Category: Hilot Policy

Why Some Practitioners Are Marked “Under Review” or “Not in Good Standing”

By Apu Adman Aghama
Founder, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan

In recent months, several people have asked why some graduates listed on the Our Manghihilot page of the Hilot Academy of Binabaylan website are marked as “Under Review” or “Not in Good Standing.” We welcome these questions because transparency is an important part of maintaining trust, accountability, and the integrity of our healing tradition.

First and foremost, these designations are not intended to shame, attack, or diminish anyone’s personal journey, skills, or experiences. Every student who enters our programs invests time, energy, and commitment in learning. We recognize and honor that effort.

However, it is equally important to understand that completing a training program and remaining an authorized representative of a lineage-based healing school are two different matters.

Beyond Graduation: The Importance of Continuing Standards

In conventional education, a student may complete a degree program in nursing, medicine, physical therapy, or another healthcare profession. Graduation alone does not automatically grant professional authority. Graduates must often pass licensure examinations, meet professional requirements, and adhere to ethical standards established by regulatory bodies.

Within the broader field of Academic Hilot in the Philippines, organizations such as TESDA and PITAHC help establish competency standards, training frameworks, and professional recognition.

At the Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, however, our approach to Hilot extends beyond physical wellness. While we value anatomy, physiology, bodywork, and traditional healing techniques, we also recognize the spiritual, cultural, ethical, and ancestral dimensions of Hilot Binabaylan.

Because of this unique responsibility, we established the Hilot Binabaylan Council to provide ongoing assessment and guidance regarding the use, teaching, and representation of Hilot Binabaylan teachings.

Why We Established the Hilot Binabaylan Council

The Hilot Binabaylan Council exists to help preserve the integrity of the teachings entrusted to our academy.

Its role is not merely to evaluate technical competency. The Council also considers whether practitioners remain aligned with the:

  • Mission of Hilot Academy of Binabaylan
  • Vision of Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc.
  • Core Values of Templong Anituhan Inc.
  • Ethical principles of Hilot Binabaylan practice
  • Standards of cultural and spiritual stewardship

A practitioner may possess strong technical skills and yet no longer be aligned with the values, responsibilities, or commitments that accompany authorized representation of the lineage.

For this reason, authorization is not viewed as a one-time achievement. It is an ongoing relationship built upon integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, respect for lineage, and commitment to community standards.

What Does “Under Review” Mean?

When a practitioner is marked “Under Review,” it simply means that the individual’s current status is being assessed by the appropriate bodies of the academy.

This may involve reviewing:

  • Educational completion requirements
  • Practice standards
  • Ethical concerns
  • Representation of the lineage
  • Compliance with academy policies
  • Authorization to teach or certify others

An “Under Review” designation is not a final judgment. It is a period of evaluation intended to ensure fairness, due process, and accountability.

What Does “Not in Good Standing” Mean?

A designation of “Not in Good Standing” indicates that the individual is not currently authorized to represent, teach, certify, or publicly use the authority of Hilot Academy of Binabaylan as an official lineage representative.

This does not necessarily mean the person lacks healing knowledge. It does not invalidate their personal experiences or independent practice.

Rather, it means that they are presently not recognized by the academy as an authorized representative of the Hilot Binabaylan lineage and educational system.

This distinction is important for students, clients, and members of the public who seek authentic instruction and services connected specifically to the Hilot Academy of Binabaylan tradition.

The Challenge of Preserving a Healing Lineage

One of the realities of contemporary wellness practice is the increasing tendency to combine multiple modalities, systems, and techniques into a single treatment approach.

This can certainly be appropriate in many professions and healing traditions. However, for a lineage-based educational institution committed to preserving a specific body of knowledge, it can create challenges.

Our concern is not that people study other healing methods. Learning is a lifelong journey.

Our concern is preserving the distinct identity, philosophy, ceremonial framework, terminology, ethics, and methodology of Hilot Binabaylan.

When teachings become excessively altered, diluted, or mixed without proper context, future generations may lose sight of what makes the tradition unique. Over time, the original teachings can become fragmented or misrepresented.

Preservation requires more than teaching. It requires stewardship.

Why We Publish These Statuses Publicly

The Hilot Academy of Binabaylan website serves as a public information portal.

Its purpose is to help individuals identify:

  • Practitioners who have completed training
  • Practitioners currently authorized by the academy
  • Individuals permitted to teach academy programs
  • Practitioners who remain aligned with academy standards
  • Current standing within the Hilot Binabaylan lineage

This transparency benefits the public by allowing prospective students and clients to make informed decisions regarding who is officially authorized to provide services and educational instruction under the Hilot Academy of Binabaylan framework.

The publication of these statuses is not a punishment. It is a public accountability measure designed to protect students, clients, the integrity of the lineage, and the future of the tradition itself.

Honoring the Ancestors Through Responsible Stewardship

At the heart of this matter is a simple belief:

The teachings of Hilot Binabaylan are not merely techniques. They are a living heritage.

We have received these teachings through years of study, practice, cultural preservation, and spiritual responsibility. As caretakers of this tradition, we believe we have an obligation to ensure that future generations receive the teachings with clarity, authenticity, and integrity.

We honor our ancestors by preserving what they entrusted to us.

We honor our students by maintaining standards.

We honor the public by providing transparency.

And we honor the future by ensuring that Hilot Binabaylan remains a living tradition rooted in wisdom, responsibility, and service.

Learn More

To better understand the principles behind these standards and the role of lineage, accountability, and ethical practice within Hilot Binabaylan, we invite you to watch the following presentation by Apu Adman Aghama:

🎥 Watch the Video:

For questions regarding the standing of any practitioner, please contact Hilot Academy of Binabaylan through our official communication channels.

Mabuhay ang Hilot. Mabuhay ang Binabaylan. Mabuhay ang ating mga Ninuno.

A Statement on the Value and Integrity of Hilot Academy of Binabaylan

Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is a school, a center of learning, and a steward of Indigenous Filipino healing knowledge. We are not in the business of selling certificates, degrees, titles, or social status. What we offer is far more meaningful than a document or a designation.

The qualifications granted through our programs are not merely based on competency assessments or academic requirements. They represent the preservation, continuation, and responsible transmission of ancestral wisdom that has been carefully gathered, studied, practiced, and safeguarded through years of dedication and experience.

Our goal is not to produce individuals who possess impressive titles. Rather, our mission is to help form practitioners who are worthy of carrying this sacred knowledge forward. Those who complete our training are recognized not simply because they attended classes, but because they have demonstrated commitment to the discipline, values, and responsibilities entrusted to them. We seek to develop individuals who can serve as Practitioners, Lineage Bearers, and Lineage Protectors of Filipino traditional healing arts.

We deeply respect the academic degrees, professional credentials, and titles that our students have earned through their own educational and professional journeys. However, we also ask for the same respect in return. Choosing to study at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is a voluntary decision made by individuals who recognize the value of Indigenous Filipino healing knowledge and wish to learn from it.

For this reason, we must be clear: the wisdom preserved and shared by the Academy is not a commodity to be bargained for as though one were negotiating prices in a public marketplace. Negotiation is not limited to financial matters alone. It can also involve requests that diminish the time, effort, standards, and integrity required to properly transmit this knowledge.

Many people ask whether a person can truly learn Hilot in a few hours, a day, or a weekend. This reminds me of a question once raised by Atty. Kent Almene: “Can a student genuinely acquire meaningful learning in one or two hours of instruction? Or even in one or two days?” Certainly, some knowledge may be gained. A person can be introduced to concepts, techniques, and basic practices. However, true proficiency, mastery, and responsible application require much more. They are cultivated through consistent study, disciplined practice, mentorship, reflection, and time.

No authentic healing tradition can be fully transmitted through shortcuts.

