Smile Train turns LRT-1 commutes into ‘Biyaheng Ngiti’ for World Smile Day
Smile Train brought its Smile Wall to LRT-1 EDSA, Vito Cruz, and FPJ stations for World Smile Day, spotlighting children born with cleft lip and palate.
COMMUNITYHEALTH & WELLNESS
10/10/20262 min read
Smile Train marked World Smile Day on Oct. 2 by turning three LRT-1 stations into places where commuters could stop mid-rush and share what makes them smile. The nonprofit set up its “Smile Wall" at the EDSA, Vito Cruz, and FPJ stations, as part of a campaign called Biyaheng Ngiti (Filipino for a journey of smiles) that also raises awareness for children born with cleft lip and cleft palate.
The interactive installation invited passersby to leave messages, drawings, and personal reflections on what makes them smile. It builds on Smile Train’s global World Smile Day initiative, which celebrates the power of a smile while rallying support for children born with cleft lips and palates. For people hurrying to work, school, appointments, or home, the ask was simple: stop, smile, and share what brings you joy.
The message goes deeper than a pleasant pause. For children born with a cleft lip, a cleft palate, or both, the challenges extend beyond the physical. Stigma, bullying, and self-consciousness can shape how they see themselves and how comfortable they feel around others. By taking the campaign to the daily commute, Smile Train hopes to make cleft awareness part of everyday conversation and encourage people to look past a smile to the experiences and possibilities behind it.
“A smile can be something we all share, but for a child born with a cleft, feeling confident enough to smile can be influenced by how the people around them see and treat them,” said John Manuel Flores, Smile Train’s area director for Southeast Asia. “Through the Smile Wall, we want to remind everyone that creating a more accepting world begins with small acts of empathy like listening, understanding, and making space for every child to feel that they belong.”
The campaign also gains weight from World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10. This year’s World Health Organization theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” calls for listening to people’s lived experiences and letting those voices shape the communities and support systems around them.
To learn more or get involved, message Smile Train Philippines on Facebook or Instagram. Anyone can also refer patients to Smile Train to connect them with comprehensive cleft care and support throughout their treatment.
Smile Train trains, funds, and equips local medical professionals to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children around the world. Its sustainable, scalable model improves children’s ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive, so donations make both an immediate and a long-term difference. Learn more at smiletrain.org.