On the 12th anniversary of its partnership with Operation Smile (OS) Philippines, health and beauty brand Watsons went to this charming municipality to bring smiles to children with cleft lip and cleft palate. The medical mission is a collaborative effort with the Daraga Doctors Hospital ‘for kids to have a brighter future.’
Cleft lip and cleft palate, two of the most common birth defects, can occur on their own or together. According to the Mayo Clinic, ‘sometimes a syndrome may cause these birth defects. But the cause is often not known. They are openings or splits in the upper lip, the roof of the mouth [palate] or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when an unborn baby’s face and mouth are developing and the upper lip and palate don’t close fully.’
A series of surgeries and treatments can correct this defect, and the lips and palate work like they should and the baby looks much better, with only slight scarring occurring.
‘This is our third mission for the year with Operation Smile. The first two missions were in Tagum City in Davao, and in Quezon Province earlier this year. We have a total of 125 beneficiaries for the year,’ said Sharon Decapia, the SAVP for marketing, PR and sustainability of Watsons.
‘When we look back, even before naging buzzword in sustainability, back then in 2013, meron na kaming program na ito as part of our corporate social responsibility. Kasi noon, ‘yun na ‘yung programa namin. One of our purposes is to really bring smiles to our customers’ faces,’ added Decapia. ‘When we had that discussion with Operation Smile, and their mission also is to transform the lives of these children so that they are able to once again smile literally and figuratively and have a better chance at life, sabi namin talagang nagma-match. Naka-match ‘yung we have a common goal. We have a common mission.’
FROM BENEFICIARY TO COORDINATOR
FROM then on, Watsons made sure that it is committed to helping transform the lives of these beneficiaries by providing free surgeries for children with cleft lip and cleft palate conditions. Since 2013, there have been 2,500 beneficiaries.
One such beneficiary is Ramon Solas Jr., the program and center coordinator of Operation Smile Philippines who was a former patient and is now giving back so that less fortunate people like him can have that opportunity also to get operated.
‘[The partnership with Watsons] is not only for surgery, but also nutrition, dental, psycho-social, and speech therapy. So, comprehensive care. That’s why we are very much thankful to Watsons for supporting us. As a former patient, I am very happy and proud na naging part ako ng Operation Smile. That I am able to help and inspire people,’ a grateful Solas said.
‘There are times na, after surgery, may mga nanay na lumalapit sa akin: ‘Ramon, I am so proud of you. Sana ‘yung anak ko, maging katulad mo din someday na hindi na nahihiya. Hindi natatakot sa mga tao,” shared Solas. ‘So, I encourage parents to do the psycho-social support. We want to empower the patients and also their families.’
SOUTHERN COMFORT
Dr. Salvacion Macinas, medical director of the Daraga Doctors Hospitals, shared: ‘When Watsons and Operation Smile reached out to us, we wholeheartedly accepted this mission to give smiles. The hospital made sure to provide the best care to our beneficiaries. We were able to buy new beds and assigned dedicated nurses to help during the mission. We deeply appreciate Watsons and Operation Smile for this initiative because they not only help families but also overcome financial barriers for life-changing operations making genuine transformation possible,’
OSP’s Cleft Surgeon Team Lead Dr. Gerard Ocampo underscored, ‘This mission holds deep personal significance for our Operation Smile team. It truly feels like coming home. Our connection here dates back to 1982, when Operation Smile’s founders, an American doctor-couple, started.’
UNIVERSAL SMILE
THE inspiring mission, even with the looming threat of Supertyphoon Uwan on November 7 and 8, attracted employees from both the head office and local stores to actively volunteer, assisting with missions, patient education, and extending care to families. Volunteers from Superdrug, the UK’s health, beauty, and wellness retail brand under the AS Watson Group, also flew to Daraga, via the Bicol International Airport, to assist.
One beautiful volunteer was Miss Universe Asia 2024 Chelsea Ann Manalo, who shared:
‘I’ve been doing this since even before Miss Universe. I started helping and volunteering work in the orphanage. And then I’ve always done this even outside of the media because I feel like that’s how you should really help.
‘I felt happy seeing the kids because I knew that these children, they’re going to change. They really have smiles. I think that’s the mission of Watsons, giving smiles to these children.’
BUILDING LIFETIME CONFIDENCE
Decapio further explained: ‘It doesn’t end with surgery. Kailangan may psycho-social support so that the confidence level, of course, hindi maaalis, di ba? If you have that condition, as we have witnessed with a lot of patients, nagkakaroon din sila ng inferiority, naiiyak sila. Sometimes, they experience getting bullied in school or with their peers. So, iyon ‘yung mga nakakalungkot na reality.
‘But because it’s a full program, bibigyan natin ang chance na magkaroon sila ng confidence kung mag-rejoin society as a contributing member of it. So, ‘yun din ‘yung isa sa mga reasons bakit Watsons is really supportive of this program because more than just providing health and beauty products to our customers, we feel that it goes beyond that.
‘We really want to help uplift the overall wellness of Filipinos, uplift their lives because we feel that if you help an individual, you help the community, you help the family, and then it uplifts the quality of living of everyone.’