For many public school students, the challenge in learning to read isn’t a lack of ability—it’s poor eyesight.

Security Bank Foundation, Inc. (SBFI), in partnership with Ideal Vision Center (IVC) and the Department of Education Region III, is expanding its Vision Screening and Eyeglasses program to Central Luzon, providing free prescription eyeglasses to 1,000 public school students whose vision issues have been identified as a barrier to learning.

The initiative builds on the success of a 2024 pilot program in South Luzon, where over 1,000 students from six SBFI beneficiary schools received complimentary eyeglasses following vision screening and assessment by volunteer optometrists. Results from the pilot demonstrated measurable gains in reading proficiency: the number of non-readers was eliminated, instructional readers decreased by 40%, frustrated readers dropped by 63%, while independent readers increased by 328%.

SBFI managed project logistics, coordinated with schools, gathered student data, and assessed program impact, while Ideal Vision Center conducted vision screenings and deployed volunteer optometrists, opticians, and support staff. Participating schools also benefited from eye care talks delivered by volunteer professionals.

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

With DepEd Region III now a formal partner, implementation of the program in Central Luzon will follow a unified agreement to enable faster and broader rollout across public schools, improving both vision and learning outcomes for Filipino students..

To learn more about Security Bank Foundation’s commitment to education, visit www.securitybank.com/foundation.