This principle is recognized not only by Hilot Academy but also by government accreditation and regulatory bodies. Institutions such as TESDA and PITAHC establish standards, regulations, and training requirements because meaningful education demands structure, accountability, and adequate learning hours. While Hilot Academy of Binabaylan operates as an independent and autonomous educational institution and ministry of Luntiang Aghama, we likewise uphold our own academic and professional standards.

The programs offered by the Academy have undergone numerous revisions and improvements over the years. Our curriculum continues to evolve to ensure that our students receive comprehensive instruction that meets both traditional expectations and modern educational standards. We do not reduce requirements simply for convenience, nor do we compromise quality in exchange for speed.

The purpose of Hilot Academy has never been driven by money. If financial gain were our primary objective, we would offer quick certifications, lower standards, and promise instant recognition. We choose not to do that because such practices would betray the very traditions we have committed ourselves to preserve.

Just as authentic Hilot is founded upon service, dedication, discipline, and responsibility, authentic learning requires the same qualities from the student.

At Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, what matters most is not how much a person can pay, how many titles they already possess, or how quickly they wish to complete the program. What matters is their willingness to learn, their commitment to the discipline, their respect for the lineage, and their dedication to preserving and serving the healing traditions of our ancestors.

These standards are not negotiable. They exist not to exclude people, but to honor the knowledge we have inherited and to ensure that it is passed on responsibly to future generations.

In the end, we do not confer value through titles alone. We affirm trust, responsibility, competence, cultural stewardship, and commitment. These are the true credentials of a Hilot Binabaylan.

The Anatomy of a Traditional Practice Covenant: Honor, Heritage, and the Law

When you graduate from a conventional university, you walk away with a degree, a cap, and a clear path toward state licensure. But what happens when you graduate from an academy dedicated to ancient, lineage-based healing methods?

In institutions teaching ancestral arts like Hilot Binabaylan, graduation looks a bit different. Graduates often sign a document called a Practice Covenant. While it reads like a deeply formal contract, its purpose, legal status, and boundaries are unique.

Let’s break down exactly what these traditional agreements mean, why violating them is not a crime, and how Philippine law actually protects this rich cultural heritage.

What is a “Practice Covenant”?

A Practice Covenant is a voluntary agreement between a traditional training academy and its graduates. Rather than acting as a standard corporate employment contract, it serves as a moral compass and a spiritual bond.

The primary goal of the agreement is stewardship. It ensures that the practitioner handles ancestral healing knowledge with respect, integrity, and cultural accuracy.

The typical covenant centers around five core pillars:

  1. Ancestral Honor: Committing to preserve the cultural and traditional roots of the practice.
  2. Ethical Practice: Promising to use the knowledge exclusively for healing and never for exploitation or harm.
  3. Spiritual Alignment: Viewing the craft as a holistic calling tied deeply to nature and community.
  4. Community Service: Pledging to support those in need and help others connect with their cultural roots.
  5. Lifelong Mentorship: Maintaining an active link to the academy for continuous education and community gathering.

The Legal Reality: Breaking the Covenant is NOT a Crime

Because these documents use serious legal and formal language, a common point of confusion arises: If a practitioner breaks one of these rules, are they breaking the law?

The short answer is no.

Under the statutory laws of the land, an internal organizational covenant carries absolutely zero criminal liability. Because this is an internal ethical and spiritual code, failing to live up to its standards will never result in:

  • Police intervention or criminal records
  • Lawsuits in public, civil courts
  • Government fines or jail time

How Is It Enforced?

Accountability remains strictly internal and institutional. If a practitioner behaves unethically or violates the spirit of the tradition, the academy relies on community-based remedies:

  • Spiritual Counsel: Offering peer guidance to correct the practitioner’s course.
  • Healing Intervention: Peer-led remediation to address behavioral issues.
  • Withdrawal of Recognition: The academy’s ultimate recourse. They possess the legal right to strip the individual of their institutional titles, official certifications, and endorsement within their professional healing network.

Ultimately, the practitioner remains a free citizen under civil law. They can switch careers or walk away from the practice at any moment without facing legal penalties.

How Philippine Law Protects Traditional Healers: The TAMA Act (RA 8423)

You might wonder how an academy has the right to issue these titles and agreements in the first place. The answer lies in a landmark piece of legislation: Republic Act No. 8423, also known as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) of 1997.

Authored by Senator Juan Flavier, the TAMA Act completely changed how the Philippine government views indigenous healing systems. It protects and legitimizes practices like Hilot through several key mechanisms:

1. Creation of PITAHC

The law established the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC), an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH). PITAHC is specifically tasked with respecting, promoting, and integrating traditional medicine into the national healthcare delivery system.

2. Ownership of Indigenous Knowledge

The TAMA Act explicitly recognizes that indigenous societies own their traditional medical knowledge. The state provides a legally workable basis to ensure that outsiders cannot exploit ancestral recipes, rituals, or healing systems without permission, recognition, and proper financial sharing with the community.

3. Protection, Not Criminalization

As long as traditional or spiritual healing is performed in a safe, responsible, and non-deceptive manner, RA 8423 ensures it is fully legal. It acknowledges that spiritual and natural remedies are a vital part of primary healthcare, especially in rural areas with limited access to modern hospitals.

(Note: The law only steps in if a practitioner claims they can “cure all diseases,” explicitly misleads people, or stops critically ill patients from seeking emergency hospital care.)

The Takeaway

An organizational practice covenant is a beautiful bridge between ancient tradition and modern administrative structure. It provides traditional academies a way to protect the purity of their lineage while keeping accountability purely within their own community walls. Backed by the TAMA Act, it allows indigenous healing systems to thrive legally, responsibly, and respectfully.

What are your thoughts on traditional covenants versus standard state licensing? Let us know in the comments below!

Defending the Sovereignty of Ancestral Medicine: Why Hilot Binisaya Must Not Be Standardized

Imagine stepping into the home of a master village healer on Siargao Island. The room smells of freshly crushed medicinal leaves, warm coconut lana, and burning beeswax. The healer takes your wrist, not to count heartbeats against a wristwatch, but to map the corriente—the spiritual and physical energy current of your soul. Through a whispered orasyon, deep nerve manipulation (panglugay), or an ancestral bone reset (pangatlo), you aren’t just getting your muscles rubbed. You are being put back into alignment with the cosmos.

This is Hilot Binisaya and Tambal Binisaya—the clinical and spiritual medicine of the ancient Daetan and Babaylan lineages. It is a complete, profound system of indigenous healthcare that has protected Filipino communities for over five hundred years.

Yet today, this living heritage faces a quiet, bureaucratic crisis. In the rush to mainstream and regulate traditional practices, government bodies are forcing these ancient, sovereign arts into a sanitized, secular, and watered-down box.

And as traditional keepers of the flame, we must draw a line in the sand: We will not modify the medicine of our ancestors.

The Clashing Worldviews: Ancestral Wisdom vs. Bureaucratic Grids

Under Republic Act 8423, the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) is mandated to promote and safeguard traditional medicine. However, because it is an entity attached to the Department of Health, it is forced to view traditional arts through a strictly Western, bio-medical grid.

This creates a devastating filter that systematically strips traditional healing of its core components:

1. The Erasure of the Spiritual Core (The Dungan)

In Tambal Binisaya, you cannot heal a physical body without addressing the human soul (Dungan). Sickness is often caused by an energetic rupture between the patient, their ancestors, or the unseen nature spirits (Dili Ingon Nato).

Yet, official regulatory guidelines routinely reject heavily spiritual methods. A government assessor cannot scientifically measure an orasyon from a handwritten libreta notebook, nor can they quantify the legalistic negotiation of a peace offering (pabuhat). To gain state certification, healers are subtly pressured to strip out the prayers and the spiritual diagnostics, reducing a sacred vocation into a purely secular, mechanical routine.

2. The Castration of Clinical Skill (Pangatlo)

Multi-generational Visayan hilot includes advanced, physical interventions like Pangatlo (skeletal alignment and structural splinting using local bamboo). Because modern regulatory boards are terrified of corporate liability, they choose to reduce the entire legal definition of Hilot to basic spa strokes: Hagod (stroking), Haplos (caressing), Pindot (pressing), and Pisil (squeezing).

By outlawing advanced bone-setting from the accredited scope of Hilot, the state effectively demotes master traditional practitioners into entry-level massage therapists.

      [ THE ANCESTRAL SYSTEM ]                   [ THE BUREAUCRATIC GRID ]
  * Clinical Bone-Setting (Pangatlo)    ───►   Stripped due to liability fears.
  * Metaphysical Pulse (Panghiwahi)     ───►   Replaced with basic leaf strip scanning.
  * Spiritual Execution (Orasyon/Gahum) ───►   Rejected as non-compliant mysticism.

True Promotion vs. Colonial Assimilation

True promotion means protecting an indigenous system exactly as it was engineered by the ancestors. Forcing a Mananambal to compromise their lineage protocols just to fit into a government checklist is nothing short of continued colonial assimilation. It cleanses the medicine until it becomes unrecognizable, trading a sacred, earthly power (Gahum) for a standard hotel hospitality product.

Tambal Binisaya does not need validation from a biochemical lab or a bureaucratic committee to prove its efficacy. Its efficacy is proven by the generations of Filipinos it kept alive centuries before modern hospitals or regulatory boards ever existed.

The Solution: The Dual-Track Framework

As independent institutions dedicated to preserving true indigenous arts—such as the Hilot Academy of Binabaylan—we refuse to dilute the fire of our lineages. However, we also understand that our students must survive and legally operate businesses in the modern economy.

To navigate this, we enforce a strict Dual-Track Operational Standard:

  • The Government Certificate as a Shield: We instruct our students to learn the baseline physical strokes and secular safety parameters required to comfortably pass state assessments. This certificate serves purely as a legal “shield”—a piece of paper to show local business bureaus, ensure regulatory compliance, and pay modern taxes.
  • The Lineage as the Absolute Authority: Once the state registry is fulfilled and the temple doors close, the practitioner answers strictly to the ancestors. The full execution of the five core modalities—Pasubay (Diagnostics), Hilot Binisaya (Somatic Care), Panghugas (Herbalism), Orasyon (Spiritual Words), and Pabuhat (Ritual Negotiations)—is practiced with zero modification, zero filtering, and absolute sovereign pride.

A Call to Action for True Cultural Sovereignty

We call upon policymakers, cultural advocates, and regulatory committees to look at our traditions with deeper humility. Do not colonize our medicine in the name of standardization. Traditional healing is an independent, constitutional, and ancestral practice that belongs to the soil and the spirit.

We will not modify our hands. We will not silence our prayers. We will keep the Gahum of our grandfathers completely intact, ensuring that the unfiltered fire of the Daetan burns brightly for generations to come.

Position Article: Defending the Sovereignty of Ancestral Medicine

Title: The Fire of the Daetan: Why Tambal Binisaya and Hilot Binisaya Must Not Be Modified to Fit Institutional Standards

I. Executive Summary

Traditional Philippine medicine is under threat of systematic erasure, not through outright prohibition, but through bureaucratic sanitation. While the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) is legally mandated under Republic Act 8423 to promote traditional healing, its regulatory framework forces ancient arts into a modern, bio-medical, and strictly secular grid. True ancestral systems—specifically Tambal Binisaya and Hilot Binisaya—are holistic systems where the physical body, the environment, and the human spirit (Dungan) are inseparable.

We firmly declare that ancestral medicine must remain sovereign and unmodified. Our lineages will not compromise their diagnostic protocols, clinical bone-setting (Pangatlo), or metaphysical operations to accommodate the standardized guidelines of state committees.

II. The Fault Lines of Institutionalization

The standard government evaluation model filters indigenous knowledge through a modern, westernized lens, creating three irreconcilable fault lines:

      [ THE ANCESTRAL SYSTEM ]                   [ THE BUREAUCRATIC GRID ]
  * Clinical Bone-Setting (Pangatlo)    ───►   Stripped due to liability fears.
  * Metaphysical Pulse (Panghiwahi)     ───►   Replaced with basic leaf strip scanning.
  * Spiritual Execution (Orasyon/Gahum) ───►   Rejected as non-compliant mysticism.
  • The Erasure of the Spiritual Core: Official PITAHC Certification Resolutions reveal that traditional healers are routinely disapproved because their demonstrations are “more of spiritual healing… which is not in accord with hilot guidelines”. In Tambal Binisaya, treating physical ailments without addressing the Dungan is clinical failure. Eliminating Orasyon (divine code) and Pasubay (spiritual tracing) reduces a sacred art to secular pampering.
  • The Castration of Clinical Skill: Multi-generational Visayan medicine includes advanced physical interventions like Pangatlo (skeletal alignment and splinting). Because public regulatory divisions prioritize corporate liability protection, they reduce the entire concept of Hilot to basic spa strokes (Hagod, Haplos). Stripping advanced bone-setting from Hilot Binisaya effectively outlaws the clinical prowess of master village healers.

III. True Promotion vs. Colonial Assimilation

True promotion requires preserving ancestral arts exactly as they were engineered by the ancestors. Forcing a Mananambal or Daetan to change their ancestral ways to secure government validation is an act of continued colonial assimilation. It sanitizes the medicine until it becomes unrecognizable, converting a sacred ancestral vocation into a standard hospitality product.

Tambal Binisaya does not require validation from a biochemical committee to prove its efficacy. Its validation is written in the oral histories of the communities it has protected, healed, and sustained for over five hundred years, surviving long before modern regulatory bureaus existed.

IV. The Sovereign Directive of the Academy

As the ancestral heirs of these traditions, we refuse to dilute the fire of our lineages. The Hilot Academy of Binabaylan and its community will enforce a strict Dual-Track Operational Standard to navigate the modern state without compromising the soul:

  • The State Certificate as an External Shield: We will instruct our students to understand baseline state safety guidelines and standard physical protocols purely to secure business registration, comply with tax requirements, and ensure legal protection in the modern economy.
  • The Ancestral Lineage as the Absolute Authority: Once the state registry is fulfilled, the practitioner answers strictly to the ancestors. The full execution of the five core modalities—Pasubay (Diagnostics), Hilot Binisaya (Somatic Care), Panghugas (Herbalism), Orasyon (Spiritual Words), and Pabuhat (Ritual Negotiations)—will be practiced with zero modifications in our temples and private clinics.

V. Conclusion

We call upon PITAHC and Philippine policymakers to re-evaluate their regulatory approach. Do not colonize our medicine in the name of standardization. Recognize that true traditional healing is an independent, constitutional, and ministerial practice that belongs to the soil and the spirit. We will not modify our hands, we will not silence our prayers, and we will keep the Gahum of our ancestors completely intact.

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc. Is Now Officially Registered

The Hilot Binabaylan community is pleased to announce that Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc. has officially received its Certificate of Incorporation from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 20 July 2026 and has successfully completed its registration with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) as a Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization.

This milestone marks the formal establishment of the first professional, educational, accrediting, and lineage-preserving council dedicated specifically to the protection, preservation, and advancement of the Hilot Binabaylan tradition.

The Council was established to serve as a professional home for practitioners, mentors, healers, educators, researchers, and advocates committed to Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences.

Our Mission

The Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc. exists to:

  • Preserve and protect the integrity of the Hilot Binabaylan lineage;
  • Establish ethical and professional standards for practitioners;
  • Provide licensure, certification, accreditation, and professional recognition;
  • Develop competent practitioners and future leaders;
  • Support research, cultural preservation, and community wellness;
  • Strengthen the transmission of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences to future generations.

Why Become a Member?

Membership in the Council provides the opportunity to belong to an international community dedicated to the advancement of Hilot Binabaylan.

