Junrey Balawing

MEET Junrey Balawing, the Filipino who is about to become the world’s smallest man – and a huge star.

At just 22 INCHES high, the 17-year-old is tinier than a one-year-old.

When he turns 18 on June 12, he will take the title – smashing five inches off the current record.

The titchy teen has not grown since his first birthday, struggles to walk and cannot stand up for long.

But he beams with pride when talking about his likely world record.

He said: “If I were the smallest man in the world, it would be very cool.”

Junrey lives with his parents and three younger – but taller – siblings in a village in a remote region of the Phillipines’ Zamboanga del Norte province.

He has to stay at home with his mum, Concepcion, while his sisters Jaycel, 13, and Jeanritch, six, and 11-year-old brother Jay-art go to school.

Concepcion, 35, says: “He needs my care every minute of every day. Junrey can only walk with some help and he can’t stand for too long because he’s in too much pain.”

His parents carry him around much of the time. Blacksmith dad Reynaldo, 37, works away for most of the week but when he is home Junrey enjoys sitting on his shoulders and going for a wander in the village.

Concepcion noticed her son’s growth was stunted as he neared his second birthday.

She said: “He was always sick and we noticed he wasn’t growing so we took him to see a doctor but they were baffled.”

When Junrey was 12 the same doctor advised the family to give him vitamins – but they could not afford them.

Despite his size, Junrey has a healthy appetite, tucking in to chunks of breads and corn. His fading green and white birth certificate – proving he was born in 1993 – takes pride of place in the family home.

He has learnt to write and draw and, when he can, he helps out at the family’s basic yet comfortable farmhouse, feeding their chicken.

Concepcion added: “I would love to be able to work while my other children are at school but I can’t leave Junrey.

“But he loves it when I tell him he’s the smallest man in the world, he just smiles with pride.”

The current title holder is Khagendra Thapa Magar, of Nepal, who is 26.4in tall.

Even before winning the record, Khagendra, born in a remote village, had become a household name on the Indian subcontinent.

He turned 18 in October, taking the title from 27in Edward Nino Hernandez – who had only been awarded it eight days before.

The battle for the title had begun after the previous record-holder He Pingping from China died of a heart attack aged 21 in March last year.