Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — After a cultural tour in Davao and Baguio cities, some Miss Universe candidates spent their Friday morning with cleft lip and palate patients at a hospital in Parañaque City.
The international beauties also conducted an empowerment workshop with patients who had surgery.
“I’ve been listening to their stories and they tell me that their life has changed after the surgery because they have been through bullying, they’ve been crying sharing their stories,” said Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier.
Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach also advised parents of children with cleft lip and palate to seek funding assistance from foundations.
“Kung medyo nahihirapan tayo sa pagbayad ng operasyon meron po talagang mga foundation na libre po talaga tulad po nitong Smile Train kaya hanapin niyo lang po online, very welcoming sila at actually naghahanap pa sila ng mga pasyente because they can accommodate more,” she said.
[Translation: If you cannot afford the cost of the operation, there are a lot of foundations like Smile Train which can shoulder the expenses. Look it up online, they are very welcoming and they’re actually looking for more patients because they can accommodate more.]
Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that often result in difficulty in eating, breathing and speaking. According to international children’s charity Smile Train, one in every 700 children worldwide is born with cleft lip and palate. It is the leading birth defect in many developing countries.
The visit at the Our Lady of Peace Hospital is a pre-pageant activity before the coronation on January 30.
CNN Philippines’ correspondent Nicolette Henson-Hizon contributed to this report.