Benefits of Membership

✅ Official recognition within the Hilot Binabaylan professional community

✅ Access to licensure and professional advancement pathways

✅ Eligibility for recognition as a Licensed Hilot Binabaylan Practitioner

✅ Opportunity to advance toward Hilot Tanglaw Mentor recognition

✅ Eligibility for future advancement toward Hilot Doctor recognition

✅ Participation in continuing education, training programs, seminars, and conferences

✅ Access to mentorship and professional development opportunities

✅ Inclusion in the Council’s official registry of recognized members

✅ Eligibility to participate in governance, elections, and organizational development

✅ Opportunities to contribute to research, cultural preservation, and community initiatives

✅ Access to international networking and leadership opportunities

✅ Participation in the preservation and advancement of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences

Professional Development Pathway

The Council recognizes a pathway of growth and leadership:

Student Member
↓
Licensed Hilot Practitioner
↓
Hilot Tanglaw Mentor (Lineage Bearer)
↓
Hilot Doctor (Lineage Protector)
↓
Trustee (Guardian of the Council)

This pathway supports the development of future practitioners, educators, mentors, researchers, and organizational leaders.

Invitation

We warmly invite:

  • Hilot Practitioners
  • Traditional Healers
  • Healthcare Professionals
  • Researchers
  • Educators
  • Students
  • Indigenous Culture Advocates
  • Community Leaders
  • Supporters of Filipino Healing Traditions

to become part of this historic movement.

Together, let us preserve the lineage, uphold professional standards, and advance Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences for the benefit of present and future generations.

Organizational Motto

“Preserving the Lineage. Upholding the Standards. Advancing the Healing Tradition.”

For membership inquiries, accreditation information, and organizational updates, please contact the Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc.

Declaration

The Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc. stands as a steward of tradition, a guardian of standards, and a home for those called to preserve and advance the healing wisdom of our ancestors.

Welcome to the Hilot Binabaylan Council Inc.

Align and Elevate: How to Update Your Hilot Binabaylan Certification Under the New Curriculum Policy

The landscape of traditional Filipino medicine is evolving. To ensure that our ancient healing arts are preserved with the highest standards of safety, cultural integrity, and professional excellence, the Hilot Binabaylan training curriculum has been officially updated.

If you are a graduate of our classic 9-Day Hilot Binabaylan Training program, you already hold a powerful foundation. However, to fully align your credentials with the newly established professional tracks, you can now apply for a Certificate of Competency by completing the specific modules not covered in the old curriculum.

Updating your training bridges the gap between your foundational residency and the newly structured specialized paths, ensuring your practice is fully compliant, updated, and recognized.

The Path to Alignment: What You Need to Complete

Depending on your professional focus, look at the checklist below to see the exact competencies you need to bridge to secure your updated certification:

1. Certificate in Magtatawas (Hilot Diagnostic Practice)

While your 9-day training covered essential hands-on diagnostic tools (like Paper, Candle, and Egg Tawas), the new 10-day curriculum introduces rigorous theoretical and safety frameworks. To align, you will take:

  • Indigenous Filipino Anatomy & Physiology: Deep dive into the traditional view of body structures (Balat, Laman, Ugat, Litid, Buto) and organs (Puso, Baga, Atay, Bato), understanding health through our ancestors’ eyes.
  • Vital Forces Alignment: Mastering how Hininga (breath), Bisa (potency), Init (heat), Lamig (cold), and Hangin (wind) interact during an assessment.
  • Documentation Standards: Learning to use the official Katutubong Gamutan Profile Form for intake history.
  • Clinical Red Flags: Training to recognize emergency medical conditions (like fractures or severe bleeding) to ensure appropriate medical referrals.

2. Certificate in Hilot Gamutan or Manggagamot Practice

If your goal is clinical, physical manipulation and therapeutic bodywork, the new track requires advanced, invasive, and thermal modalities. You will need to complete:

  • Advanced Cleansing Modalities (Phase 1): Practical and safe setup for Paglalabatiba (herbal enemas) and Pagsusuob (herbal steam inhalation).
  • Lunas Pilay (Traditional Bone Setting): The comprehensive framework for managing sprains, strains, joint misalignments, traction, and mobilization.
  • Pagbibigkis: Specialized traditional post-treatment binding techniques optimized for bone setting and structural alignment.
  • Advanced Pharmacology: Deep study of the warming and cooling thermal properties of ethnobotanical compounding.

3. Certificate Program on Albularyo / Mananambal (Herbalist)

The introductory nature walks of the past have been expanded into a profound, nature-synchronized 12-Month Modular Framework. To graduate as a recognized Earth Steward, you will bridge:

  • Land, Soil, & Propagation Alchemy: Pre-colonial animist philosophy (Kapwa ethics) and lunar-synchronized seed and stem propagation.
  • Wildcrafting & Spiritual Harvesting: Syncing harvests with solar/planetary cycles and performing Pag-aalay (offerings) and Paalam (permission) rituals.
  • Dual Pharmacology Compounding: Making medicine for both physical illnesses (Likas na Sakit) and metaphysical ailments (Sakit sa Gawa).
  • Folk Arts & Talismanic Activation: Understanding the karmic boundaries of Gayuma and the consecration of Anting-anting, Birtud, and Panyo.

4. Certificate Program on Mandadalumat (Spiritual Healer)

For those answering the call to master psycho-spiritual fracturing and energetic protection, you can bridge into the advanced monthly modules:

  • Metaphysical Syndromes: The energetic mechanics and diagnostics of Usog, Bati, Laro, Tuwa, Dalaw, Tawag, and deconstructing Kulam.
  • Spatial Architecture: Land trauma clearing and building traditional Altars and Spirit Houses.
  • Divination Matrices: Mastery of Kilubansa (constitutional typing), Siadtala (ancestral astrology), and the Baybayin Mystic Oracle.
  • Sound Metaphysics & Consciousness Restoration: Directing Oracion formulas via vocal tuning, alongside Pauli (soul-retrieval) and Dampi (stabilizing sweeps).

Graduation & Assessment Standards

To ensure the integrity of our lineage, the new policy outlines clear assessment benchmarks for all bridging students:

  • Passing Scores: You must achieve a minimum final score of 75% for Magtatawas, 80% for Manggagamot, and 85% for the Albularyo and Mandadalumat ritual modules.
  • Non-Negotiable Ethics: A strict 100% compliance rate is required regarding safety, sanitation, and lineage ethics.

Why Update Your Certification?

By updating your training, you aren’t just earning a piece of paper—you are honoring the medicine. You ensure that your practice stands firmly on the foundations of safety, historical accuracy, and profound spiritual depth. Furthermore, it gives your clients and community the peace of mind that your practice meets the highest contemporary standards of the Hilot Binabaylan lineage.

Ready to align your practice? Contact the administration office today to review your 9-day training records and map out your personalized bridging schedule. Let’s elevate the healing arts together!

Our new Curriculum Certification for Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Science Diploma

Level 1 Magtatawas

CERTIFICATE IN MAGTATAWAS OR HILOT DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICEDownload

Level 2 Manggagamot

CERTIFICATE IN HILOT GAMUTAN OR MANGGAGAMOT PRACTICEDownload

Level 3 Albularyo

Certificate Program on Albularyo Mananambal Indigenous Filipino HerbalistDownload

Level 4 Mandadalumat

Certificate Program on Mandadalumat Indigenous Filipino Spiritual HealerDownload

The Call of the Motherland: Why a Hilot Binabaylan Initiation Must Happen on Philippine Soil

There is a profound difference between learning the mechanics of a tradition and awakening its soul.

In the global diaspora, the revival of traditional Filipino medicine has sparked a beautiful wave of interest. Across the United States, Europe, and beyond, seekers are gathering in classrooms and studio spaces to reclaim their ancestral roots. They study anatomy, practice stroke sequences, and discuss indigenous cosmology.

But for those walking the path of the Hilot Binabaylan—the traditional healer, seer, and keeper of elemental balance—there comes a crossroad where book-learning and intellectual cohorts are no longer enough. To fully step into this sacred calling, one must eventually answer the call of the motherland.

