Postscript to Opsmile Mission – Cebu

Operation Smile International and Operation Smile Philippines volunteers came to Cebu for the 11th time last February 21. Immediately after their arrival, they were whisked off to the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino and Cebu City Marriott Hotel where their stay was all courtesy of the two beautiful hotels in Cebu City. Our thanks to GM Marco Protacio of Waterfront and GM Roy Abraham of Marriott Hotel for their generosity to accommodate all the volunteers to their hotels, foreign and local, who unselfishly dedicated their time and effort to help the many underprivileged children with cleft lips and palates.

The next day after the volunteers arrived, Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Charitable Foundation, Inc. chairman Kit Yeung and husband Carlos hosted a welcome dinner at their home for all the volunteers, foreign and local. This year’s mission was headed by Plastic Surgeon Dr. Sonny Santos and Dr. Willy Go, anesthesiologist. The volunteers, numbering some 120, did a wonderful job in doing 198 cleft lips and palates (operation) and venue or site of this mission was the usual hospitable and accommodating hospital...the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) headed by Dr. Gerardo Aquino, Chief of Hospital.

As always, so many hearts were touched that countless donors came to support the mission like Quito and Susan Farrarons from London, Philippine Airlines Foundation, City of Cebu for always lending two buses for transpo of volunteers, Gov. Gwen Garcia of the Province of Cebu, Julie Gandionco, Chowking, Coca Cola Export, Dunkin Donuts, Rico’s Lechon, Mama Gie, Norkies Group of Companies, Cafe Laguna, Juan Mercado and wife Lydia and family, Nandy Sarda, St. Joseph’s School of Tumon, Guam, Maitland Smith Cebu, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Carey, Hans and Vivian Reichle, Linda Ouano, Harry and Liz Byun, Mr. Park Chung, Mrs. Lucy Schultz, Mr. and Mrs. Keyes Terence, Via Hoffmann, Engr. Cocoy Enriquez, and many others.

But what touched our hearts most was little Jenny Byun who came to the hospital bringing with her the piggy bank she had for many years which she gave all the contents including the piggy bank to OPSmile. Mariquita Yeung, misty-eyed, accepted the girl’s donation and hugged her for the gesture. At the hospital conference room where this took place, Jenny received a defeaning applause from the doctors and nurses who too, had lumps in their throats.

To all those who came to help Operation Smile mission in Cebu, we can only say from the bottom of our hearts “Thank you very much and God bless you all!”