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Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) is more than just an award-giving body, its President Susan Afan said on Wednesday.   &quot;While that’s very important and that’s what we’re known for, our main focus and goal now is what happens after the awards? These are wonderful, talented individuals all over Asia that have come up with great solutions,&quot; she said.&quot;So can you imagine what happens when we put them together and they come up with more impactful, more meaningful projects together that can be replicated throughout Asia,” she added.   The latest collaboration among Ramon Magsaysay laureates is helping less fortunate Filipinos regain their eyesight through free cataract-removal surgeries in the facilities of the Tzu Chi Foundation, which was also founded by fellow laureate Master Cheng Yen.   Dr. Tadashi Hattori, a Japanese ophthalmologist and a 2022 laureate, led the initiative along with organizations founded by other laureates of the Asian-equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize.   “Then we have Doctor Sister Eva Maamo, a nun-surgeon, who is responsible for co-founding the Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Paranaque. The chairman of that particular organization was Fr. James Reuter, Jesuit, also a Magsaysay laureate.”   Hattori’s free cataract surgeries in the Philippines is a replication of his services in Vietnam where he helped over 20,000 Vietnamese regain their eyesight — something which, according to Afan, gives hope to the hopeless.   “Can you imagine you not being able to work because you’re not able to see anymore? Can you imagine a world where you’re not able to see the parks, the trees, the birds, all of these things. This is what this does for you. It gives you a second life na biglang you’re able to see your family again, you’re able to see the world, you’re able to work again. So that’s extremely impactful when you are able to remove your cataracts and are given a second life,” Afan said.   More than the collaboration of great minds and their respective organizations, RMAF sees moves like these as a beacon of hope and inspiration for more people to volunteer and engage in worthy causes that aim to help a greater portion of society. <div>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</div><figure><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cB6SZxXjr8c?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure>Watch more News on <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a><div> </div><div> </div>

Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation is more than just an award-giving body, its President Susan Afan said on Wednesday.

Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation is more than just an award-giving body, its President Susan Afan said on Wednesday.

Ramon Magsaysay laureates collaborate to give free cataract surgeries

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Ramon Magsaysay laureates collaborate to give free cataract surgeries

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 21, 2024 07:06 PM PHT

|

Updated Feb 22, 2024 11:20 AM PHT

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Tzu Chi Foundation

Susan Afan

cataract

RMAF

ANC

Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation

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