An initiation integrated into a sacred pilgrimage to the Philippines transforms a practitioner in ways that a diaspora training cohort simply cannot replicate. Here is why crossing the ocean to be initiated on ancestral soil changes everything.

The Anatomy of the Craft: Technical Training vs. Spiritual Transmission

To understand the difference, we must look at how Hilot is fundamentally structured. It is not just an indigenous massage modality; it is a relational, animistic science.

  • Training in the Diaspora focuses primarily on the intellectual and technical dimensions. You learn how to touch, how to scan for energetic imbalances (salat), and the names of traditional concepts. It is safe, structured, and profoundly necessary for building a foundational framework.
  • Initiation in the Philippines is a spiritual and lineage transmission. It shifts the practice from something you do with your hands to a state of being that you embody. You are no longer just practicing a technique; you are being formally introduced to, and accepted by, the unseen world that governs the tradition.

1. Lupa (The Living Land) as the First Teacher

In the Western framework, nature is often viewed as a backdrop or a resource. In the world of the Binabaylan, the land (lupa) is a conscious, sentient entity.

[Diaspora Cohort] -------------> Simulates elements inside a climate-controlled room
[Motherland Pilgrimage] -------> Aligns your heartbeat directly with the island's pulse

When you stand barefoot on the soil of sacred mountains like Mount Banahaw or Mount Makiling, your personal energy field interacts with the literal geomagnetic and spiritual currents (bisa) of the islands. You cannot truly master how to balance the fire, water, air, and earth elements within a human body if you have never communed with those same elements in their native, raw, and untamed habitat. The motherland itself is the primary initiator.

2. Legal Tender in the Spirit Realm: Activating your Gabay

In the Binabaylan tradition, a healer’s efficacy does not come from their own ego or strength; it comes from their gabay (spiritual guides, ancestors, and nature spirits).

An initiation performed at a puwesto (a naturally occurring sacred site, such as a hidden cave or a holy waterfall) acts as a formal contract. You are presenting yourself at the doorstep of the ancestors. When you are initiated on Philippine soil:

  • The local spirits (mga elemento) recognize your face, your lineage, and your intent.
  • The ancestral portal opens wide because you are standing in the exact geography where those ancestors lived, prayed, and poured their medicine into the earth.
  • Your spiritual authority is legitimized in the unseen realm, anchoring your healing work back home with a permanent, unbreakable root system.

3. Pagpupurga: Breaking the Intellectual Ego

Training cohorts in America or Europe are culturally shielded. They fit neatly into weekends, offer comfortable accommodations, and protect the intellectual ego.

A pilgrimage-based initiation in the Philippines is intentionally raw, visceral, and volatile. It demands physical sacrifice:

  • Trekking through dense, humid jungles.
  • Enduring the disorientation of tropical climates.
  • Bathing in freezing mountain springs at dawn.
  • Sitting in the pitch-black womb of holy caves.

This physical intensity triggers pagpupurga (a deep spiritual and emotional purge). It shatters the westernized, intellectual need to “understand” everything logically, forcing the initiate entirely out of their head and into their absolute intuition. You do not just learn Hilot; you survive the very landscape that birthed it.

4. The Power of Panata: The Annual Return of the Masters

For the most powerful and revered healers, a pilgrimage to the homeland is never a “one-and-done” trip. It transforms into an lifelong panata—a sacred, non-negotiable vow and pact made with the divine and the spirits of the land.

[Amulet/Healer] -------------> Daily Practice (Drains Energy) -------------> [Home]
   ^                                                                           |
   |__________________ Annual Panata Recharges Birtud <________________________|

The spiritual medicine of a Binabaylan is like a living battery. Every time a healer pulls pain out of a patient, absorbs spiritual density, or manipulates heavy energy, their internal store of bisa (potency) drains. To combat this, master healers return to these exact same Philippine power points year after year.

By fulfilling their annual panata, healers:

  • Renew their sacred vow of service in front of the ancestors, keeping their ego small and their channel pure.
  • Empower and amplify their healing gifts, absorbing the fresh, wild elemental currents that can only be found during highly specific spiritual seasons (like Holy Week/Lenten season).
  • Recharge their talismanic tools. A master healer’s anting-anting or birtud (healing amulets) must be bathed in the waters of the sacred springs annually to keep their protective frequencies alive.

The panata ensures that the healer does not burn out, but instead grows more potent with each passing year.

5. Harvesting the Raw Birtud (Spiritual Potency)

A Hilot Binabaylan relies heavily on the physical materials of the earth to anchor their spiritual work. During a pilgrimage initiation, you are not buying pre-made supplies; you are participating in their creation.

You learn to ask permission from the forest before harvesting fresh, endemic medicinal plants (halamang gamot). You gather coconut oil (langis) brewed over open fires at precise astrological or spiritual times, imbuing it with a high vibrational charge. If you carry amulets or talismans (anting-anting or birtud), initializing them at a high-vibrational Philippine power center permanently anchors their protective frequencies.

Dimension of GrowthThe Diaspora Cohort ExperienceThe Motherland Initiation Pilgrimage
Primary EnvironmentSafe, climate-controlled, familiarRaw, unpredictable, spiritually alive
Learning StyleCognitive, theoretical, structuralExperiential, visceral, ancestral
Lineage ConnectionConceptualized through text and teachersFelt directly through the dirt, water, and spirits
Sacred CommitmentEnds when the training module concludesBecomes an ongoing panata (annual vow)
The ResultA well-trained practitioner of HilotAn initiated vessel for the Binabaylan tradition

The Ultimate Convergence

To choose the motherland is not to diminish the beautiful work being done by diaspora teachers. Diaspora cohorts are vital—they are the welcoming gates, the community builders, and the keepers of safety. They give you the map.

But a pilgrimage to the Philippines is the journey itself.

If you feel a deeper tug in your chest when you practice Hilot, if your hands feel warm but your spirit feels restless, it is because your lineage is calling you back to the source. Go to the diaspora cohorts to learn the alphabet of your ancestors. But come home to the Philippines to write the poetry of your sacred calling—and begin the lifelong panata that will sustain your medicine forever.

Coming Home Through Hilot: Why Learning Hilot in the Philippines is More Than Just a Training Program

Since 2016, Hilot Academy of Binabaylan has welcomed students from different parts of the world, particularly Filipino-Americans, Filipino-Canadians, and Filipinos living in Europe, Australia, and other countries. Many of them travel thousands of miles back to the Philippines to participate in our Hilot Binabaylan Training Program.

When asked why they choose to study Hilot, their answers often reveal a deeper journey than simply learning traditional healing techniques.

Their response is usually the same:

“I want to reconnect with my Filipino roots.”

For many of these students, they are already second, third, or even fourth-generation Filipinos born and raised outside the Philippines. Their grandparents may have been the first generation to migrate, while they themselves grew up in countries where Filipino culture was often left behind in the pursuit of assimilation.

Many share stories of growing up without speaking Tagalog, Kapampangan, Ilocano, Cebuano, or the languages of their ancestors. Some recall being discouraged from bringing Filipino food to school because they feared being teased or bullied. Others remember feeling different because of their family traditions and eventually choosing to hide parts of their Filipino identity in order to fit into the society around them.

As adults, however, a powerful question begins to emerge:

“Who am I, and where do I come from?”

For many, the search for that answer leads them back to the Philippines—and eventually to Hilot.

Hilot as a Journey of Cultural Reconnection

At Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, we understand that our students are not simply enrolling in a training course.

They are embarking on a journey home.

While they come to learn Hilot as a traditional healing art, they also come seeking connection—with their ancestors, their heritage, their identity, and the living culture of the Filipino people.

That is why our training is intentionally designed as more than a classroom experience.

From the moment our students arrive at the airport, they are greeted not as customers, but as family.

We personally welcome them, assist them in settling into their accommodations, and ensure that they feel safe, comfortable, and cared for throughout their stay.

