About a dozen people walked around 233 metres up on the outside of Macau Tower and bungy jumped from there yesterday as part of Orbis Macau’s campaign to mark World Sight Day.
Bungy is an alternative spelling of bungee.
World Sight Day was on October 12 this year and due to the fact that the No. 8 storm signal was hoisted for Severe Typhoon Khanun last Sunday, the event had to be rescheduled to take place yesterday.
The global sight-saving organisation runs an “Action for Sight” campaign every year to mark the special day to raise awareness of the importance of eye health and also help those who are needlessly blind.
To coincide with this year’s theme, which is “View and feel the world in a foot’s hop”, the local office of the international non-government organisation earned the support of bungy promoter AJ Hackett and Macau Tower to hold this year’s event there, to encourage people to use their eyes to enjoy the landscape of Macau.
“This year’s health message is to look far more often, because this action can help our eyes’ muscles relax from our habit of spending a lot of time on smartphones and electronic products that strain our eyes,” Orbis’ local Director of Development Vivian Lo Pou San told The Macau Post Daily at Macau Tower yesterday. “This year we have Macau Tower and AJ Hackett to support us, so representatives of our corporate ambassadors can see the landscape from the 61st floor of Macau Tower. This is the most representative way [coinciding with the theme].”
Besides enjoying the view from the observation deck, some took part in the so-called skywalk and several others were brave enough to experience the bungy jump too.
Lou said that from the “Action for Sight” campaign, the period of which runs until November 30, she hopes to raise 1 million patacas.
One of Orbis Macau’s longtime “corporate ambassadors” is OCBC Wing Hang. The Head of Product Marketing Angel Lo On Chi told The Macau Post Daily yesterday that the bank has been supporting Orbis Macau for 10 years by issuing a special Orbis credit card where the bank donates 0.3 percent of the value of the purchase made using the credit card to help Orbis train doctors and restore sight in the developing world.
“Orbis is different from other NGOs. Usually they help people in poverty or disabled people, but Orbis saves sight and raise awareness about eye health,” Angel Lo said, pointing out that over the years, the bank’s own staff have also become very supportive of Orbis through making different kinds of donations.
China Life is a new corporate ambassador this year. Its Sales Director Ray Pang KaWai told The Macau Post Daily yesterday that following its Hong Kong branch, the local office is also supporting Orbis as it matches the insurance company’s direction development, which is health.
“We have many products relating to health because it’s important for everyone,” Pang said, adding that the company will make donations to Orbis through customers’ purchases of its health products.
Orbis Director of Development (Macau) Vivian Lo Pou San addresses yesterday’s event at Macau Tower. Photo: Monica Leong
To support Orbis Macau’s campaign, local singers prepare for their bungy jump at Macau Tower yesterday.
