Taguig gives 64,000 public school students free eye check-up

MANILA, Philippines - Some 64,000 students of Taguig City's public elementary and high schools have received free comprehensive eye examinations from the city's Health Office.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said "Oplan Linaw" was initiated by the city government to eliminate poor eyesight-one of the silent problems of students inside the classroom. 

“We know the problem exists, and we are doing something about it. We are making sure that no student in Taguig gets left behind in school just because he or she has poor eyesight and cannot afford to have their eyes checked, much less buy their own prescription eyeglasses,” Cayetano said.

Of the 64,000 students examined under "Oplan Linaw," 20,000 students were given free prescription glasses, the Taguig City government said.

Isaias Ramos, the physician in charge of the Taguig City Health Office, said a group of optometrists conducted the eye check-ups in all of Taguig’s 36 public schools.

“We are proud of this initiative. It is a service that you don’t see being provided by a local government unit,” said Ramos.

Aside from "Oplan Linaw" the Taguig Health Office also earlier held a free fluoride varnish and pit and fissure sealing to 13,500 grade one pupils to prevent tooth decay.

“We hope that with the city government’s intervention, we can maximize their learning and help them  reach their full potentials. They are the future of Taguig and our country. It is a must that we continue to invest in them, ” Cayetano said.