Healing Beyond Scars: Rotary Journey of Service

 When skill meets compassion, lives are transformed. Dr. Alain O. Senerpida, Past President of the Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente and a distinguished plastic surgeon, has dedicated his profession to restoring smiles and hope. From local missions in Cebu to groundbreaking international work with Rotaplast, his journey shows how Rotary service heals far beyond the surface.

For Dr. Alain O. Senerpida, MD, FPAPRAS, FPCS — plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgeon, and Past President of the Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente — every surgery is more than a medical procedure. It is a chance to restore dignity, hope, and a future for children born with cleft lips, palates, and burn injuries.

“The gratitude of parents and children really hits the heart. That sense of fulfillment stays with you forever,” he reflects.

A Calling to Serve

Raised with values of compassion by his parents, faith, and schooling, Dr. Alain embraced service early. Since completing his specialty, he has devoted his skills to medical missions: six with Operation Smile, over ten with the Craniofacial Foundation of the Philippines where he now serves as Vice Chairman, and five with Rotaplast — a global program that marries Rotary with plastic surgery.

 The Rotaplast Journey

Rotaplast, short for Rotarian Plastic Surgery, became Dr. Alain’s international platform for service. Invited by leaders who recognized his skill and dedication, he became the only Filipino plastic surgeon volunteering with the group.

Among his most memorable assignments: Nagamandala and New Delhi. In New Delhi, he joined Rotaplast’s first-ever surgical training mission — two weeks dedicated not only to operations but also to training local doctors on burn reconstruction.

The team was truly international: surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, medical record specialists, and Rotarians from the U.S., the Netherlands, and the Philippines. Together, they screened 40 patients, performed three to four surgeries daily, and spent long hours in the operating theater. “It was a true exchange of ideas,” he recalls, noting how colleagues asked about his techniques and shared their own. 

Fulfillment in Every Smile 

Whether in Cebu or in missions abroad, Dr. Alain’s motivation remains the same: to change lives one child at a time. “Service has always been ingrained in me. Every mission reminds me that my profession is a gift to be shared.”

Rotary in Action

Dr. Alain’s journey reflects the heart of Rotary — using personal skills to make a global impact. Each operation is not just about closing a cleft or releasing a scar; it is about opening doors for children to smile, speak, and dream without fear.

In the faces of children he has helped, and in the grateful eyes of parents, lives the true magic of Rotary service — healing beyond scars.

Written by : Maricel Borromeo-Amores, PhD, Past Asst. Governor | District Action Plan Officer