MANILA, Philippines – "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest is supporting Charice’s attempt to win Paypal’s “Regift the Fruitcake” for Operation Smile.

Seacrest wrote in his December 22 Facebook shout out: “Support Charice and our efforts to win $20,000 for Operation Smile! Regift the fruitcake I tell you!”

Seacrest also made the same call in his Web site on December 22.

“RyanSeacrest.com is supporting Operation Smile’s newest Smile Ambassador and winner of Oprah’s Best Musical Performance 2009 Award, Charice, who has quickly positioned Operation Smile to win the $20,000,” he wrote, adding:

“What’s truly amazing is that Charice only signed to help Operation Smile win this contest days ago, and she’s already in SECOND place.”

As of December 28 noon, Charice, the newest “smile ambassador” of Operation Smile, is currently leading in Paypal’s holiday contest, with 67,311 points.

Charice has so far raised $3,740, with 18,272 regifts. Her goal is to raise $5,000 for Operation Smile, a non-government organization that provides free surgeries to children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

You help one child for every $240 raised, Charice said.

Operation Smile is one of the 25 charities that are vying for the $20,000 grand prize.

To join the contest, the participants will have to create a virtual fruitcake on behalf of a featured charity group. They can make a donation using their PayPal accounts.

They have to regift the fruitcake to their friends on the Internet using their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The more virtual cake that will be made and sent, the more points a charity will receive. Paypal will donate an additional $20,000 to a charity that raises the most money. The contest will end on December 31.

In her e-mail sent to abs-cbnNEWS.com, Charice expressed her gratitude to Seacrest for supporting her advocacy.

"Ryan Seacrest is supporting me po sa Operation Smile. He's promoting me sa Facebook, sa Web site niya and everything. He is so nice," she said.

Charice is now one of the more than 10 celebrity smile ambassadors of Operation Smile.

She joined the ranks of Carmit Bachar, Mark Burnett, Dhani Jones, John Salley, Maggie Rizer, Melanie Dunea, Nigel Parry, Benj Gershman, David Pomeranz, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump.