Dr. Rob Walcher’s Chiropractic journey in the Philippines
TEN years ago, actress Patricia Javier and her American chiropractor husband, Dr. Rob Walcher, made the lifechanging decision to make the Philippines their permanent home. Their motivation was simple yet profound: to immerse their two children in the Filipino way of life.
Little did they know, however, that they were not only at the cusp of enriching their children’s lives but helping so many Filipinos “live their best life.”
Over the weekend, the Walchers held a joint event to celebrate Dr. Rob’s 50th birthday and the 10th anniversary of what has become the successful Doc Rob Chiropractic Wellness Clinic chain in the Philippines.
Dr. Rob happily recalled, “We actually didn’t come here for me to start a practice. I even sold my practice in San Diego before we moved because I wanted to spend more time with the family. I’d been working straight for 14 years in the US and was looking forward to more free time.”
But with his vocation always with him — and more importantly, his oath to help people with chronic body pains — Dr. Rob nonetheless held free clinics for relatives, friends and neighbors whenever he can until the wonders of chiropractic quickly spread like wildfire.
“We started getting people knocking at the door of our rented condo as late as 9 or 10 in the evening, asking if I could treat them,” he added.
Joining the conversation, Patricia said, “That’s when we realized na marami palang Pilipino na nangangailangan nito [so many Filipinos need this treatment] and agreed for Rob to start a practice here.”
“It grew organically,” he husband related.
Their journey, however, has not been without challenges. As the number of their clinics grew from the first original site in Quezon City to a total of six today, they have had more than their fair share of bashers who accuse Dr. Rob of being a quack, unaware that chiro is a legitimate branch of alternative medicine.
Patricia admitted her celebrity is a double-edged sword. While it has helped spread the word about her husband’s practice, the “artista” connection also made it an easy target.
But after a decade of knowing her husband has helped so many Filipinos live pain-free lives, Patricia shared, “I no longer pay attention to them, nor do I read the negative comments because they’re very destructive,” Patricia continued.
She emphasized that all their endeavors in the Philippines are legitimate. “We wouldn’t open a clinic without a license,” she added, citing the licensing process required by the sub-branch of the Department of Health concerned with alternative medicine.
“I personally go to the municipalities and the government offices where we get clearance for our chiropractic clinics, specifically the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).”
Patricia said that while it has done her well to stop reading negative posts for some time now, she was so affected by them in the past only because, ultimately, it was Dr. Rob they were putting down.
“I was hurt because my husband studied for nine years and finished his medical and chiropractic education. But 10 years on, we know better, and that’s to continue doing what we love, which is helping others.” Despite the challenges and negativity, Dr. Rob shared that he Patricia and their boys remain happy and fulfilled in the Philippines. For indeed, the increasing number of their patients is a testament to their success and unwavering commitment to helping others live healthier, more balanced lives.
Focusing on the good, how exactly does chiropractic care help people?
Dr. Rob explained, “If you have back pain, neck pain, or if you have siatica or your fingers and wrists often go numb, we precisely determine where your nerve system may be experiencing interference.”
Through an individual program of gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments, he and his team of experts can correct spinal misalignments (subluxations) and improve the body’s innate healing abilities.
In layman’s terms, Dr. Rob paraphrased, “We release the stress in the spine and relieve the pain. Without this interference, overall wellness is maintained and improved,” Dr. Rob maintained.
Patricia cautioned that if you’re expecting an hour-long massage or some sort of rehab program, a chiropractic doctor won’t do that.
“And I also have to warn people that hindi lahat na kayang magpatunog ng buto ay totoong chirpractic doctor [that not everyone who can crack bones is a real chiropractic doctor],” she added, finally restating what their continued mission is for the next decade moving forward.
“I really believe that since this all started, Dr. Rob has done a significant job in providing people the knowledge and awareness about this alternative to managing pain and toward chiro-acceptance. And, of course, within that is dedication and commitment to share our blessings and Dr. Rob’s skills to help others live healthier, more balanced lives.”
Like many testimonials say, logging on to the main website of Doc Rob Wellness Clinics (docrob.ph), you could be their next miracle.