𝐕𝐒𝐌𝐌𝐂, 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐍 𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃
For residents of Bantayan Island, access to specialized eye care has often meant a long and costly trip to Cebu City.
That barrier began to crumble on Friday, February 20, 2026, as a team of surgeons from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) arrived to perform sight-saving operations right in their community during the Cebu Provincial Government’s Eye, Medical, Dental and Surgical Mission.
The medical mission, held at the Bantayan District Hospital, commenced with 37 successful pterygium surgeries, a procedure that removes non-cancerous growths on the eye’s surface that can obstruct vision.
The operations were led by Dr. Jose Cymmer Go and Dr. Janice Lim, alongside a dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and staff from the VSMMC Department of Ophthalmology.
For many of the patients, the procedures represent more than just a medical intervention; they are a path back to livelihood and independence. By improving their vision, these individuals can hope to return to work, care for their families, and engage more fully in their daily lives.
The initiative demonstrates the commitment of Gov. Pamela Baricuatro’s administration to bring specialized healthcare closer to the province’s island communities, ensuring that geographic isolation is no longer a barrier to quality medical treatment.
The medical mission is far from over. Tomorrow, February 21, the team will expand its services to include even more critical procedures.
Scheduled are cataract surgeries, which restore sight lost to the world’s leading cause of blindness, as well as general and gynecologic surgeries. In a parallel effort to promote holistic community health, the VSMMC Kaambag Clinic will also conduct HIV testing on-site.
Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan expressed her gratitude to the visiting medical teams. She also thanked Dr. Go, Dr. Lim, and the entire VSMMC contingent for volunteering their expertise and time to serve the people of Bantayan.
photos/ASC
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