Filipino are widely known as happy people who delight anyone’s heart with their beautiful smiles. But if they become the laughing stocks of other because of being toothless, that’s another story. The First Couple realized their needs. It has been their shared commitment to reach out to the indigents with dental problems, bothered by the fact that a lot of people are so-called “bungal o bungi”.

Thus, given the challenge to carry out this mission, the First Gentleman launched the “Bagong Ngiti sa dating Ngebu” on October 27, 2004, initially benefiting the toothless vendors from Quinta Market in Quiapo, Manila.

“Mas matindi pa sa saki ng ngipin ang sakit na dulot ng panungutya ng kapwa sa isang bunge. Sa araw-araw na paggising mo, kahit saan ka pumunta, ikaw ay pagtatawanan o di naman ay ikinahihiya. Talagang magpapsalamat ako sa proyekto ng Unang Ginoo, napakalaking tulong ito para sa amin” stresses Aling Nitz, a market vendor.

Another project beneficiary stressed, “Ngayon mas may confidence na akong humarap sa mga customer ko ditto sa palengke. Nangangahulugan ito na mas gaganda ang benta ko dahil hindi na ako nahihiyang makipag-usap sa mga mamimili”.

Funded from the First Gentleman’s private funds through the First Gentleman Foundation, the project later served other toothless vendors in Bustillos Market in Sampaloc, Manila and Murphy Market in Quezon City.

Realizing that many other people who are at the forefront of public service also share the same dental problem, the First Gentleman expanded the project’s service outreach to include uniformed military and police personnel, the Presidential Security Group, employees and utility workers of the Philippine General Hospital, traffic enforces and metro aides of the Metro Manila Development Authority, employees and park attendants at the Rizal Park and Mt. Makiling in UP-Los Banos.

Other recent beneficiaries of the project include workers under the Kalsada Natin, Alagaan Natin (KNAN) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in National Capital Region, members of the National Press Club and other mediamen, taxicab drivers and indigent residents of Ifugao, Pampanga, Bohol, Cebu, Isabela and also the soldiers in Manila, Cebu, Palawan, Basilan and Zamboanga.

To date, about 10,000 people in different areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao benefited from “Bagong Ngiti sa Dating Ngebu”.