- Healing system that is based on belief, religion, culture, etc. of a place.
- Also called folk medicine
Traditional Healing Practitioners
- Manghihilot – treats sickness by using herbal plants
- Mangtatawas – gives clues to the nature of sickness by using “tawas”
- Medico – they prescribe medicines but they do not have formal education.
- Faith healers- believe that they have the divine power given by God to heal the sick. They also require their patients to have faith.
Western Healing System
- Most common type
- Professionals we have today Western Healing Practitioners- Surgeon – the doctor who operates or conducts surgeries- Chemotherapist – conducts chemotheraphy for cancer patientsAlternative Healing System- Not recognized by the traditional of western healing systems.- Usually done at homeAlternative Healing Practitioners- Acupuncturist – regulates the energy and blood circulation in the body by using needles.- Acupressurist - regulates the energy and blood circulation in the body by applying pressure in certainareas of the body.- Aromatherapist – uses oils to reduce stress. They are commonly for mental or emotional health.
What is the Human Right to Health and Health Care?
The human right to health means that everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of physicaland mental health, which includes access to all medical services, sanitation, adequate food, decent housing,healthy working conditions, and a clean environment.
The human right to health guarantees a system of health protection for all.Everyone has the right to the health care they need, and to living conditions that enable us to be healthy, suchas adequate food, housing, and a healthy environment.Health care must be provided as a public good for all, financed publicly and equitably.The human right to health care means that hospitals, clinics, medicines, and doctors’ services must beaccessible, available, acceptable, and of good quality for everyone, on an equitable basis, where and whenneeded. The design of a health care system must be guided by the following key human rights standards:
Universal Access: Access to health care must be universal, guaranteed for all on an equitable basis. Healthcare must be affordable and comprehensive for everyone, and physically accessible where and when needed.
Availability: Adequate health care infrastructure (e.g. hospitals, community health facilities, trained healthcare professionals), goods (e.g. drugs, equipment), and services (e.g. primary care, mental health) must beavailable in all geographical areas and to all communities.
Acceptability and Dignity: Health care institutions and providers must respect dignity, provide culturallyappropriate care, be responsive to needs based on gender, age, culture, language, and different ways of lifeand abilities. They must respect medical ethics and protect confidentiality.
Quality: All health care must be medically appropriate and of good quality, guided by quality standards andcontrol mechanisms, and provided in a timely, safe, and patient-centered manner.
The human right to health also entails the following procedural principles, which apply to all human rights:
Non-Discrimination: Health care must be accessible and provided without discrimination (in intent or effect)based on health status, race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexuality, disability, language, religion, national origin,income, or social status. Transparency: Health information must be easily accessible for everyone, enabling people to protecttheir health and claim quality health services. Institutions that organize, finance or deliver health caremust operate in a transparent way.
Participation: Individuals and communities must be able to take an active role in decisions that affecttheir health, including in the organization and implementation of health care services.
Accountability: Private companies and public agencies must be held accountable for protecting the rightto health care through enforceable standards, regulations, and independent compliance monitoring.
The Human Right to Health is protected in:
- Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Articel 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Article 5 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
- Articles 12 & 14 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
- Article XI (11) of the American Declaration on Rights and Duties of Man
- Article 25 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Filipino Traditional Healing
HISTORY OF FILIPINO HEALING TRADITIONS
Traditional Filipino medicine takes a holistic view of the individual, including environmental factors that affect a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Healing practices were first documented in the 16th century at the start of Spanish colonization, so it’s hard to tell how early they began. The babaylans or shamans — who were women but also men who dressed as women or changed genders — maintained culture, religion, and medicine for their tribes, and communicated with spirits that were thought to be associated with natural phenomena.
According to Apostol, the traditional Filipino medical system was composed of various specialties: midwifery, pulse diagnosis, bonesetting, herbology, suction cupping, skin scraping, herbal steam and smoke, energy medicine, and other forms of metaphysical healing.
Our forefathers relied on traditional healing methods to cure maladies, heal wounds and recover from sicknesses. In every baranggay or place, there exists a group of individuals who are experts in health care and healing. These fellows are very secretive and protective of their craft, thus, not everyone could understand the way how they work. Practitioners, seems awesome and magical, but in fact, it stems from a deep understanding of life and a developed system of manipulating the human body.
Today, the tradition still continues, but the people who once were an essential part of our societies have been replaced largely by the Western Medicine. No longer does a modern Filipino run to the local albularyo, instead, we go to a clinic or a hospital. While it is true that western medicine has shown its efficacy in resolving health problems like the most life threatening ones to minor cuts and wounds, their philosophy and system overlooks intentionally certain aspects of how the body works.
Each area and group of people had their own set of healers, who passed down their knowledge to children at an early age.
Along with other cultural traditions, the healing arts began to fade in the 17th century, and continued with the introduction of hospitals and Western medicine after the Americans arrived.
