Operation Smile sets huge, 5-site cleft surgery mission in PH

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750 indigent children expected to benefit

Operation Smile, a global children’s charity organization, is mounting a five-site medical mission in the Philippines to provide free reconstructive surgery to 750 indigent Filipinos with cleft lip and cleft palate over a period of nine days, commencing on the country’s independence day on June 12 up to the 20th.

In a joint statement, Operation Smile, Inc. co-founder and president Kathleen Magee and Operation Smile Philippines president Wigbert Funtanilla said multinational teams of cleft care professionals will hold simultaneous surgeries at the Ricardo Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Bacolor, Pampanga; Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila; Adventist Hospital in Cebu City; Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital in Bacolod City; and Brokenshire Hospital in Davao City.

Oral cleft is one of the country’s leading congenital defects, afflicting one in every 500 newborns or a total of 5,000 Filipinos every year. Of the estimated 140,000 born with the defect between 1982 and 2014, around 100,000 are still awaiting surgery.

The highly debilitating deformity disfigures the afflicted and impairs their normal speech. If they are not treated early, they are likely to lose their self-worth and become recluses and outcasts.

Operation Smile aims to attend to and eventually eradicate the backlog of cleft cases in the Philippines and ensure that new ones receive treatment before they turn one year old.

“Local resources alone will not suffice to achieve this tall goal at the moment so we are tapping the Operation Smile international network, via this annual mega mission, to augment our effort,” Funtanilla said.

“We have committed to help in any way we can,” Magee said. “We owe it to the Filipino people, whose ‘bayanihan’ spirit inspired us to grow Operation Smile into the global movement that it is today, mobilizing volunteers of different nationalities to treat cleft children of all colors and creeds – this is our gift and tribute to them.”

Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker, said she and husband, Dr. William, a plastic surgeon, established Operation Smile in 1982 following a medical mission in Naga City where they first saw the gravity of the cleft problem and the willingness of ordinary folks to help. 

“We came to treat 40 children and saw ten times that number waiting for us at the hospital; we had to turn back hundreds but promised them that we would return,” Magee recalled, adding that what sustained their enthusiasm during the mission and after were the people they don’t even know who dropped by the mission site to bring food and made themselves useful.

Operation Smile has been coming back to the Philippines every year since and, in 1989, helped set up Operation Smile Philippines so that quality cleft care can be delivered to indigent Filipinos year-round. 

The advocacy has spread across five continents. Operation Smile now has a corps of 5,400 highly trained, experienced and credentialed medical and non-medical volunteers from 80 countries doing missions in over 60 countries; an Operation Smile foundation similar to Operation Smile Philippines exists in 42 of those countries. 

An Operation Smile mission team usually comprises of plastic surgeons, anaesthesiologists, pediatric intensivists, paediatricians, dentists, nurses, speech pathologists, child life specialists, biomedical technicians, medical records specialists and patient imaging technicians. All are volunteers who take a leave of absence from their employment or private practice for more than a week to do pro-bono work.

The missions are mainly funded by private corporate donations. 

About Operation Smile:

Operation Smile, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is an international medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than and other facial deformities. To build long-term sufficiency in resource poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they 220,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide centers.

7-Eleven opens first store in Boracay

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7-Eleven has always given their customers what they need anytime of the day. Thanks to 7-Eleven as they make daily life easier by providing modern convenience.

Here's the great news. Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC), country licensee of the world’s leading convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, finally opened its first two stores in Aklan, located in Caticlan Jetty Port and Tourist Center, Station 3.

PSC’s grand opening celebration of its first Boracay store was held on May 29, 2015. PSC will end the year with three stores in Boracay and Aklanons can expect a total of 11 stores to open in the span of 3 years.

With all the establishments that have opened in Boracay, people may wonder, where’s our favorite convenience store? After all, Boracay is a destination that never sleeps, making it the perfect candidate for a 7-Eleven. 

“We’re excited to be in Boracay, it is a very promising market that is still growing. We are happy that 7-Eleven is the first international convenience store to open in one of the top tourist destinations in the country,” said Jose Victor Paterno, PSC President and CEO.