Every morning, students are picked up and brought to the training center where we begin the day together, often sharing breakfast before classes start.

These seemingly simple moments are among the most meaningful.

Because in Filipino culture, meals are never just about food.

They are about relationship.

The Filipino Way of Learning

Around the breakfast table, conversations naturally unfold.

Stories are shared.

Questions are asked.

Experiences are exchanged.

Laughter fills the room.

Without realizing it, students begin participating in one of the oldest educational traditions of the Philippines: oral transmission of knowledge.

Long before modern schools existed, wisdom was passed from generation to generation through storytelling, observation, demonstration, mentorship, and shared experiences.

This remains at the heart of how traditional Manghihilot learned their craft.

At Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, we continue this tradition through a blended learning approach that combines:

  • Oral teachings and storytelling
  • Physical demonstrations of healing techniques
  • Hands-on practical training
  • Field experiences
  • Reading materials and learning resources
  • Reflection and cultural immersion

Students do not merely memorize information.

They experience it.

They live it.

They become part of it.

Experiencing Filipino Hospitality

One of the most memorable aspects of the program is experiencing genuine Filipino hospitality.

Students are welcomed into an atmosphere where they feel at home.

Meals are shared together just as they would be in a Filipino household.

Breakfast may include:

  • Freshly brewed coffee
  • Pandesal
  • Sinangag
  • Eggs
  • Longganisa
  • Tocino
  • Tomatoes and cucumbers
  • Tuyo and other traditional dishes

We also make every effort to accommodate dietary requirements and food sensitivities.

Whether students are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or have specific dietary needs, we prepare meals that support their health and well-being while still allowing them to enjoy the richness of Filipino cuisine.

These meals become opportunities to build friendships, cultural understanding, and lifelong connections.

Many graduates tell us that the relationships they formed during training became just as valuable as the healing techniques they learned.

Learning Hilot in the Place Where It Was Born

One question often arises:

Why travel all the way to the Philippines when Hilot training can be offered overseas?

The answer is simple.

Because authenticity matters.

Hilot is not merely a technique.

It is a living cultural tradition shaped by the environment, history, spirituality, values, and everyday life of the Filipino people.

While Hilot can certainly be taught abroad, there are dimensions of learning that can only be fully experienced in the Philippines.

For nine days, students are immersed in the living reality of Filipino life.

They observe how communities interact.

They experience local customs.

They witness the resilience, warmth, humor, and hospitality that characterize the Filipino spirit.

This cultural immersion becomes an essential part of understanding Hilot itself.

Beyond the Classroom: Discovering Everyday Filipino Life

During their stay, students experience the Philippines not as tourists, but as temporary members of the community.

They ride tricycles.

They walk through bustling public markets.

They visit neighborhood sari-sari stores.

They observe daily life unfolding around them.

Many discover simple joys they had never experienced before:

  • Eating fishballs after class
  • Trying kwek-kwek and tokneneng from a street vendor
  • Enjoying a warm bowl of lugaw or goto
  • Sharing mami and pares with friends
  • Tasting authentic bulalo, sisig, papaitan, and other regional specialties
  • Visiting local communities and interacting with ordinary Filipinos

For many overseas Filipinos, these experiences become deeply emotional.

What may seem ordinary to locals often becomes extraordinary to someone discovering their heritage for the first time.

The Value of the Filipino Siesta

Many international students are surprised when they encounter another uniquely Filipino practice: the siesta.

Rather than viewing rest as wasted time, students begin to appreciate the Filipino understanding of balance, community, and well-being.

Within the context of Hilot, this becomes an important lesson.

Healing is not simply about treating physical discomfort.

Healing is also about living in harmony with one’s body, community, and environment.

Learning to slow down becomes part of the curriculum itself.

Your Tuition Creates a Positive Community Impact

Many people ask whether traveling to the Philippines for training is worth the investment.

Our answer is an emphatic yes.

The value of the experience extends far beyond the training certificate.

The tuition and expenses associated with the program create meaningful economic opportunities for many people.

When students come to the Philippines, they support:

  • Local transportation providers
  • Hotels and guesthouses
  • Small restaurants
  • Food vendors
  • Market vendors
  • Farmers and suppliers
  • Training staff
  • Traditional healers and cultural educators
  • Community-based businesses

Each student contributes directly to the local economy.

Their investment supports Filipino families and helps preserve indigenous knowledge systems that might otherwise disappear.

In this way, studying Hilot becomes an act of cultural preservation and community empowerment.

More Than a Training Program—A Return to Identity

At the end of the nine days, graduates leave with far more than a set of healing techniques.

They leave with memories.

They leave with friendships.

They leave with stories.

Most importantly, they leave with a renewed understanding of who they are.

For many overseas Filipinos, learning Hilot in the Philippines provides something they have been searching for their entire lives:

A sense of belonging.

A connection to ancestry.

A living relationship with Filipino culture.

And a deeper appreciation for the wisdom of their forebears.

An Invitation to Come Home

If you are a Filipino living overseas and have ever felt curious about your heritage, your roots, or the healing traditions of your ancestors, we invite you to join us.

The Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is not simply offering a course.

We are offering an opportunity to come home.

Come learn the healing arts of your ancestors.

Come experience authentic Filipino hospitality.

Come share meals, stories, and laughter with new friends.

Come discover the Philippines not as a tourist, but as family.

Because sometimes, the journey toward healing begins with remembering where you came from.

Hilot Academy of Binabaylan
Preserving Filipino Healing Wisdom. Reconnecting Filipinos to Their Roots. Transforming Tradition into Living Practice.

Beyond Tuition: Understanding the True Value of Formation at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan

Why our programs are not ordinary training courses, and why we intentionally describe them as formation pathways in Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences.

More Than a Course

One of the questions we occasionally receive at Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is:

“Why do some of your certification programs cost more than typical wellness or vocational training courses?”

It is a fair question.

To answer it honestly, we must first explain what Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is—and what it is not.

Hilot Academy of Binabaylan is not a conventional vocational school. It is not merely a massage training center. It is not a weekend workshop provider. Rather, it is an educational ministry dedicated to the preservation, transmission, and advancement of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences through structured formation, mentorship, cultural stewardship, and community service.

The programs offered by the Academy have been carefully developed over many years by Apu Adman (Rev. Rolando Gomez Comon), Lakay Magbaya, and Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan through research, field experience, curriculum development, community engagement, and actual healing practice.

When students enroll, they are not simply purchasing classroom hours.

They are investing in a living tradition.

What Is a Formation Program?

In many ways, our educational model resembles that of a seminary, traditional apprenticeship, lineage school, or indigenous knowledge institution.

A formation program aims not only to teach information, but also to cultivate:

  • Knowledge
  • Competence
  • Character
  • Ethics
  • Cultural responsibility
  • Spiritual maturity
  • Community leadership

Our students are guided through a progression of learning experiences that prepare them to serve as practitioners, cultural advocates, mentors, and ministers within their communities.

This is why we often describe our programs as formation pathways rather than short courses.

The Value of Lineage-Based Education

One of the most significant aspects of our programs is direct mentorship.

Students receive instruction from teachers who have spent decades studying, preserving, teaching, and practicing Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts.

The Academy’s educational framework is rooted in:

  • Indigenous Filipino healing knowledge
  • Traditional diagnostic systems
  • Hilot practices
  • Herbal traditions
  • Spiritually informed healing methodologies
  • Contemporary educational standards
  • Ministry formation

This form of education cannot be measured solely by the number of hours spent in a classroom.

Students are granted access to accumulated knowledge, experience, methodology, curriculum, and mentorship developed over many years.

In other words, they gain access to intellectual property, living tradition, and practical wisdom that cannot be obtained from books alone.

Understanding the Cost Structure of Year 1 and Year 2

Some prospective students notice that the Certificate in Magtatawas and Certificate in Hilot Manggagamot have higher fees than later levels.

This is intentional and reflects the actual costs of delivering these immersion experiences.

