MANILA - The Japanese Embassy in Manila has facilitated a grant of PHP6.1 million to the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc. (FOLPMI), aimed at enhancing eye care services for indigent cataract patients in Metro Manila.
According to Philippines News Agency, this funding is part of the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), reflecting Japan's ongoing support for the Philippines' pursuit of sustainable and inclusive growth.
During the grant signing ceremony on Tuesday, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa highlighted the GGP's objective to meet the immediate and specific needs of local communities through projects that have a direct impact. Ambassador Koshikawa reiterated the Japanese people's desire to contribute positively to community empowerment through such humanitarian efforts.
The initiative was inspired by Dr. Tadashi Hattori, a renowned ophthalmologist known for his philanthropic eye care services in Vietnam over the past two decades. Dr. Hattori's model of offering free eye treatments is set to be emulated in the Philippines under the guidance of FOLPMI, led by founder Sister Eva Fidela Maamo, MD.
With the newly awarded funds, FOLPMI plans to acquire a modern phacoemulsification device and microscope. These critical pieces of medical equipment will enable the foundation's medical team to provide high-quality, affordable cataract surgeries to impoverished individuals and communities. The necessity for such an intervention is underscored by the current cataract patient statistics in Metro Manila, where an estimated 146,000 individuals require surgery, with over 30 percent hindered by financial constraints or long waiting periods in public health facilities.