Press Release
Smart, Asian Spirit Support Operation Smile
[May 27, 2008/ MANILA ] - Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) and Asian Spirit turned over close to P600,000 to Operation Smile Philippines, money raised from a three-month in-flight collection drive initiated by the two corporations early this year.
From February until the end of April 2008, the two companies mounted a fund-raising campaign on board Asian Spirit’s domestic and international flights in support of Operation Smile Philippines’ medical missions to help Filipino children with cleft lip or cleft palate, or both.
“Not only does Operation Smile want to change lives and provide the same exact care that patients can get in the best hospitals in the world, but its objective is also to give people ownership and let them know they’ve helped children. We have to make people believe in the spirit of humanitarian care, “ said Operation Smile Founder and Chief Executive Officer William P. Magee, Jr. The turnover was held to coincide with Magee’s one-day visit to the Philippines.
“Let’s change the face of the Philippines, let’s be smart,” he added.
Operation Smile Philippines Executive Director said that the funds raised will benefit about 40 Filipino children.
“Smart and Asian Spirit are providing boundless possibilities to the children who will be fortunate enough to be beneficiaries of this considerable amount generously given by Asian Spirit’s passengers and Smart’s subscribers, partners and affiliates. Imagine what these children can do when they grow up,” he added.
“The success of the loose change drive confirms that despite prevailing economic difficulties, people are still willing to give – from our subscribers and passengers to corporations like Asian Spirit, who share our goal of strengthening our role as a socially responsible corporate citizen,” said Smart Public Affairs Head Ramon R. Isberto.
Asian Spirit’s new President and CEO Ambassador Alfredo Yao said, “I can only imagine how children with cleft lip and other facial deformities feel. Being able to help change their disposition in life even just through this in-flight collection drive, can drive home the message to other organizations and people how privileged we are.”
“As Dr. Magee expressed, we should celebrate the ownership of helping those in need,” he added.
The funds raised will be used to support medical missions that will benefit Filipino children with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities, and other initiatives to promote sustainability and capacity-building among Operation Smile’s 26 partner countries.
Magee, a leading facial and craniofacial surgeon, founded Operation Smile in 1982 with wife Kathleen. He heads the non-profit volunteer medical services organization providing reconstructive surgery and related healthcare to indigent children and young adults in developing countries and the United States. With the support of various partners worldwide, Operation Smile is fulfilling its mission of changing children’s lives. A 45-minute surgery can dramatically change the look and outlook of disadvantaged cleft children and deeply touches the lives of their families almost instantly.
Operation Smile currently supports international and local, in-country medical missions to 26 countries. Since the first medical mission in 1982, more than 115,000 children and young adults have been treated by thousands of volunteers worldwide and thousands of healthcare professionals have been trained globally. For as little as Php15,000, Operation Smile can change a child's life via the gift of surgery. Revenue in excess of surgical costs is invested into the organization’s sustainability programs, empowering partner countries to treat more children on their own.
Aside from the Philippines, Operation Smile partner countries include Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gaza Strip/West Bank, Honduras, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
The fund-raising campaign of Smart and Asian Spirit involved a loose change drive, accepting any currency from Asian Spirit passengers. This entailed the distribution of donation envelopes on every flight and turning over all the donations to Operation Smile Philippines at the end of the campaign period.
For more information on Operation Smile, you may visit their website at http://www.operationsmile.org.