PSC started its operations of 7-Eleven in the Philippines in 1982 and it now has 1,372 stores to date. It recently opened its first store in Mindanao at Abreeza Mall last May 8, 2015.

Locals and tourists will now be able to enjoy the unique offerings that made the store loved by its patrons. Customers can expect to get a taste of the iconic frozen drink, Slurpee, especially in the midst of the summer heat. 

Other classics include Gulp drinks, Big Bite hotdog and siopao, as well as new offerings under the 7-Eleven brand such as Fundae ice cream and their newly launched honest-to-goodness coffee, City Blends. 

To make the grand opening more exciting, 7-Eleven is launching a special, limited edition offering exclusively for Boracay. Given that the island is one of the country’s top summer destinations, it seemed only appropriate to pay homage with the Slurpee Boracay Tub. For only P159, customers can enjoy 85oz of glorious Slurpee. The tubs come in two cute designs they can choose from. 

Bonus: The tubs are made of plastic, which means customers can collect and reuse them. Slurpee sand buckets, anyone? 

After the simultaneous expansion in the Boracay and Panay islands, PSC is also looking at potential cities like Bohol and other municipalities in Eastern Visayas to offer the convenience 7-Eleven has always given their customers.

Backroom talents in ABS-CBN’s ‘Pasion de Amor’

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ABS-CBN’s new show Pasion de Amor features two new faces: former varsity athlete turned aspiring actor and model Benj Bolivar, and Century Tuna Superbods grand winner Mauro ‘Maui’ Lumba, who join the cast of the sizzling primetime drama that airs right before TV Patrol.

Pasion de Amor, which is directed by Eric Quizon and premiered last June 1 on the Kapamilya network,is the story of love and revenge between two sets of siblings, the Samonte brothers (played by Joseph Marco, Ejay Falcon and Jake Cuenca) and the Elizondo sisters (Ellen Adarna, Arci Munoz and Coleen Garcia).

The original was first aired in 2007 and featured Mexican superstar Mario Cimarro in the lead role. In this currently-airing ‘Filipinized’ version, Benj plays the best friend and co-worker of Joseph Marco’s character.

Benj Bolivar

“The story is, I met him at this bar called Armada na owned by the family ng mga Elizondo sisters. Si Joseph, nag-applydoon. Ako ang naging best friend niya. Matagal na ako dun sa bar, kaya marami akong alam na family secrets ng magkakapatid.”

The show is Benj’s first acting assignment since Moon of Desire, which was almost a year ago. Benj was surprised when he got the callback from the show’s staff.

“Nag-audition ako, nu’ng nagpa-go-see sila ilang months ago,” he says. “Di ko nga inexpect ang callback,hanggang tinawagan nila ako at sinabing na-shortlist daw ako.”

He’s been learning a lot from his co-stars, especially Joseph Marco who, like him started out modeling until he got his big break in showbiz. He’s been advising Benj to be patient with the pace of his career.

“Ine-encourage niya ako lagi, 'wag daw ako maiinip, and to just take it one day at a time daw.” - says Benj.

But Benj’s bigger goal is to eventually make his mark as an indie film actor. He dreams of doing gritty character roles like the one done by his idol, Hollywood actor Michael McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, the Oscar-nominated film about a Texas electrician who suffers from AIDS.

According to Benj, he’d be willing to do any role or character—he’s even open to gay roles or play a serial killer—as long as what he’s asked to do is essential to the story.

“Okay lang naman sa akin, lalo kung kinakailangan talaga.”

Meanwhile, Century Tuna Superbod winner Mauro ‘Maui’ Lumba also wants to try doing character roles, and he finally gets his chance with his role in Pasion de Amor, where he plays akontrabida-type role as one of several ‘goons’ employed by the Samonte brothers as they exact revenge for the death of their sister. It might not be a major role or guarantee a lot of screen exposure, but as far as Maui is concerned, it’s a step in the right direction, acting-wise. It’s what every beginner or newbie like him dreams of.

Of course, there are still many things he longs to do to prove that there is room for him in this business. 

“Mahilig talaga ako sa mga action films and roles, actually, ang dream ko, maging action star. Gusto ko sana buhayin ‘yung action genre ulit” - says Maui, who longs to prove that there’s more to him than just his good looks and hunky body. 