Filipino Traditional Healing operates on a very different manner. Our ancient healers believed in a concept of health which states that imbalances are caused by environmental factors that affect us mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Should these imbalances remain unaddressed, deterioration of our physical selves begin to set in. Our ancestors understand that the human body is gifted with the capacity to recuperate itself but with the existence of imbalances, recovery would be an uphill climb or otherwise impossible.
The ancients identified four elements that exist within our bodies. These are Earth, Water, Air and Fire. Earth elements deal basically with digestive organs and digestion process, Water element deals with water-related organs and processes, Air element with lungs basically, and Fire element, which is the by-product or in much better words, the synergy of the functioning of Earth, Water and Air. Health is a balance or correct function of all these elements and their respective processes, sickness is the reverse.
Since centuries ago, it has been the duties of Filipino Traditional Healers to maintain the balance of these elements in the bodies of the people in their care. Technology was developed to once again align the human body function and eliminate imbalances. The "albularyos" or the "maestros" were experts in making herbal medicines that do not aggravate any organs or complex natural processes in the our bodies like acidity, alkalinity, cleansing, etc. They were also proficient in neuro-electrical properties of the human body, used in diagnostic procedures and correction of imbalances by means of physical manipulation, more commonly referred to as "hilot."
There are still other forms of Traditional Healing in the Philippines, but it is more complex and harder to grasp. These other forms are also prone to abuse and mockery so a deeper explanation on another article may be necessary to get the message right.
There are more traditional techniques still practiced in the Philippines, but these are the most known.
Hilot / Ablon
A recognized technique also practiced in other parts of Asia, Hilot or Ablon is often mischaracterized as a type of massage and offered at spas to attract tourists.
It involves the hands and is akin to osteopathy, acupressure, and chiropractic or physical therapy. The practitioner, called a manghihilot or mangablon, detects areas of congestion and treats skeletal misalignments and energy imbalances through a person’s urat (nerve or vein), pennet (tendons, ligaments, or sinewy structures), lasag (flesh or muscle structure through which urat and pennet flow), and tulang (bones).
Herbs, plants, and oils may also be integrated.
Subcategories of ablon include pekkel — using hands to rub the injured area — and ablon seated therapy, which treats the upper body, such as neck and shoulder joints.
Apostol’s “Ablon Chirothesia” treats back and neck problems, strain and sport-related injuries, headaches, sprains, and nerve disorders.
Herbalism and Plant Medicine
An albularyo is a practitioner who uses a combination of modalities: herbalism, prayers, incantations, and mysticism, similar to a shaman.
The Philippines is home to 10,000 to 14,000 plant species. While 1,500 of them contain potential medicinal value, only 120 have been scientifically validated.
The Philippine Department of Health endorsed just 10 medicinal plants that can be used in herbal teas, tinctures, fluid extracts, poultices (vegetable fat mixtures), tablets, supplements, powders, creams, and essential oils.
Tuob
Photo credit: Czar Dancel for Manila Bulletin
The tuob (boiling) ritual involves the sick person wrapped in a blanket or cloth, sitting over a jar heated by coal, or hovering above a steaming pot. The healer rubs essential oils over the heated patient and chants a healing mantra.
Benefits of tuob include detoxification, cleansing the skin, muscle relaxation, increasing body metabolism, boosting the immune system, keeping mucous membranes from drying, and relieving comfort from asthma, allergies, and arthritis.
Cupping Therapy
Photo credit: Keith Bacongco
Ventosa or suction cupping involves special heated cups that form a seal or vacuum to help ease sore muscles. It is a common practice in other areas of Asia, such as China.
Faith or Spiritual Healing
A folk healer heats a concoction inside the forest at Siquijor during Good Friday activities. Photo credit: Veejay Villafranca
As the spiritual element is of importance, practitioners may ask questions that are origin oriented, such as why the patient believes they were injured, and counsel them on spiritual matters related to the event of origin.
As part of her practice, Pacificar senses energies, auras, and passed figures who may have been related to the patient.
Spiritual rituals that may be integrated with bodywork include bulong (whispered prayers) and orasyon (recited or written prayers). Despite the introduction of Christianity in the 16th century, indigenous healing methods maintained an integration with spirituality.
HOPE FOR REVIVAL
The Philippines remains the best place to experience these practices. An Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) established in 1997 promotes and advocates traditional and alternative health care modalities, through scientific research and product development.
In 2001, there were approximately 250,000 traditional medicine practitioners in the Philippines, far more than the 70,000 active Western medicine practitioners today.
The “healing huts” at the island province of Siquijor are one example of how tourism attracts patients.
While not all Filipino Traditional Healers have an in-depth understanding of these details discussed here, their ways, techniques, skills and knowledge revolve along this philosophy. Sometimes the healers just focus on the skill and techniques, while ignoring the higher function of being a "manggagamot." The fact is, every one else, including their patients focus on the cure, whereas sickness can be prevented. Our healers specialize in prevention also, and according to them, it starts with the mind and the way we eat. Unfortunately, those are the most challenging things to change.
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