By Mia Rosienna Mallari
Conclusion
MANILA-BASED albularyo Tata Omeng thumbed down the plan of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Health Care (PITAHC) to recognize local healers.
“Local healers do not need [certification]. I believe we’re doing a good job and we do not need the government’s intervention,” he said.
PITAHC hopes to roll out its certification program for albularyo, hilot and other types of local healers in the Philippines this year. The government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) said this will ensure the safety of Filipinos who seek their help despite the lack of scientific basis to prove the efficacy of chants and prayers in treating diseases.
“The goal is to promote the practice of traditional medicine and the use of traditional products which are safe,” said Dr. Isidro Sia, executive director of PITAHC.
Of the 30 PITAHC employees, three are devoted to helping groups, such as the Association of Traditional Health Aid Givers (ATHAG), Alyansa ng mga Manghihilot at Albularyo (AMA) and Hilot Pinoy. The GOCC aims to gather as many local healers as possible for its certification program. Through these big groups, PITAHC hopes it could reach out to smaller groups of healers in the countryside. “In Tayabas, which is my hometown, there is a group of healers there. You can also find healers in Bicol, in Legazpi City. The country has many of these village healers,” Sia said.
Francisca R. Solmerano, a hilot from Imus City, said she’s quite apprehensive about reports that healers will have to secure certification from the government. For almost 60 years, Solmerano has been using sampaguita oil and prayers to help her patients.
“I could secure certification if it would be required by the government, I’m just not sure if it’s something I need. As for me, I rely on oil and faith,” Solmerano said.
For his part, Tata Omeng said he is not keen on securing government certification. “I will not lose patients if I won’t apply for it.”
PITAHC, however, clarified that it will not require healers to apply for certification. The GOCC said the certification is aimed at giving their patrons more confidence that the processes used by healers are not harmful. It will also not require healers to change their practice.
“Traditional medicine has an important role in the health-care delivery system and it could help in achieving our ultimate goal of universal health care. We want to achieve all these, but we want to make sure that we have control,” Sia said.
PITAHC said it is now organizing a national committee for local healers with ATHAG, AMA and Hilot Pinoy. The three groups are also involved in the crafting of a code of ethics for hilot. Sia hopes that the program for local healers could be rolled out by 2016.
“We want guidelines for the practice of hilot and for healers to undergo training. We want hilot to be on equal footing with other traditional healers who are into acupuncture and naturopathy,” Sia said.
Hilot and albularyo patron Nenita Cruz said she was “thrilled” when she found out that certifications will be provided for local healers. The news prompted her to recommend her friends to a hilot who prepares a special treatment to sooth her aching joints.
“There are those who don’t believe in hilot. With the certification in place, they will no longer doubt the efficacy of their methods. This will also help those who cannot afford to go to hospitals or see a doctor,” Cruz said.
The certification, she added, would also help pinpoint areas where there are local healers.
PITAHC said it intends to preserve traditional, natural and cultural heritage, especially a community’s medical practices and medicinal plants it uses. It also aims to come up with a fitting classification for local healers.
“We will have to find a generic term. [But] manghihilom is a nice term,” Sia said.
PITAHC hopes that the certification will make it easier for people to trust them. The GOCC has yet to finalize the requirements for certification, but it vowed to publish these, as well as the list of certified healers on its web site.
Sia, however, cautioned that the certification process could be long and arduous. This is because the government wants to ensure that the process would be mindful of the beliefs of people who patronize local healers. “We don’t want to just dismiss supernatural beliefs. These beliefs are part of Filipino culture. We just want to make sure that these would not cause harm to people,” Sia said.
1 comment
Where can we find Tata Omeng? I need to consult him my mother who is having unexplained pain and sickness. Thank you.