MANILA, Philippines – Property giant Megaworld has simultaneously opened Reindeer Parks in seven townships across the country.
Santa Claus may be the man renowned to cheer kids with presents, but who helps him do the painstaking task of delivering each special gift to make sure that all children get a smile on their face during the happiest time of the year? The reindeer.
This Christmas season, Megaworld, the country’s leader and pioneer in developing integrated urban townships, transformed its various townships into Reindeer Parks filled with reindeer displays made of wooden cut-outs in different sizes, depending on the amount of donation.
Megaworld’s executives, employees, residents, BPO office partners and commercial tenants adopted their own reindeer, which they themselves painted and decorated last November in Megaworld’s participating townships.
Around 300 reindeer were installed in various Megaworld integrated urban townships such as McKinley West and McKinley Hill in Fort Bonifacio; Eastwood City in Quezon City; Newport City in Pasay City; Southwoods City at the boundaries of Laguna and Cavite; The Mactan Newtown in Cebu.
Through the help of Megaworld’s CSR arm, Megaworld Foundation, the company is helping deliver to kids a very invaluable gift – the gift of a smile. The proceeds of the purchased reindeers were handed over to Operation Smile Philippines Foundation, which gives free surgery to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children throughout the country.
Within a month since it was launched, the project was able to raise more than P4 million for the children of Operation Smile.
“The Reindeer Park project is very well participated. This would not be possible without the people who have the heart to share their blessings with those in need,” says Francis Canuto, president of Megaworld Foundation.
Studies show that a child is born with a cleft approximately every two and a half minutes. A cleft is an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth or the soft tissue in the back of the mouth. It causes ear disease and dental problems, as well as difficulty in speech development and eating. But it can be repaired through surgery.
“Although many patients with facial afflictions have already received help, twice as many still need help. This is why we want to thank Megaworld for their initiative to help the children of Operation Smile Philippines,” says Gian Trebol, executive director, Operation Smile Philippines.
Simultaneously with the start of painting and decorating the giant reindeer was the country’s first-ever celebration of Smile Day Philippines, which Operation Smile Philippines hopes to celebrate every year with Megaworld townships leading the national event.