Pinoy celebrities spark #BetterWorld conversation online

Editor’s note: Through Smart’s “Live Smarter for a Better World” campaign, these personalities became more vocal about their advocacies and their hope for the future. Below is their story.

From running a marathon and dedicating this triumph to Filipino children to being an advocate for self-love, Filipino celebrities and influencers are doing their part for a better world. 

No advocacy or movement is too big or too small for these over 100 celebrities who have jumped on the movement for change. 

Spurred by the “Live Smarter for a Better World” campaign of leading mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc., Anne Curtis-Smith, Mimiyuuuh, Sarah Geronimo, Matteo Guidicelli, Ben&Ben, Wil Dasovich, Alodia Gosiengfiao and many others have initiated thought-provoking online conversations with their followers and fans on how to make the world a better place. 

“I’ve been able to defer my entry to the Tokyo Marathon, if things are better, to next year and I plan to dedicate it to the children of the Philippines again,” said Curtis-Smith on Instagram. 

For her last international marathon, the actress helped raise funds for the Filipino youth, a sector that she has a soft spot for especially now that she herself is a mom to baby Dahlia. 

For Dahlia’s first birthday, Anne put up a fundraising page and urged her supporters to donate cash for Unicef Philippines. Whatever money is to be raised will be used to help mothers and children. 

“Not all children and mothers have access to the information or essentials needed to ensure both mother and child are healthy and happy. There’s nothing I wish more than for all children to be given the best start in life,” said Curtis-Smith. 

The actress’s effort has so far raised over P600,000. 

“The #BetterWorld campaign wants to inspire people to commit to sustainable actions with lasting, positive impact [on] society,” said Alfredo Panlilio, Smart Communications’ president and CEO. 

“It’s all about personal revolutions and advocacies. When an individual pursues their advocacy and inspires other people to also follow, it becomes a collective. It becomes more powerful. In that sense, everyone can become a hero,” said Lloyd Manaloto, Smart FVP for Corporate Marketing and Strategy. 

Actor and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli’s advocacy is fitness. “Physical activity is extremely important in molding one’s character. I believe sport and an active lifestyle [benefit] us all.” 

“Through travel vlogs and now my podcast, I have been trying to promote the importance of little things like this and organizations that help communities with this cause,” said Wil Dasovich. 

A nature lover, Dasovich hopes that Philippine schools will have environmental and health subjects so that children will grow up to love nature more. 

Gaming video creator Dexie Diaz is an animal lover who believes that every little act of kindness, such as leaving food and water outside her house for strays, helps. 

For Mimiyuuh, acceptance is a big step toward self-love. “You are more than your insecurities,” she told her 1.7 million followers on Instagram. 

Giving back is cosplayer and content creator Alodia Gosiengfiao’s way of making the world better. “You will never know whose life you will touch and how you can change their lives,” she said. 

TV personality and host Luis Manzano loves the ocean so it’s not surprising that he works with WWF-Philippines to help spread awareness about trash in the sea. 

In turn, he challenged others, “What are you prepared to do to make the world better?”  

TikTok creator and radio jock Sammi Borro’s love for surfing and the ocean encouraged her to learn more about marine pollution and wildlife. This led to her being an advocate for environmental conservation.  

Medical student and content creator Sofia Valdes wants to help and heal others. “My mom always told me that having the heart and the passion is what matters most. To help my countrymen, hopefully, [saving] lives in the future and [having] the hands that heal are my ultimate goals. I know it’s still a long way, but hopefully, my small efforts count in making the world a better place.” 

Through “Live Smarter for a Better World,” Smart hopes that advocacies and beliefs will spark collective action. 

The campaign’s message is that anybody can become a hero. 

As a company and a brand, Smart has helped thousands of students and teachers cope with distance learning and using technology, aided farmers in improving their harvests and livelihood. 

In 2020 alone, Smart, with the help of PLDT and private groups and companies, deployed 86 School-in-a-Bag packages to the country’s hardest-to-reach barangays. The School-in-a-Bag helps provide access to technology, connectivity, and content via a giant backpack filled with a laptop and pocket WiFi for the teacher and 10-20 tablets for the students, all pre-loaded with interactive, multimedia content accessible even when offline. 

As Smart continues to effect change in the telco industry and the Philippine business and education landscape, it urges its subscribers and everyone to pursue their passions and stand true to their beliefs for a #BetterWorld. For more information, visit http://betterworld.smart/.  – Rappler.com