His introduction to JINS, a Japanese brand exclusively carried in the Philippines by Suyen Corp., happened two years ago when Rico and wife Melanie were traveling to Japan. They were soon drawn to its numerous styles and colors that before they stepped out of the store, the couple each ended up buying a pair of JINS eyeglasses.
By Alex Y. Vergara
While many of his contemporaries didn’t start wearing prescriptions glasses well into their late 30 and early 40s, veteran broadcast journalist Rico Hizon has been wearing pair after pair of eyeglasses since his elementary school days.
“It’s hereditary,” he shares with us during the recent opening of JINS’ latest branch in the country, its seventh store, at SM Mall of Asia. “I’m near-sighted. I can’t see far.”
As a public figure exposed to the latest advances in eyecare, Rico has been offered the option of wearing contact lenses, even undergoing LASIK eye surgery, to help improve his vision. But every time, Rico, formerly of BBC and now connected with CNN Philippines, refused, insisting on sticking to his pair of trusty eyeglasses.
“I always have to wear a pair of glasses because I feel naked without them,” he shares. “People have known me for wearing one even before I started my career in broadcasting. It has become part of my personality.”
His introduction to JINS, a Japanese brand exclusively carried in the Philippines by Suyen Corp., happened two years ago when Rico and wife Melanie were traveling to Japan. They chanced upon a JINS eyewear boutique in Shibuya. Although they were clueless about the brand, they were soon drawn to its numerous styles and colors that before they stepped out of the store, the couple each ended up buying a pair of JINS eyeglasses.
“Then when I joined CNN Philippines sometime later, I found out that they (Suyen Corp.) represent JINS here in the Philippines,” Rico shares. Since he really uses the brand, he was eventually able to get its support.
Of all the brands he has tried, Rico swears by how light and stylish JINS’ range of eyeglasses are. “For me, the shape, the sizes and even the colors fit my lifestyle—that of a journalist who is always on the go. It’s very light—from the frames to the lenses. It has become like my second skin,” says Rico.
And with its wide range of styles that fit every face shape and budget, JINS has something for everyone. During the recent JINS store opening at SM MOA, for instance, guests, including a number of influencers, had no trouble finding the perfect pair of eyeglasses for them.
Each JINS branch in Metro Manila is staffed with doctors and eye-care experts to help you choose the right pair of prescription glasses. For regular reading glasses, they can even make them while you wait.
Apart from Rico, the event, which coincided with Jins’ fifth anniversary in the Philippines, was graced by Suyen Corp.’s president and CEO Ben Chan and members of his real and corporate family such as Miguel Pastor, Brian Lim, Nenita Lim and Virgilio Lim. Several JINS executives such as Katsumi Kobota and Hiroyuki Maezono from Japan also flew to Manila to attend the event.
