Dr. Mario Muñoz: More than meets the eye
It was this time of the year, the holiday season, when my father and I were having the usual but always special breakfast together at home. This was around late 80s or early 90s. The night before, he went to Manila for a meeting but on his way home, he stopped by a store to purchase something which I initially thought was for me. So we were at the dining table when he pulled a box in front me and I got so excited. I was thinking it’s a wristwatch. When my dad opened it, I saw a shiny bright red thing with some metal objects on each side. A logo of a cross was visible on the handle. “This is a Swiss knife,” my father said. The next words he uttered were hard to swallow: “I’m going to give this to a friend, my eye doctor.”
Who was this eye doctor who stole my Swiss knife? Why did he ruin my Christmas present? I later found out that his name was Dr. Mario Muñoz. And the Swiss knife was just one of the gifts that my dad gave to him when he was still active. As a youngster, my first impression with Doc Mario was not so amusing but that did not last, of course. I’ve only heard good things about the man from my father whose blurred vision got restored, thanks to the doctor who got my utility knife (that wasn’t for me in the first place.)
Subsequently, I was able to learn more about the man who returns the vision of many people, particularly when then Cabinet Secretary Ed Pamintuan was about to return to serve Angeles as the city mayor in 2010. The guy looked like a matinee idol – tall, well-built, goodlooking physician with a modulated voice. He offered his spare time to help Mayor Ed in his projects for the city. When the mayor established the Medikalinga Center,
Doc Mario devoted a lot of his precious hours and energy restoring the vision of hundreds of his poor kabalens… free of charge.
It was a pleasure witnessing him displaying leadership especially during preparations to the yearly Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan wherein he’s the chairman. He handled meetings dexterously and with high efficiency. When the country had been devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda, Doc Mario and the JCI Culiat extended their helping hands to the victims of the deadly disaster. Here in his home city, aside from regaining the eyesight of the indigent people, he’s also been active in assisting other medical concerns, as well as in beautification projects around Angeles. Last 2014, the UST Medical Alumni Association in America held in Angeles their one of the most successful and highly organized medical missions they’ve had in 25 years, thanks to Doc Mario.
In one of my many interviews with Dr. Muñoz, I told him about the Swiss knife story and he was laughing out loud. Last December 1, Mayor Ed Pamintuan wrote on his FB wall: “His deeds will be etched permanently in the hearts and minds that he touched most especially the hundreds of poor people whose eyesight have been regained because of his benevolence. Let’s all pray for the repose of his soul.” His good looks have been overshadowed because his heart was as handsome as his physical gifts. The doctor who protects the eyesight of the people has now been given the most vital vision from above. He has finally seen the face of the Lord. Thank you for the friendship, Dr. Mario.