Marco gave his first clear speech at his school's end-of-year assembly.

Marco was born with a complete bilateral cleft — both his lip and palate were affected. His family in Tondo had accessed partial support for an initial lip repair when he was an infant, but the full palate repair, which is essential for normal speech development, remained unfunded.

By the time Marco was nine, his speech difficulties had become a source of daily distress at school. He avoided answering questions in class and had withdrawn from most social activities. His mother, a seamstress, applied to LittleCareFund after seeing a flyer at their barangay health centre.

Operation Smile's partner clinic in Manila reviewed Marco's records and confirmed he was a good candidate for palatal repair. LittleCareFund verified the case and the campaign was fully funded in six days. Surgery took place on 14 October 2025.

Following the procedure, Marco worked with a speech therapist for eight weeks. At his school's December assembly, he introduced himself on stage — clearly, confidently, and to applause. His mother was in the front row.