Maui’s goal—aside from being an ambassador for health and wellness—is to prove that he is different and has the potential to stand out from among all the newcomers now angling for a spot in showbiz. Says Maui:

“I just want to be different just by being consistent, but ‘yung roles sana, iba-iba and not always the same. I want to be challenged in different ways. Gusto ko din na ‘yung look ko, maiba sa ibang mga artista.”

Like Benj, he’s willing to go out on a limb and take a risk with his roles and assignments. He’s excited to see what the future holds. 

“I really want to be an actor,” says Maui.

He feels that all the guidance he’s received, the workshops and training he’s attended will really help him achieve his goal.

 “Kailangan lang siyempre, tiyaga, and to be patient and believe in yourself, things will happen at the right time,” - he says philosphically.

Pasion De Amor, which premiered last June 1 before TV Patrol, is the fourth telenovela locally adapted by ABS-CBN following the successful remakes of Rubi and popular Thalia-seryes Maria La Del Barrioand Maria Mercedes. It also stars Aubrey Miles, Michelle Madrigal, Ahron Villena, Daria Ramirez, Alex Castro, AJ Dee, Ron Morales, Zeppi Borromeo, Ashley Rivera, Benj Bolivar, Nathaniel Britt, Mauro Lumba and June Macasaet.

The Nest Dining in the Sky June Specials

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Give yourself a different kind of treat as you spoil yourself at The Nest Dining in the Sky, an al fresco dining perched at the 31st floor of Vivere Hotel & Resorts, as it offers two (2) special items for the month of June.

Savor the incredible flavor of The Nest’s “BBQ Beef Rib Fingers”. Immersed in a special sweet & spicy barbecue sauce for a rich, hearty flavor, grilled to perfection, served with classic twice baked potato and homemade coleslaw for Php715/nett. 

Feed your inner child with their very own kind of “Flourless Chocolate Cake,” a luscious, fudgy, gluten-free chocolate cake baked to perfection, coupled with a sweet symphony of homemade cheesecake ice cream. Taste this confectionary masterpiece for Php275/nett.

Vivere Hotel & Resorts is located at 5102 Bridgeway Avenue, Filinvest Ciy, Alabang Muntinlupa City 1781 Philippines. Log on to www.viverehotel.com.ph or call 771-7777, for inquiries and reservations; Like and Follow @thenestalabang for regular updates.

Fruit refreshments this summer and with sexy ingredients all in one juice

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A refreshing drink is all we need to keep us cool, calm and collected the rest of the season especially this summer. It is even better if it comes with health-related benefits like energy boosting, anti-aging, whitening, and losing excess weight.

One Juice has three kinds of refreshments that not only offer a cool respite from this oppressing summer heat but also a healthy alternative to sodas and other sugary drinks. It depends on what you need.

One Juice aims to provide consumers with options wherein they will embrace a healthy, sexy lifestyle without having to go under the knife.

One Juice Guava Tea has ingredients that help keep your skin youthful and glowing.

Guava is known to help improve skin texture and elasticity. Glutathione is believed to help promote skin whitening. Collagen can help delay the signs of aging. Black tea, which is rich in anti-oxidants, helps increase your energy and metabolism. It contains stevia as well which is known to be an organic sugar substitute with zero calories.

One Juice Guyabano boasts of a unique blend of fruits and organic ingredients that will help you lose weight while staying healthy. Guyabano is said to aid the body in losing weight and increasing energy level. Mangosteen is another popular ingredient that helps you lose weight and reduce cholesterol. Wheat grass helps suppress appetite and improve digestion. Barley grass is believed to help boost immune system and balance the body's acid level. Spirulina is a dietary supplement that helps in weight loss.

One Juice Green Tea helps promote weight loss and boost energy with ingredients like green tea, a known antioxidant that helps you lose weight and reduce your risk to cancer; garcinia cambogia, which is said to be a fat blocker and appetite suppressant; and L-Carnitine, which can help increase metabolism, boost energy and lose weight.

Exclusively distributed by One Lightning Corporation. For more information, call +632 226 4111.