City offers free cataract surgery, prostheses

CEBU, Philippines — Leg amputees, individuals born with limb defects, and residents suffering from cataracts will have a chance to receive medical treatment as the Cebu City government offers free prostheses and cataract surgery.

Mayor Nestor Archival announced that a Grand Assessment Day will take place today, June 5, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Social Hall on the fourth floor of the City's Legislative Building.

The dual program reflects the city's commitment to inclusive healthcare, following earlier missions that restored mobility and sight to dozens of Cebuanos.

To avail themselves of the program, applicants must bring a voter’s certification and a barangay indigency certificate.

In a public post on social media, Archival stressed that although pre-registration is encouraged, it is not required and clarified that approval will depend on the evaluation.

“Ang approval depende sa medical ug socioeconomic evaluation,” Archival said.

For those who qualify, the prosthesis program will provide free prosthetic legs along with rehabilitation support.

“Dili lang kini prosthesis, kundili usa ka higayon sa pagsugod pag-usab, pagbarog nga lig-on, ug paglakaw padulong sa mas maayong kaugmaon,” Archival emphasized.

On cataract treatment, Archival has previously highlighted the life-changing impact of restored vision.

During the Project:100 Cataract Surgical Mission in October 2025, 174 patients were screened and 88 received free surgeries.

“To see is not merely to look — it is to live fully. Project:100 shows that when communities unite with compassion, lives are changed, light is restored, and the world becomes a little clearer for everyone,” Archival said.

Those who qualify for the cataract program will also receive free intraocular lenses, medicines, and medical assistance.

The initiative is a partnership between the Cebu City Government, through the Office of the Mayor and the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (CHAMP), Mabuhay Deseret Foundation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, A.L. Buenavista Enterprises Incorporated, ART Leg PH, ACES Eye Referral Clinics, and CharityVision.

The cost of prosthetic devices in the Philippines remains financially prohibitive, with a basic below-knee prosthesis costing between P5,000 and P12,000, while more advanced prosthetic legs with knee joints range from P20,000 to P60,000 or even higher, depending on the materials used and the level of customization.

Cataract surgery typically costs between P15,000 and P40,000 per eye in private clinics, excluding intraocular lenses and post-surgical medicines. — IHM (CEBU NEWS)