Ben's the go-to man for Philippines' football team
He's the Philippines U-23 national football team's liaison officer, tour guide and even water boy
For the next three weeks, Benjamin Lim will be the go-to guy for the Philippines Under-23 national football team here at the 2015 South-east Asian (SEA) Games.
While his official title is liaison officer, Lim (above) will have to perform a whole list of other roles all at once, including ensuring the team have a pitch to train on, being a tour guide and even occasionally helping out as a water boy.
These are just some of the tasks that will keep the 30-year-old busy in the coming weeks, as the SEA Games volunteer seeks to ensure his 29 guests from the Philippines have an enjoyable and problem-free stay in Singapore.
"I've been with the Philippines team since Tuesday after they arrived from the airport and will be helping them until the end of the tournament," he told the New Paper yesterday, on the sidelines of the team's training session at the Serangoon Stadium.
"Basically, we're here to help with any information that they may need, be it where the dining area at the hotel is, or where they might find something in particular if they need to do some shopping.
"I also try to help in any way I can, like making sure they have a field to train on and that there is enough water for the players.
"I just have to make sure they don't think I'm a spy for Singapore!"
Drawn in Group A alongside hosts Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia, not many have given the Philippines a chance of advancing to the semi-finals.
However, in his brief interaction thus far with head coach Marlon Maro, Lim believes the team aren't just here to make up the numbers.
"The mood in the team has been good, as you would expect with a bunch of young boys," he added.
"There has been a noisy and fun atmosphere, but you can see the head coach is here to do well.
"He is a serious man and he puts the team above everything else."
As for what he hopes to achieve from volunteering at the Games, Lim, a student at the Singapore Institute of Management, explained: "I'm currently on my term break, so I just thought this would be a good way to spend my free time.
"I'm looking forward to the experience and to learn new things.
"I think not many people realise that it isn't an easy job, but I just want to help out in whatever I can, and who knows where this could lead to in the future."
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