From orphanage to Philippine rugby glory: Hong Kong Pot Bellied Pigs charity work making a difference to national team
- The Hong Kong Pot Bellied Pigs Rugby Club have raised buckets of cash for various organisations over the years
- One of their crowning achievements is helping Filipino orphans discover the benefits and life-changing aspects of rugby
For Filipinos Jonel Madrona and Joe Mari, rugby became a bridge from the streets of their homeland to a much better world.
The two, who grew up in the Bahay Bata Centre, an orphanage in Angeles City, were saved not only by a sport, but a group of rugby buddies with incredibly big hearts.
The HK Pot Bellied Pigs started as a social rugby touring club back in 1997, but shifted its focus to charity, in part due to the Bali bombings of 2002, which claimed the lives of eight members of Hong Kong Football Club.
One of the places the Pigs first started sending funds and aid was the Bahay orphanage, along with the Philippine Rugby Football Union via its development fund. For Madrona, 22, his journey from abject poverty to his current situation is nothing short of remarkable.