MANILA, Philippines, September 26, 2011 – The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), and its wholly-owned subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement to support Operation Smile Philippines’ “500 Smile Run”. 

PLDT and Smart are donating P2.2M in support of the activity, which aims to raise public awareness and generate funds for the surgery of indigent children and young adults with facial cleft deformities during Operation Smile’s 30th anniversary missions in the Philippines next year.

“PLDT and Smart are our long-standing partners and we're very grateful for their support all these years," says Joaquin "Jajo" Quintos. He adds that the support covers both funding assistance and “expertise”, since PLDT and Smart President and CEO Napoleon Nazareno is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Operation Smile Philippines.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary on November 2012, Operation Smile will “journey home” to the Philippines, the country that gave birth to what is now a worldwide charity organization, to give the gift of life-changing surgery to 1,500 children and young adults in the surgical missions that it intends to conduct simultaneously for 10 days in 8 different sites across the country. Medical and non-medical volunteers from over 60 different countries are expected to participate in the event.

Photo shows PLDT and Smart President Napoleon Nazareno and Public Affairs Group Head Ramon Isberto (second and first from right), handing over a check to Operation Smile Philippines Board Chairman Joaquin Quintos and President and Executive Director Roberto Manzano (second and first from left).