The Future of Manghihilot starts with us

Do you remember the story that years ago before i become a Tesda Trainer and Assessor of Hilot Wellness Massage NC2, I was unemployed that time and very depressed that i think of my self as worthless. One night i go out and went for a walk on the night of the full moon, it was midnight and no one is around except for the sounds of kuliglig (cricket) and some barking of dogs. I went inside a grassland and lay down on the ground to cry and talk to the moon. The sky was clear and there are many stars together with the moon brightly shining upon me. With tears, I ask God what is my purpose in life, and in my mind there was a voice that ask me back that says: What do you know to do? and i answered: I only know how to do hilot and tawas; by then the voice in my mind answered back: use what you know and live. and another voice is giving me an instruction, reach above your head and pick it up; and when i reach out i have picked a tiny stone and the voice said to me: that tiny stone is you, it seems worthless by now as it is just scattered around, but when you gather all those tiny stones, it could serve its purpose. It can be used to build up great castle.

With new hope in my life i went home. And on the next day, i bought news paper to see for a job offering and i saw a spa in quezon city that is looking for a therapist. I went there and apply, i even demonstrate my hilot skills so as tawas. I gained positive feedback and almost give tawas and hilot to all the HR staff that interviewed me, but i was not hired because they are looking for therapist that has a Certificate. Even that they are satisfied with the skills that i provide still they need a piece of paper that tells that I am good at the skills that i am performing.

I believe that this experience of mine pushed me to dream first of having my own school that will teach Hilot and Tawas and give all my graduates their certificate. Though this dream is not instant. I know it will be impossible for me to have my own school because i am a college drop out and only have a Diploma in Alternative Medicine which i only took for one year.

Again another hope came to me, using my diploma as requirement, i apply work abroad. But the employer asked me if i have a National Certificate on Massage Therapy or Hilot. At that time i do not have. Another failure that i receive. Aside from being rejected i lack money at that time. So to save money, i walked from Mabini in manila to Quezon City Hall. And that decision of walking allows me to think and see places and billboards that may have a Job Opening. Then i found an ads that tells Free Assessment for National Certification. As i found the ads, i went directly to Tesda Quezon City hall, but reaching there i was referred to go to kalayaan ave. to register at one of their assessment center which is the Humancare International. And there I meet my Boss, Dr. Grace Sanico.

My purpose in coming to their office is just to apply for the National Certification, so they scheduled me for an assessment; but upon seeing my credential as Diploma Holder in Alternative Medicine. Dr. Grace recommend me to become a Tesda Trainer and Assessor. Then upon passing my assessment , i took the Assessor and Trainers Methodology course and passed it and been accredited as Trainer/ Assessor for Massage Therapy and Hilot Wellness Massage. Then all become History. Through Humancare we have served BigHands Foundation and have trained many hilot therapist in Quezon City. We also have established the Phililippine Certified Wellness Therapist Association that will help our Graduates in Massage Therapy and Hilot Wellness to have a Job. We also had established Hilot Centers in Camp Crame, Camp Aguinaldo and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig. And have conducted numerous wellness missions in metro manila. And those were the glorious days.

Then Dr. Grace have sent me to cavite to teach a Japanese company that cater vacation houses for the retired japanese elderly. While in Makison, the Big bosses of that company ask me to start Philippine Japan Hilot Association. But that doesn’t last for good. When the company was bankrupt, i decided to work abroad in Saudi Arabia, and after my two years contract, i went back home and established Hilot Academy of Binabaylan in April 5, 2016.

Now, Pandemic has come, I thought that our Work will also stopped as travel to the Philippines has been halted. But the Great Spirits have guide us to open up through Online Training. Now, the world is about to open, and face-to-face classes will be allowed. We are praying that our preparations will be accepted and may the Great Spirits bring us the people that they have called to be one of us here at Hilot Academy.

Giving out certificates through our Training does not only means Money for us. Enrolling through our classes will serve as our Fuel to continue our effort in conducting research and developing techniques that will make the traditional to be adaptable in our modern times. Your enrollment to us will give us numbers that will become our stronghold that we can present to the Philippine Government that they may give value to our works in preserving this ancestral healing arts and science in the Philippines.

Connecting with these important people in Philippine Society, is our effort in bringing up the image of Hilot. Helping them to come out of the donation basis servitude and make their efforts be properly paid off. We are making an appeal that our manghihilot be properly employed and thinking of them be placed in Baranggay Health Center and make them also to have a basic monthly salary to be paid eiher by DSWD or DILG. We are making a plea also to consider creating Traditional Medicine Unit in all public hospitals in the Philippines so that our manghihilot can be employed there by rendering their service as Manghihilot.

I can see that our Manghihilot can also be partners with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as Department of Agriculture. Our Manghihilot can be experts not only in Herbal Medicine but also in Fruits and Vegetables. Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Healthcare can benefit from our Manghihilot by giving them job as Field Researcher as well as product distributor from all the products manufactured as a result of the research. With these partnership, we can lower the price of medicine and improve the citizens health status by strengthening the preventive healthcare practices.