – and consternation – Kris’ special child, accompanied by three security personnel and two nannies, came into the pool in the wee hours of the morning – between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. – and asked if he could also swim.

“Probably he saw on television the thousands of swimmers lining up for the chance to swim to help break the Guinness record for a 24-hour non-stop marathon relay in an 18.3-meter (60-foot) swimming pool,”said organizer Susan Papa.

Joshua was one of hundreds of Filipinos who came in without prior registration.

Traffic ground to a halt on Commonwealth Avenue Friday night as motorists parked their cars to join swimmers already lined up for their turn in the pool.

On the wee hours, traffic was still heavy as hordes poured into the compact swimming center.

“You could see Filipinos helping one another, and kids on the streets with banners shouting “Para sa bayan, para sa bayan.”

“People would go down from their car and swim. Even passengers from public vehicles willingly participated just to be part of the event,” said Papa.

A participant, when asked why he wanted to swim even if he might not be able to complete the distance, said “ I’ll try, sir, if it’s for my country.”

“I was touched when I saw Joshua and asked me ‘I will swim right’,” recalls Papa.

“’Yes, Josh, for the Philippines,’ I said.”

“I assisted Josh at the starting line and he immediately removed his shirt and dived,” recounted Papa. “He also went to the log book after his swim to sign his name to be part of the world record event.”

He etched his signature in the Guinness logbook of swimmers, many of whom did not participate to break the record but to be a part of the national effort for peace and unity. The event failed to break the mark of 5,028 when the last swimmer, former Sen. Nikki Coseteng swam the last lap as swimmer no. 4732. Like over 4,000 swimmers who did it for a cause, Joshua was, in his own right, the bigger-than-life superstar, who, for a while, outshone his mom Kris and uncle Noynoy.