Group 2 | CAMe from home: Exploring Filipino Traditional Healing

What is traditional healing?  

    Traditional healing refers to practices anchored in the belief that supernatural beings possess healing abilities. It also integrates herbal medicine and body-based therapies into its various procedures. In the Philippines, the concept of traditional healing dates back to the babaylans—these were women leaders (or men dressed as women) who served many roles in a tribe. In their role as a healer, they would use their special connection to the spiritual world to invoke spirits for the purpose of treating the ill (Nomoto, 2020). Traditional healing is recognized and accepted for its role in health maintenance and disease treatment and is based on indigenous concepts handed down by generations of healers (WHO, 2002).

Personal Experiences

a. Hilot

Photo Credit: Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare

    Most of us have sought and experienced the practice of Hilot for reasons such as balda, coughs, cold, fever, sprains, or painful stomach aches, either through visitation or requesting home services. The use of liniment in massaging affected areas and pressure points is a shared observation. Upon discussing, we found that experiencing excruciating pain affects our preference in terms of replicating the experience.

    Those of us who have experienced pain during their sessions would not prefer not to undergo the practice again. 

 " I saw him using a herbal substance, maybe some oil, as he tried to massage or correct my rolled ankle. The process was excruciating and I don't even want to experience it again. Despite the pain, I could say that the manghihilot had succesfully treated the swelling in just a short amount of time."   

- Rex, on seeking hilot after spraining his ankle. 

    While those who consider the practice as a source of comfort and relaxation tend to employ the traditional healing services more often. 

 " My main motivation when coming to a manghihilot is the delight brought after the hilot instead of actually alleviating my condition or entirely curing the illness that I have."   

- Charina, on the relaxing effects of hilot.

    As we explored our experiences, we were also able to express our opinions and concerns regarding the legitimacy and efficacy of the practice. 

 " Afterwards, the healer prescribed that I must avoid bathing for three straight days, which, in retrospect, was a bit unhygienic and had no bearing on my symptoms at all. I indeed became well again after a few days of ample rest, though I could not fully attribute my recovery to the manghihilot I visited."

- Chloe, upon reflecting on her only hilot experience 

 " As a child, I didn't really believe much in traditional healers, and I saw it as an underground and mysterious practice– somewhat sorcery. I still don't believe in supernatural abilities, but I definitely understand the factors on why they are still popular and preferred."

- Patrice, on her perception toward paghihilot.

b. Batak-dungan

Photo Credit: http://pinoywizardy.blogspot.com/

 " When I was young, I would always look forward to our family's yearly ritual because then I'll get to eat a whole boiled chicken and kakanins as dessert. Little did I know that the ritual was not about eating but it was to strengthen my mother's "dungan" and to protect her from illnesses."

- Marielle, on her personal experience with Batak-dungan

    The one who performs the batak-dungan ritual is referred to as the “siruhano” or commonly mispronounced as “sorano.” Nanay Putot, my father's distant aunt, was the one who would perform the ritual for our family. She would instruct us to gather the materials and how to properly prepare the food. I’m the one tasked to the ripe buyo - a type of palm fruit. It was important that the fruit should not touch the ground or else the ritual would not work. It was a challenge for someone like me who is not a catcher.

    Looking back to that experience, I realize that even though the ritual may not be really effective, it does help improve my mother’s health. With the whole family working together to gather the materials as well as eating together, she feels loved and cared for helping her heal and recover.

c. Pagpangluy-a

Photo Credit: Biyahe ni Drew, GMA Public Affairs

    One practice traditional healers perform in our community here in Dumarao, Capiz is Pagpangluy-a–– wherein healers use ginger to provide a diagnosis by asking close-ended questions regarding the cause of, and treatment for, one’s ailment.

The healers would then suggest interventions to treat the symptoms such as:

• Refraining from eating certain foods (e.g., chicken and egg)
• External application or paghampol of medicinal plants to one’s stomach area or forehead (e.g., Makabuhay, Turmeric, Ginger)
• Praying for one’s deceased relatives.

 " I acknowledge that the appeal of traditional healing towards healing is primarily psychological and spiritual. However, I also find that among the interventions used, the application of medicinal plants in the practice has evident therapeutic impact (for instance, research regarding the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of the plants aforementioned have been established), and if further explored, offers promising potential to community health care."

- Gesra, on her thoughts concerning the potential of traditional healing.

d. Faith Healing

Photo Credit: Kenneth Aballa, CNN News

    In my hometown, Iligan City, we have this term called “buyag” which is used to refer to evil spirits. Thus, we use the term “purya buyag” or simply “buyag” to ward off the said evil spirits. This is commonly done whenever compliments are given. For example, when you compliment a newborn baby for her beautiful eyes, the mother or the person who gave the compliment would say “purya buyag” to avoid evil spirits from inflicting harm to the baby. Whenever someone is under the influence of these spirits, they are said to be “nabuyagan” and would go to local faith healers or albularyos. I personally know a friend from high school who had an illness that persisted no matter what they did to heal it. They have tried all forms of conventional medicine but they were all rendered useless. They finally came to the conclusion that she had disturbed a spirit and was “nabuyagan”. They consulted an albularyo and a healing chant was done to her and she was tasked to ask forgiveness from the spirit whom she offended. After she did that, her illness disappeared.

