ASUS Philippines first began its partnership with Operation Smile Philippines at the much-anticipated launch of the ZenFone 4 Series in the local market last August 19, 2017. In line with its hero tagline, “We Love Selfie & Wefie,” the campaign was entitled #4theSmile, which wishes to bring smiles to Filipinos who are affected by cleft lips and cleft palates by using selfies and wefies as a donation.
Beginning with the ZenFone 4 series, then expanding the #4theSmile campaign to the whole of the ZenFone family, and subsequently to every selfie and wefie taken, each selfie and wefie with the titular hashtag posted publicly on social media is a piso donation that will support a medical mission of Operation Smile Philippines. Furthermore, ASUS Philippines has pulled out all stops to reach the magnanimous amount of 1,300,000 selfies and wefies combined in order provide the sufficient donation that can mount the medical mission.
The tech company has certainly given all its best effort—from finding influencers who are supportive of the cause, to sharing the campaign with students during their many campus tours, internal employee campaigns, and promoter programs, which activate in-store activities that ask the help of willing guests to actually donate to the campaign. While still thousands away from the target, ASUS Philippines has been steadfastly committed in gifting smiles this holiday season—starting with the 218 patients, young and old, in Iloilo city, which is the biggest and most crucial mission of Operation Smile Philippines in the last 5 years.
The said medical mission was held in the heart of Iloilo city—the QualiMed Hospital in Mundurriao, a healthcare facility founded by the Mercado General Hospital, Inc. (MGHI) in partnership with Ayala Land, Inc.. The ASUS Philippines team together with media, of both lifestyle and tech, spent 2 days helping the organization as hands-on volunteers to the patients whose lives will inevitably be changed by the mission.
“When the selfie phenomenon started, it was easily deemed done for vanity’s sake. But here at ASUS Philippines, we believe differently. Our selfies and wefies are manifestations of self-love and love in general — and love is something to be shared with the rest of the world,” said Product Marketer for ASUS ZenFones, Mike Santos. “It was difficult, but it was definitely an amazing and humbling journey – to begin change by starting with our ZenFones and to see it bear fruit now.”
Christine Lu, Director of Programs for Operation Smile Philippines, happily received the donation of P700,000.00 in behalf of Operation Smile Philippines.
“At Operation Smile, it’s all about the team. The team of doctors and nurses working tirelessly in the operating room, the team of parents, grandparents, family, and community members who pool together to bring our patients to the point of care. The team of generous hearts, just like everyone at ASUS, who are willing to step outside themselves and give for the benefit of others,” Lu shares. “We virtually could not do what we do without this team mentality. We are humbled and thankful to ASUS as an official member of this team, working together to change the lives of kids living with cleft lip and cleft palate in the Philippines.”
ASUS Philippines, however, has openly shared that they will not stop at the cheque presentation. Everyone is still invited to participate in the #4theSmile campaign as the partnership to raise 1,300,000 selfies and wefies continues until January 2018.
ASUS Philippines’ Country Manager, George Su proudly claims, “Our giving does not end as soon as the photo opps finishes. It is only the beginning of a journey towards a brighter future. We will continue to share as long as we have have the support for it—so, grab a ZenFone now because every selfie and every wefie still counts.”
