GMA analyst Heydarian included in 10 Outstanding Young Persons of the World list

GMA resident analyst Richard Heydarian and nurse/educator Ronivin Pagtakhan were the two Filipinos honored by the Junior Chamber International as among 2018's Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (JCI TOYP).

The JCI TOYP, which yearly honors ten outstanding young people under the age of 40 who create sustainable impact in their communities, characterized Heydarian as a leading global expert on security issues across Asia who had "few peers when it comes to bringing us to an understanding of… the most geopolitically dynamic part of the globe.”

The Filipino global affairs expert was lauded for his service as a non-partisan policy advisor and socially-engaged scholar who explored the most pressing political and socio-economic challenges of our time.

Pagtakhan was meanwhile honored for the service he provided by compassionately answering people's health questions through social media platforms.

The Filipino nurse also created the "LoveYourself" organization, which "bridges gaps in the HIV continuum of care by scaling up HIV testing, linking diagnosed persons with treatment and counseling, and creating a community that has led to reduced loss of life."

LoveYourself clinics usually served 120 clients daily and contributed 17% of the Philippines’ newly diagnosed HIV reports.

Also included in the 2018 list of  JCI TOYP were:

• Dr. Dima Al-Naeb, Syria;
• Cornel Amariei, Romania;
• Ganjavkhlan Chadraabal, Mongolia;
• Melissa Johns, United Kingdom;
• Dr. Kamal Lamichhane, Nepal;
• Dr. Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil, Turkey;
• Azzam Sheikh Alsouq, Syria; and
• Jacinta Uramah, Nigeria.

— DVM, GMA News