The doctor who could see one’s inner life and health condition through the eyes

Dr. Ricardo Pascasio was a chain smoker. The moment you enter his office and sit down surely you will expect to smell of cigarette once you leave. He said, “If you attempt to persuade me to stop smoking, I will die just like George Burns.” So, until he passed away at the age of 87 he was smoking two packs a day. Amazingly when his lungs were checked, the doctors gave it a clean bill of health.

Who is Dr. Ricardo Pascasio?

Dr. Ricardo Pascasio Jr. was born on Oct. 31, 1931 in Occidental Mindoro. He is the eldest in the brood of nine children born to a general practitioner, Dr. Ricardo Pascasio Sr. and a nurse, Inocencia Barros. He married Ma. Luisa “May” G. Quizon, a pharmacist and St. Joseph devotee from Rosario, Batangas they were blessed with 4 children – Joselito, Jocelyn, Jazmin, and Jonathan.

Ric started his schooling at the town of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. He later decided to become a soldier. He entered the Philippine Military Academy but eventually took up Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas to please his parents. Money being   scarce, he made ends meet doing odd jobs like drive a taxi and crooning at nightclubs like the Bay Side, Roxas Boulevard, the most popular nightclub during that time.

On his way to Mindoro on a summer break he sat on a bus with a German priest. During their conversation he felt right away something was seriously wrong with him and offered to bring him down the next stop to bring him to a hospital. The doctor confirmed his fatal heart condition that was averted in time. The priest was so grateful that he offered Ric a grant to specialize in Iridology in Germany.

Iridology is an alternative medicine technique whose proponents claim that patterns, colors, and other characteristics of the iris can be examined to determine information about a patient’s systemic health. Practitioners match their observations to iris charts, to distinguish between healthy systems and organs in the body and those that are overactive, inflamed, or distressed. Iridologists claim this information demonstrates a patient’s susceptibility toward  certain illnesses, reflects past medical problems, or predicts later health problems.

Saving hundreds of bodies and souls through iridology

 Last Saturday, June 22, Dr. Ric Pascasio, who has accomplished an astonishing lifetime work of saving bodies and souls, was called to his final rest by his Maker. He died peacefully at his home in Philamlife Village, Las Pinas due to myocardial infarction (heart attack). Mourning his passing away were men and women from all walks of life and far away provinces, tricycle drivers, nuns and priests and mayors. He never accepted money from the needy. My school line managers and teachers joined them recalling his incredulous gift of healing and foresight. Although they had their own doctors, it was Dr. Pascasio alone who could pinpoint the organ that could doom their lives.

During the Miss Universe pageantry in Manila in 1994, Miss India, Sushmita Sen, instructed by her mother, accompanied by Miss Wales called on Dr. Pascasio. The doctor welcomed her cheerfully. She could not believe the doctor when he stated simply, “You will be Miss Universe this year.” India had never won that honor before.

Max my husband, known as the fearless journalist ignored all the signs of ill health as he traveled all over the world covering various conflicts. Dr. Pascasio warned him about endangering his heart and kidney and so needed to consult specialists. Max even took along Ric in his travels to seek alternative opinions. Dr. Pascasio’s initial diagnoses were confirmed. Within five years from 2001 to 2006, Max underwent a quadruple heart bypass, 1 ½ years of dialysis before his kidney transplant leaving him so healthy but overconfident. Never slowing down his travels he fell and had to have a hip replacement by 2006. But his weakened body succumbed to double pneumonia. Recovery was short lived when he committed to speaking engagements in Tokyo at the height of winter. Here on November 2006 Max died of massive hear attack.

Our school consultant since the early ’90s

Dr. Ricardo Pascasio became one of O.B. Montessori Center’s consultants on the wellbeing and pleasant disposition of teachers and staff since the early nineties. He always believed that our health is connected to our disposition when relating to the students and co-teachers and staff. He would make us feel calm and good about ourselves even call a chubby personnel “PP” for Pleasantly Plump instead of directly telling us we are too overweight or “DP” Deliciously Plump, not too overweight. Samples of Dr. Ric’s codes: GGB stood for “gandang-gandang babae” who he insists should always be the ones facing the door so the visitors would feel pleasant when they enter the office.

Dr. Pascasio had mystical intuitions spiritually guiding us in our work, not to mention family matters. He included strengthening love relations of husbands and wives. Common to this was the failure to get pregnant. So he reminded one of our nurses, 3 years childless, “Huwag kang dry sa asawa mo. Dapat romantic.” Right after she got pregnant, and now has 2 daughters. Another, an accountant childless for 5 years would daily pray at the school shrine and was assured by Dr. Pascasio not to worry. After the first-born baby boy, she had 3 more sons. He would also remind husbands about male health care to “let the flag rise up.”

During his visits, he would tell us like a “feng shui” expert how to re-layout the furniture and fixtures even in the paintings on the walls and true enough by some mysterious energy, we felt more energized and better. One time we were not sure of the land we were going to purchase for a new OBMC school campus in Fairview, so we sought for his guidance. He went to the proposed site. When he felt the vibe of the area with his compass and he did not approve it. Driving further to a barren field, his compass showed its excellent promise. He confirmed that it was the right land. Today this OBMC Fairview campus is a 3-story and 5-story building and as he predicted the school has attracted a lot of students including a major Toyota and Ayala business site.

Thank you Dr. Ricardo Pascasio for guiding  us to prosperity 

For almost 30 years this “doctor who sees one’s sickness and health through the eyes,” converted tragedy to happiness for everyone. Last 2013, he was awarded by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Inc. (FAMAS) for his outstanding humanitarian service. Together with Jocelyn “Joy” Grace his daughter we say, “Indeed, this doctor will truly be missed.”