Yesterday as i checked on the Website of Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care i saw on their home page that they already have revised the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the Republic Act 8423 or other wise known as the Philippine Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997. This law creates the Department of Health institution on Traditional and Alternative Medicine. In this Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation of PITAHC they have stated their objectives in encouraging Scientific Research on the Traditional Medicine as well as to develop alternative healthcare system that has direct impact on public health. It is also stated in the IRR the promotion and advocate the use of traditional, alternative healthcare modalities that are proven safe, effective, cost effective and consistent with government standards on health care practices.
You may check and download the IRR by clicking it here.
On Rule 2 of the IRR we can see the definition of terms and we found on section 1 and phrase P, they have defined Hilot as to the science and art of the ancient Filipino healing grounded on the principle of balance of the physical elements, together with the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person, with the use of manipulations, “bulong” or “oracion”, and medicinal plants for the prevention of disease and for the restoration and maintenance of health and well-being. They have beautifully defined Hilot being the Science and Art of Ancient Filipino Healing but through their definition they have omitted the function of the Manghihilot in performing diagnostic procedure such as in the practice of tawas and pagpupulso.
We also notice in their definition of Traditional Medicine is different from what the World Health Organization have defined it.
PITAHC Definition of TRADITIONAL MEDICINE as the sum total of knowledge, skills and practice on health care, not necessarily explicable in the context of modern, scientific, philosophical framework, but recognized by the people to help maintain and improve their health towards the wholeness of their being, the community and society, and their interrelations based on culture, history, heritage and consciousness.
While the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION defined Traditional Medicine as:
It is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.
In Hilot Academy we follow the Definition of World Health Organization thus we claim that Hilot is not just a Healing Art and Science but as a Traditional Medicine. As Manghihilot we are not just a Healer but we are a Traditional Medicine Practitioner which means we apply our knowledge to maintain health, for diagnosis, prevention, improvement or treatment of Physical, Emotional and Mental Illnesses. As manghihilot we employ our knowledge on the use of Herbs (Halaman), Heat (Init), Light (Liwanag), Time & Words (Orasyon+ Prayer and Time) and water to affect cure to our patient.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 