The Tzu Chi Medical Foundation on Wednesday wrapped up its two-day February Surgical Outreach in partnership with the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Dr. Tadashi Hatorri conducted free cataract surgeries at the foundation's Eye Center on the Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

Susan Afan, RMAF president, told DAILY TRIBUNE that the collaboration was the latest project between two RMAF awardees, Sr. Eva Fidela Maamo of the Philippines (1997) and Dr. Hatorri of Japan (2022).

Maamo, the founder and president of the Our Lady of Peace Mission Inc., operates a hospital for indigent patients in urban and rural areas. Her organization also provides education, livelihood, and micro-credit services to indigent adults.

Hatorri is currently the director of the Asia Prevention of Blindness Association. He has helped more than 20,000 people in Vietnam and Myanmar.

"Along with Master Cheng-Yen (Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines) founder, who is also an RMAF awardee, we have put together awardees as perfect partners for this mission, a borderless collaborations to help," Afan said.

She further mentioned that, similar to the mission's theme, "See Love Clearly," numerous beneficiaries will have their vision restored through eye surgeries.

Other medical experts who showed their support to the Tzu Chi mission were Dr. Antonio Say, Tzu Chi International Medical Association, and Dr. Vivencio Jose Villaflor III, the Philippine College of Surgeons president.

Villaflor stated that they have a proposal to ensure that surgery is accessible to everyone. They plan to discuss a comprehensive surgical strategy with lawmakers and the Department of Health. Villaflor described it as a significant aspiration, and achieving universal access to surgery for all Filipinos would be a major advancement.

The Tzu Chi Foundation's Eye Center, inaugurated in March 2016, is located at the Buddhist campus and temple in Sta. Mesa. It stands as the country's premier non-government organization-owned medical facility, equipped with cutting-edge medical technology. The eye center offers free surgical interventions for cataracts and other eye ailments.