Unlike many online learning programs, the first two certifications require intensive face-to-face instruction and practical training.

Program fees help cover:

  • In-person teaching
  • Direct mentorship
  • Clinical supervision
  • Practical assessments
  • Training materials
  • Hotel accommodation
  • Daily meals
  • Local transportation
  • Airport pickup and airport send-off services
  • Transportation between accommodations and training venues
  • Administrative support services

These certifications function similarly to residential immersion programs rather than ordinary classroom-based courses.

Students are not simply attending lectures; they are participating in a comprehensive learning environment designed to maximize personal guidance, skill development, and practical competency.

Why Year 3 and Year 4 Have Different Pricing

The Certificate in Albularyo and Certificate in Hilot Mandadalumat are delivered through a different educational model.

These programs are primarily conducted through:

  • Google Meet
  • Google Classroom
  • Modular learning
  • Self-paced study
  • Guided assignments
  • Scheduled mentorship sessions

Because students are no longer incurring accommodation, food, transportation, and intensive logistics costs, the overall program fees are lower.

However, students continue to receive access to:

  • Proprietary curriculum
  • Learning resources
  • Mentorship
  • Assessment
  • Academic supervision
  • Ecclesiastical recognition
  • Certification services

The value remains significant, even though the delivery model changes.

What Students Are Really Paying For

A common misconception in education is that tuition should be determined solely by contact hours.

In reality, students invest in much more than classroom time.

At Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, students are investing in:

Intellectual Property

The educational materials, frameworks, methodologies, and curriculum developed by:

  • Apu Adman
  • Lakay Magbaya
  • Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan

Mentorship

Direct guidance from experienced practitioners and tradition bearers.

Cultural Preservation

Participation in the continuation and preservation of Indigenous Filipino healing traditions.

Professional Formation

Preparation for service as practitioners, educators, ministers, and cultural advocates.

Ecclesiastical Recognition

Programs are integrated within a broader ministerial and educational framework that supports lifelong learning and professional development.

Community Membership

Students become part of a growing network of practitioners in the Philippines and around the world.

A Ladderized Journey of Growth

The Academy’s certification pathway follows a progressive educational structure:

Year 1

Certificate in Magtatawas

Students develop foundational skills in diagnosis, assessment, and indigenous healing sciences.

Year 2

Certificate in Hilot Manggagamot

Students advance into therapeutic interventions, rehabilitative techniques, and traditional treatment methodologies.

Year 3

Certificate in Albularyo

Students explore herbal medicine, indigenous pharmacology, ethnobotany, and community-based healing practices.

Year 4

Certificate in Hilot Mandadalumat

Students study advanced spiritual healing, indigenous metaphysics, ministry formation, and community healing leadership.

Together, these certifications form a comprehensive pathway toward mastery in Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences.

Our Commitment to Excellence

Our goal has never been to become the largest training provider.

Our goal is to remain faithful to our mission:

To preserve, transmit, and cultivate Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences through quality education, responsible mentorship, ethical practice, and cultural stewardship.

For this reason, we invest heavily in curriculum development, student support, practical training, and meaningful mentorship.

The fees associated with our programs reflect the resources required to sustain this mission while ensuring that students receive an authentic, transformative, and professionally guided educational experience.

A Final Reflection

When evaluating the cost of education, we invite prospective students to ask a different question.

Instead of asking:

“How many hours of instruction am I receiving?”

Consider asking:

“Who am I becoming through this learning journey?”

At Hilot Academy of Binabaylan, we believe the true value of education lies not only in knowledge acquired but in transformation achieved.

Our students do not simply complete courses.

They enter a lineage, embrace a calling, preserve a heritage, and become stewards of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts for future generations.

JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2026-07-04: A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF TEMPLONG ANITUHAN INC. AND BAHAY SIADTALA BINABAYLAN INC. ESTABLISHING A NEW EDUCATIONAL, PROFESSIONAL, AND MINISTERIAL FRAMEWORK FOR HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTICE; DISCONTINUING THE NINE-DAY INITIATORY PRACTITIONER PROGRAM; ELEVATING THE STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION; AND SAFEGUARDING THE INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, AUTHENTICITY, AND FUTURE OF INDIGENOUS FILIPINO HEALING ARTS AND SCIENCES.

WHEREAS, Templong Anituhan Inc. and Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc. are institutions dedicated to the preservation, promotion, protection, cultivation, and transmission of Indigenous Filipino Spirituality, Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences, and the sacred traditions collectively known as Hilot Binabaylan Practice;

WHEREAS, Hilot Binabaylan Practice represents a holistic Indigenous Filipino system of healing that addresses the physical, emotional, mental, social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual dimensions of human life;

WHEREAS, the Founders and Trustees recognize their sacred duty as custodians, stewards, and guardians of the teachings, principles, practices, ethics, and heritage of Hilot Binabaylan Practice for present and future generations;

WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the Trustees that certain individuals pursue enrollment in Hilot Binabaylan programs primarily for the acquisition of titles, credentials, ranks, and recognition without demonstrating a commitment to actual practice, community service, continuing education, and the preservation of the teachings;

WHEREAS, the Trustees have determined that the former Nine-Day Initiatory Hilot Binabaylan Practitioner Program is no longer sufficient to ensure competency, mastery, ethical conduct, accountability, scholarship, and stewardship of the tradition;

WHEREAS, the Trustees believe that the title and rank associated with Hilot Binabaylan Practice should only be conferred upon individuals who have undergone a rigorous process of education, training, research, supervised practice, community engagement, and competency assessment;

WHEREAS, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive educational ladder that reflects the level of knowledge, skill, responsibility, and leadership expected of those who will represent Hilot Binabaylan Practice both in the Philippines and internationally;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby RESOLVED by the Board of Trustees of Templong Anituhan Inc. and Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc., that:

SECTION 1

DISCONTINUATION OF THE NINE-DAY INITIATORY PROGRAM

Effective immediately upon the adoption of this Resolution, the former Nine-Day Initiatory Hilot Binabaylan Practitioner Program is hereby abolished and shall no longer serve as a pathway for obtaining the title, rank, or designation of Hilot Binabaylan Practitioner.

All future applicants shall comply with the educational and competency requirements established under this Resolution.

SECTION 2

PURPOSE OF THE NEW FRAMEWORK

The purpose of this Resolution is to:

1. Preserve the integrity and authenticity of Hilot Binabaylan Practice.

2. Protect the dignity of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences.

3. Promote competency-based education and ethical practice.

4. Ensure that titles and ranks reflect demonstrated mastery rather than attendance alone.

5. Promote scholarship, research, and community service.

6. Strengthen international standards for Hilot Binabaylan education.

7. Develop future teachers, mentors, healers, and ministerial leaders.

8. Ensure the responsible transmission of Indigenous Filipino healing traditions.

SECTION 3

FOUR LEVEL PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION PATHWAY

The following certifications are hereby established as the foundational professional pathway of Hilot Binabaylan Practice:

LEVEL I

CERTIFICATE IN MAGTATAWAS OR HILOT DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICE

Competencies shall include:

• Pantay Daliri

• Tudluan

• Himulsuhan

• Pasubay (Physiognomy and Kinesics)

• Tawas sa Papel

• Tawas sa Kandila

• Tawas sa Itlog

LEVEL II

CERTIFICATE IN HILOT GAMUTAN OR MANGGAGAMOT PRACTICE

Cleansing Competencies:

• Pagbababad

• Paglalanggas

• Pagbubuhos

• Paghihilod

• Pagpupunas

• Pagsusuob

• Paglalabatiba

Treatment and Repair Competencies:

• Pagtatapal

• Pagbibigkis

• Dagdagay

• Pahid

• Haplas

• Masahe

• Bentusa

• Tawak

• Tandok

• Lunas Pilay (Traditional Bonesetting)

LEVEL III

CERTIFICATE IN HILOT ALBULARYO AND HERBALISM

Competencies shall include:

• Herbalist Philosophy

• Earth Stewardship

• Ethical Use of Herbs

• Commercial Herbs

• Wild and Natural Herbs

• Herbal Preparations

• Traditional Medicine Making

• Amulet, Charm, and Talisman Making

• Studies on Gayuma and Related Folk Traditions

LEVEL IV

CERTIFICATE IN HILOT MANDADALUMAT OR SPIRITUAL HEALING

Competencies shall include:

• Emotional Healing

• Mental Healing

• Social and Community Healing

• Healing of Usog

• Bati

• Dalaw

• Tawag

• Shamanic Illness

• Kulam-Related Healing Protocols

• Altar Set Up

• Kilubansa

• SiAdtala Baybayin Mystic Attunement

• Orasyon

• Luop and Palina

• Pagpag-Taboy

• Dampi-Pauli

• Rituals and Ceremonies

SECTION 4

BACHELOR OF INDIGENOUS FILIPINO HEALING ARTS AND SCIENCE (B.IFHAS)

Any individual who successfully completes all four (4) certification programs shall become eligible to apply for the Bachelor of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Science (B.IFHAS).

