Security Bank Foundation expands free eyewear program

Insider Spotlight

• Security Bank Foundation expands vision program to Central Luzon
• 1,000 public school students to receive free eyeglasses
• Pilot run showed sharp gains in reading proficiency
• Partnership taps volunteer optometrists for screenings
  
  
  

Security Bank Foundation Inc. is scaling up its Vision Screening and Eyeglasses program to Central Luzon, aiming to provide free prescription eyeglasses to 1,000 public school students whose poor eyesight has been identified as a barrier to learning.

The expansion, carried out with Ideal Vision Center and the Department of Education Region III, targets students in public schools where vision problems have been linked to reading difficulties and low classroom participation.

Why it mattersFor many students, the inability to read fluently is not rooted in comprehension challenges but in uncorrected vision issues. By addressing eyesight early, the program seeks to directly improve literacy outcomes and classroom engagement.

The Central Luzon rollout builds on a 2024 pilot in South Luzon that screened students from six foundation-supported schools. More than 1,000 learners received complimentary eyeglasses after assessments by volunteer optometrists.

The results were significant. The number of non-readers was eliminated, instructional readers decreased by 40 percent, and frustrated readers dropped by 63 percent. Meanwhile, independent readers increased by 328 percent.

Zoom in

Under the initiative, Security Bank Foundation oversees project logistics, coordinates with participating schools, gathers student data, and measures impact. Ideal Vision Center conducts on-site vision screenings and mobilizes volunteer optometrists, opticians, and support staff. Schools also receive eye care education sessions led by professionals.

The collaboration framework for Central Luzon enables a broader and faster rollout across public schools in the region, according to a company release.

“Our pilot results showed that addressing vision problems can lead to measurable improvements in literacy, turning non-readers into independent readers,” said SBFI chairman Rafael F. Simpao, Jr. “When children can see clearly, they can read more confidently and participate more actively in class.”

The bigger picture

By institutionalizing the program in Region III, Security Bank’s corporate foundation and its partners are embedding vision care into the broader education support ecosystem. The initiative aligns health intervention with academic performance metrics, positioning corrective eyewear as a low-cost, high-impact lever for improving literacy.

As the program expands, stakeholders expect the Central Luzon cohort to mirror — or potentially exceed — the gains recorded in the pilot phase, reinforcing the link between clear vision and stronger learning outcomes for Filipino students.  —Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma