Group to launch fundraising for kids with cleft conditions

CEBU, Philippines — Operation Smile Philippines is bringing together the business community, sports enthusiasts, families, and corporate partners through two major fundraising events to provide life-changing surgeries and comprehensive cleft care to Filipino children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial differences.

Leading the fundraising campaign are the Fundraising Gala Night on August 8, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom of Nustar Resort Cebu, and the two-day Pickleball Fundraising Tournament on October 17-18, 2026, at The Courts of Cebu.

The gala night will officially launch the campaign and is expected to gather business leaders, philanthropists, healthcare advocates, corporate partners, and members of the community in support of Operation Smile Philippines.

Guests will enjoy a curated four-course dinner, live entertainment, and a charity auction, with proceeds directly benefiting the organization’s mission of providing free surgeries and comprehensive care to children with cleft conditions.

Marylou Ngo, one of the organizers, said the gala is more than an evening of elegance and entertainment.

“It is an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by children born with cleft conditions while encouraging individuals and companies to become partners in transforming lives through quality healthcare,” Ngo said.

Perl Arienza, another organizer, said the fundraising campaign will continue with the two-day pickleball tournament, which is expected to be one of Cebu’s biggest team pickleball events.

Rnell Arsenal, coach of The Courts of Cebu, said around 56 teams and approximately 360 athletes are expected to compete on eight courts from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on both days.

On the first day, October 17, the tournament will feature the Corporate Team Challenge and the Smiles Club Team Championships, bringing together companies, business organizations, professionals, executives, and pickleball clubs.

On October 18, families, friends, community organizations, workplaces, and pickleball enthusiasts will compete in the Family & Friends Team Championship.

According to the organizers, the tournament is designed not only to promote one of the country’s fastest-growing sports but also to demonstrate how recreation and community involvement can create meaningful social impact by helping children receive life-changing medical treatment.

For decades, Operation Smile Philippines has provided free reconstructive surgeries for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial differences. However, free surgery is only one part of the organization’s mission.

Emiliano Romano of Operation Smile Philippines said that through its Comprehensive Cleft Care Program, the organization provides continuous multidisciplinary treatment before, during, and after surgery.

The program includes patient assessment, reconstructive surgery, anesthesia, nursing care, nutrition services, dental and orthodontic treatment, speech therapy, psychosocial support, and long-term follow-up care to help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

“Every child deserves the chance to smile with confidence. Through the generosity of our sponsors, participants, donors, and guests, we hope to give more children access to surgeries and comprehensive medical care that can transform their lives,” said Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung, one of the pioneering philanthropists behind Operation Smile Philippines’ work in Cebu.

Yeung appealed to the public to support the twin fundraising events, saying the proceeds will help provide free surgeries and comprehensive aftercare for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial differences.

Romano said the organization hopes to raise at least P50 million through the gala night to provide free surgeries and comprehensive cleft care for 3,000 children.

He added that the long-term goal of the fundraising campaign is to help establish a Comprehensive Cleft Care Center in Cebu City, enabling more children in the Visayas and nearby regions to receive specialized, multidisciplinary treatment closer to home.