I amazed to what I have become today. All I know is that I used to apply my knowledge only to my closest Family Members. Then later on, neighbors ask for Hilot. Then, in 2008 I am sharing my knowledge at Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and everything now becomes different.
I also remember that there is a person who ask me to pass over to them my knowledge of Hilot as they will use it that they could teach in colleges or University. I said to them introduce me so that I could teach. But that person said, I am not qualified to teach because I have no Bachelor’s and Masteral Degree to teach College Students. So, then I said, enroll to my Class and become a practitioner but you are not allowed to teach as you are not an accredited Hilot Master.
This is the same thing that I feel 3 years ago when working with former High Ranking Government official, they just extract what I know and develop for them Curriculum and Training Program and at the end of it, they will see my credentials as having no bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.
By the way, if we go back in time during the 11th century does our ancestors have formal schooling way back then? Do the Manghihilot at that time has bachelor’s or masteral degree as they practice healing? Hilot has been taught through apprenticeship. Students of Hilot observe the Hilot Master on how they perform and treat their patient. Sometimes the Hilot Master will send out the apprentice to the woods in order to get Medicinal Herbs even without detailed instructions. You will just ask the herbs if they are the right plant for the illness being treated at the moment. and also the apprentice learn because they will be asked to hold tight the client so that they will not move as the Master apply Hilot to the patient.
There is no classroom, no whiteboard nor blackboard, no overhead projector for PowerPoint presentation, special laboratory room and equipment’s, nor clinic and treatment room to accept patient. These all happen within the abode of the Manghihilot.
I am writing this here to cast away all my worries in mind and to reassure myself that I should keep walking to the path of our race and not be bothered by the worries I have in mind. I should be thankful that we have Bahay SiAdTala that is hosting our students who come from different parts of the world as they heed the call of our Ancestors in becoming a Hilot Binabaylan.
We should remember that the ways of the Ancestors are different from the ways of the modern world. The modern world is living now in an instant way, but our Ancestors they are the one who manually lay the foundation. But you now, as Hilot Binabaylan who walks the path of our ancestors, even you live in the world in modern times, I encourage you to be the foundation setter because what has been founded by our ancestors will be consumed by the people in this modern time and in the future, we will make sure that these foundation will remain.
Hilot Academy of Binabaylan 