Pinedas push for zero poor eyesight in Pampanga public schools

Board Member Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab visits the distribution of free eye glasses to public school students held at the Balas covered court, Bacolor, Pampanga. Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines — Close to 3,000 students and teachers suffering from poor eyesight in Pampanga got an early Christmas gift from the Pineda family represented by Provincial Board Member Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab who gave free eye checkups and graded eyeglasses under her family’s “Free eyeglasses for students and teachers” special project.

Cayabyab said a team of ophthalmologists and nurses conducted eye checkups for students and teachers in 80 public schools in Pampanga, while a total of 2,945 students and teachers received free graded eyeglasses from November 10 to 25.

“Nais po ng aming pamilya na matulungan ang ating mga guro at estudyante na mayroong problema sa kanilang mga mata. Sa pamamagitan po ng proyektong ito, inaasahan naming higit na magiging madali ang pag-aaral ng mga estudyante at mas komportableng makapagtuturo ang ating mga guro dito sa Pampanga,” Cayabyab said.

(Our family wants to help our teachers and students who have eyesight problems. Through this project, we expect the schooling of our students will be much comfortable as well as for our teachers here in Pampanga.)

The beneficiaries of the free graded eyeglasses included 280 students and teachers from Bacolor South (10), 418 from Bacolor South (6), 237 from Bacolor South (1), 408 from Arayat East (16), 290 from Sta. Ana (2), 429 from Arayat West, 467 from Mexico West and 398 from Mexico South.

The “Free eyeglasses for students and teachers” is a special undertaking of the Pineda family. It started in 2017 in Lubao town when Cayabyab was still the mayor. Her family wanted to replicate the project throughout the province, which led to its launching on a province-wide scale.

“This is our way of repaying the trust and confidence that our Cabalens have given to our family. This special project is very close to my heart, having experienced staying longer in class to copy what was written in the blackboard because I had poor eyesight,” Cayabyab said.

Noting the growing number of individuals who develop poor eyesight due to the use of gadgets and longer exposure to computer and mobile phone screens, Cayabyab said more graded eyeglasses will be distributed to students, teachers, and even non-teaching staff in some 500 public schools in Pampanga.

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