Aligned with the key pillars of its mission to enrich lives and build communities, Security Bank participated in Operation Smile’s medical mission to provide surgical and comprehensive care for cleft patients at the Narra Municipal Hospital in Palawan City.
The mission, led by OSP, in partnership with Security Bank, Coral Bay Nickel Corporation, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation, and Colgate-Palmolive Philippines sent 48 specialist cleft care volunteers, including surgeons, pediatricians, anesthesiologists, orthodontists, nurses, and speech pathologists to administer the treatments needed.
“Since 2020, Security Bank has been a partner that we can always count on. Its mission of BetterBanking goes beyond financial services. It also supports the advocacies of various non-government organizations such as Operation Smile, whose ultimate goal is to improve the lives of Filipinos who are suffering from cleft conditions,” says Emiliano Romano, Operation Smile Philippines Executive Director.
Security Bank and OSP have been working together to elevate the quality of life of those suffering from cleft conditions. Their joint initiatives have included cleft awareness campaigns, the Nutrition Pilot Program, and the First Swing for Smiles Golf tournament.
“We applaud Operation Smile’s 40 years of helping Filipinos in need of cleft treatments. OSPs programs are very much aligned with our advocacies, which include health and wellness. We’re proud to support OSP and make a difference in the communities where we operate,” says Sanjiv Vohra, president and CEO at Security Bank.
In 2022, Security Bank donated PHP1.4 million to OSP to build 14 consultation rooms at the Cebu Comprehensive Cleft Care Center of Excellence. The rooms will benefit 10,000 patients over the next five years, allowing for an environment that will foster safe and quality cleft surgery and care. OSP targets construction completion by end-2023.
Operation Smile founders Dr. William Magee and his wife, Kathleen Magee, put up the dedicated cleft care organization in 1982, following a medical mission the year prior in Naga City, where they saw the gravity of the oral cleft situation. Operation Smile is now present in 41 countries and has treated over 300,000 children with cleft conditions, including 33,000 in the Philippines.
To know more about Security Bank’s partnership with Operation Smile Philippines and its other sustainability initiatives, you may visit www.securitybank.com/sustainability