WHEN HOPE SHINES THROUGH THE STORM

When Typhoon Wuan battered the Bicol region over the weekend with fierce winds and torrential rain, hope appeared in the most unexpected way. In the heart of Legazpi, Albay, while communities huddled against the storm, Watsons and Operation Smile pressed on with their mission — to bring healing and confidence to children born with cleft conditions. Undeterred by the weather, they turned what could have been a day of despair into one of compassion and courage.

- By LAI S. REYES

A total of 35 Watsons local volunteers, together with AS Watson officers and volunteers from Superdrug – the UK's leading health, beauty, and wellness retail brand under the AS Watson Group – joined forces in the mission.

A HOMECOMING MISSION

Watsons and Operation Smile teamed up with Daraga Doctors' Hospital in the Bicol region - the place where Operation Smile first began its work in the Philippines. More than a continuation of a partnership, this event was a homecoming: a celebration of lives changed, communities inspired, and smiles restored.

"This mission holds deep personal significance for our team - it truly feels like coming home," said Dr. Gerardo Ocampo, lead cleft surgeon at Operation Smile Philippines. "Our connection here dates back to 1982, when the founders first came to Naga. They met hundreds of children in need of surgery, but could only operate on about 40 due to limited resources."

PARTNERS IN COMPASSION