 " Personally, I have very mixed feelings about faith healing and using chants to remedy certain diseases. It is hard to discern between right or wrong especially since the evidence and testimonies are unexplainable by science."

- Andrienne, on her feelings regarding faith healing.

    After weighing our experiences we have come to conclude that there are certain traditional Filipino healing practices that are dubious and lack proper scientific evidence to be believable. However, we also acknowledge that many communities in our country — predominantly far-flung and indigenous areas — continue to rely on these modalities, with the belief that the same archaic practices that treated the diseases afflicting their ancestors will continue to heal them of their illnesses as well.

 

Further Information on Traditional Healing

Integration of Traditional Healing in the Healthcare System

Filipinos still continue the belief and practice of traditional healing despite modernization and technological advancement. Based on the 2018 survey, it has been reported that 93% of the Member States in the Western Pacific Region had acknowledged the use of traditional and complementary medicine (WHO, n.d.) It has been part of different cultures that thrived up to the modern age. The healthcare system is also evolving with some healthcare organizations that incorporate traditional healing with conventional ones (Berube, 2015). The World Health Organization recognizes the importance of traditional practices and promotes them through appropriate integration in national health systems. The Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) in the Philippines also advocates them through scientific research and product development (Nomoto, 2020).

Alongside the PITAHC, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) strongly supports the integration of traditional Filipino healing within the practice of modern medicine. SInce 2015, the agency has formulated regulations for the certification of albularyos and other traditional healers in the country, spearheaded by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) (Rebuya et al., 2020). Moreover, groups of medical doctors — the Doctors for Indigenous Training and Education Networking and Governance (DITENG) being a prominent example — are active in their acknowledgement of and integration of traditional Filipino healing (namely indigenous chiropractic practices and medicines) with the current, modernized healthcare system (Agoot, 2018).

References:

Agoot, L. (2018, June 14). Doctors push for infusion of indigenous customs in health programs. 

    @Pnagovph; Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1038288

Berube, K. (2015, April 25). Why traditional healing has a place in modern health care. 

    Retrieved from The Globe and Mail, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-           

    fitness/health/why-traditional-healing-has-a-place-in-modern-health-care/article24126195/

Berdon, Z.J.S., Ragosta, E.D.L., Inocian, R.B., Manalag, C.A., & Lozano, E.B. (2016). Unveiling 

    Cebuano traditional healing practices. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(1),     51-59. Retrieved from http://www.apjmr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/APJMR-   

    2016.4.1.07.pdf

Calasin, J.M.F.C., Facon, M.J.E., Maguad, R.D., Quimpo, R.G., & Zagala, R. (2012). Sorano: 

    The indigenous psychotherapist. Unpublished undergraduatepaper, University of the 

    Philippines-Visayas, Miag-ao, Iloilo.

Gaabucayan, S. (2012). The medicine men of Agusan in Mindanao, Philippines. Retrieved 

    November 9, 2021 from https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/977

Labastida, S.C.L. et al. (2016). Tradisyunal nga Pamulong: A Rationale on the Persistence of 

    Faith Healing Practices in Miagao, Iloilo.                     

    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303899461_TRADISYUNAL_NGA_PAMULONG_A_

    Rationale_on_the_Persistence_of_Faith_Healing_Practices_in_Miagao_Iloilo

Leech, J. (2021, Mar 19). 11 Proven Health Benefits of Ginger. Healthline. 

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger

Nomoto, S. (2020, February 18). Indigenous Filipino healing practices. Cold Tea 

    Collective. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://coldteacollective.com/indigenous-filipino-

    healing-practices/

Pacete, V. F. (2017, September 16). Pacete: The Catholics and the satanic items. SunStar 

    Philippines. Retrieved November 11, 2021 from 

    https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/164435/Lifestyle/Pacete-The-Catholics-and-the-satanic-        items

Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care. (n.d.). Hilot. Retrieved from 

    https://pitahc.gov.ph/hilot/

Rebuya, N. R., Lasarte, E. S., & Amador, M. M. A. (2020). Medical Pluralism, Traditional 

    Healing Practices, and the Partido Albularyo: Challenge in Inclusion. Open Journal of Social    

    Sciences,     08(06), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2020.86007

Stuart, G. U. (2014). The healers. Retrieved from 

    http://www.stuartxchange.com/Albularyo.html#FaithHealers

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    integrative-medicine

World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Western Pacific. (2002). Regional 

    strategy for traditional medicine in the Western Pacific. Manila : WHO Regional Office for the     Western Pacific. ISBN 9290610115