Operation Smile

Paolo Mayoneta Jasa
St. John's School
Barrigada, Guam

The cast of Smokey Joe's Café cheered behind the stage's curtain, knowing we performed well to our home audience in Guam, USA. Then, we had to pack everything up to perform on a much bigger stage to a critical and music-loving audience in Cebu, Philippines, for our much anticipated "Songs for Smiles" humanitarian and performance tour!

The entire idea of the trip started when Allan Nazareno, St. John's School's Performing Arts Department Chair, talked to Ramona Alino in 2006 about a possible trip to Cebu, a southern province of the Philippines developing into a commercial and cultural hub. Ms. Alino is the executive director of the Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung Charitable Foundation, the coordinator for Operation Smile Cebu missions. Operation Smile is a world-wide charity dedicated to providing free surgical reconstruction to indigent children with facial deformities. Without surgery, they would be ostracized for their looks, making them, and their families, outcasts from society. Mr. Nazareno felt compelled to do this project because he wanted the Glee Club members to have this rare experience of helping people change their lives.

Nearly a year later, on March 20, we departed with our friends, teachers and parents aboard the flight to Cebu. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed with leis and banners. Then, it was off to the press conference where local media representatives interviewed us. Then, we joined our host families who are members of the Arts Council of Cebu, one of our trip sponsors.

We experienced the colorful culture, historical landmarks, natural wonders, and warm hospitality of the Cebuanos. But of course, we were most touched by the humanitarian aspect of the tour. Prior to the trip, we were able to raise money to fund the surgery of 53 children. While in Cebu, we spent time with our sponsored children in an amusement park, becoming their ‘angels’ for a day. Seeing our children overjoyed when we treated them like royalty was truly unforgettable.

Another tour highlight was the opportunity to perform our Broadway musical Smokey Joe's Cafe in front of a paying audience of complete strangers. Prior to the tour, Mr. Nazareno had warned us that Cebuano audiences are known to be very demonstrative in their appreciation or dislike of a performance. If they are impressed, performers will be adored like celebrities; if not, we should be ready for the worst. Thanks to the enormous effort we put in, it was a rip-roaring success, with the audience screaming for more after the curtain fell during both performances. People who saw the matinee performance even queued up again for tickets to the final show! The pandemonium after each performance was indeed a sign that they appreciated our work!

Looking back at all that we have achieved, I am glad I was part of it. All in all, it was the best nine days I've ever experienced as a high-school performer and definitely one I would remember for a long time.