To qualify for graduation and conferment of the bachelor’s diploma, the candidate must additionally complete the following requirements:

• Supervised Practicum and Clinical Field Training

• Documented Case Studies

• Community Service and Indigenous Health Outreach

• Research Project, Thesis, or Capstone Study

• Oral Defense, Competency Demonstration, or Scholarly Presentation

• Evaluation, Certification, and Approval by the Hilot Binabaylan Council

The Bachelor of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Science shall recognize that the graduate has demonstrated foundational mastery and competency in Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts, Sciences, and Community Healing Service.

SECTION 5

MASTER OF MINISTRY IN HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTICE

(HILOT TANGLAW MENTOR)

Only holders of the Bachelor of Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Science (B.IFHAS) shall be eligible for admission into the Master of Ministry in Hilot Binabaylan Practice Program.

Upon successful completion of all master’s degree requirements, the candidate shall be awarded the title:

HILOT TANGLAW MENTOR

The Hilot Tanglaw Mentor shall be authorized by the Hilot Binabaylan Council to:

• Teach approved Hilot Binabaylan courses

• Mentor students and apprentices

• Supervise practicum training

• Conduct educational outreach

• Participate in curriculum development

• Assist in community-based healing initiatives

• Serve as an official representative of the Hilot Binabaylan educational system

Such teaching authority shall remain subject to ethical conduct, continuing professional development, and compliance with Council standards and policies.

SECTION 6

DOCTORATE IN HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTICE

Only individuals who have successfully completed the Master of Ministry in Hilot Binabaylan Practice Program shall be eligible for admission into the Doctorate Program.

Upon completion of all doctoral requirements prescribed by the Hilot Binabaylan Council, the candidate shall be awarded the degree:

DOCTOR OF INDIGENOUS FILIPINO HEALING ARTS AND SCIENCE IN HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTICE

(D.IFHAS-HBP)

or such other doctoral designation as may be approved by the Council.

SECTION 7

CONFERMENT OF THE TITLE AND RANK OF HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTITIONER

The title and rank of:

HILOT BINABAYLAN PRACTITIONER

shall be reserved exclusively for graduates of the Doctorate Level Program who have demonstrated exceptional knowledge, competence, ethical conduct, service, leadership, and commitment to the preservation of Hilot Binabaylan Practice.

The title shall represent the highest professional and academic recognition within the Hilot Binabaylan educational framework.

SECTION 8

ORDINATION AND MINISTERIAL AUTHORITY

Graduates holding the title of Hilot Binabaylan Practitioner may apply for ecclesiastical ordination under the authority of Templong Anituhan Inc. and Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc.

Candidates for ordination shall undergo review and approval by the Hilot Binabaylan Council and appropriate ecclesiastical authorities.

Upon successful ordination, the individual may be granted authority to:

• Establish and administer a Ministerial Center

• Conduct healing ministries

• Officiate approved rituals and ceremonies

• Teach and supervise educational programs

• Serve as an official ambassador of the Hilot Binabaylan tradition

SECTION 9

AUTHORIZATION OF MINISTERIAL CENTERS

No person shall establish, advertise, operate, franchise, charter, or represent an official Hilot Binabaylan Ministerial Center, Training Center, Academy, Seminary, or Educational Institution without prior authorization, recognition, charter, accreditation, or approval by the Hilot Binabaylan Council and the governing authorities of Templong Anituhan Inc. and Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc.

SECTION 10

CONTINUATION OF THE HILOT BINABAYLAN ALIGNMENT TRAINING PROGRAM

The Board hereby approves the continued offering of the Hilot Binabaylan Alignment Training Program for:

• Traditional Filipino healers without formal certification

• Hilot Wellness NC II holders

• Massage Therapy NC II holders

• Filipino individuals seeking foundational Hilot education

The program shall consist of twenty (20) weekly sessions and shall serve as a foundational education and orientation program in Indigenous Filipino Healing Arts and Sciences.

The approved twenty-session curriculum attached hereto as Annex “A” shall form an integral part of this Resolution.

SECTION 11

INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION

This educational framework shall apply to all local and international students, affiliates, ministerial centers, educational branches, and training programs operating under the authority, recognition, or affiliation of Templong Anituhan Inc., Bahay SiAdtala Binabaylan Inc., and the Hilot Binabaylan Council.

SECTION 12

EFFECTIVITY

This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its approval and adoption on the Fourth Day of July Two Thousand Twenty-Six (July 4, 2026).

APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 4TH DAY OF JULY 2026.

FOR TEMPLONG ANITUHAN INC.

_______________________________

REV. ROLANDO G. COMON

Co-Trustee and Founder

_______________________________

REV. ALVIN L. SENTIN

Co-Trustee and Founder

FOR BAHAY SIADTALA BINABAYLAN INC.

_______________________________

REV. ROLANDO G. COMON

Co-Trustee and Founder

_______________________________

REV. ALVIN L. SENTIN

Co-Trustee and Founder

CERTIFIED TRUE AND CORRECT:

_______________________________

REV. ROLANDO G. COMON

Chairperson, Meeting

_______________________________

REV. ALVIN L. SENTIN

Secretary, Meeting

Resolution No. 2026-07-04

Adopted on July 4, 2026

ANNEX A HILOT BINABAYLAN ALIGNMENT TRAINING PROGRAM

Session 1 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Orientation/ terms and condition 

2:00 PM-3:00 PM Definition & History 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Hilot Philosophy and Principles 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Concept of Life, Health, Illness and Wellness 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Faculties and Concept of Man 

Session 2  

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Traditional Health Care Delivery System 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Hilot Healing Process 

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM  Code of Ethics/ Laws/ Policies/ Regulation regarding the practice of Hilot 

Session 3 

1:00 PM- 3:00 PM Introduction to Human Body, Organismal System & Functions 

3:00 PM- 6:00 PM Anatomical Position & Basic Range of Motion 

Session 4 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Hilot Diagnostics 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Dimensions of Reality & Plane of Existence 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM The 7 Souls according to our Indigenous Filipino Ancestors 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Traditional Alternative Wellness Analytic System (TAWAS) 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Finger Alignment 

Session 5 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Finger Poking 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Introduction to the Practice of Tawas 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Discussion on the Indigenous Spiritual Realms of the Filipino 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM The Power of words in creation and destruction 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Recognizing Shapes and Symbols 

Session 6  

1:00 PM- 6:00 PM Demonstration and Practice of Tawas sa Papel 

Session 7 

1:00- 6:00 PM Demonstration and Practice of Tawas sa Kandila 

Session 8 

1:00 PM- 6:00 PM Demonstration and Practice of Tawas sa Itlog 

Session 9 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Hilot Body Parts 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Visual Assessment 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Auditory Assessment 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Olfactory Assessment 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Tactile Assessment 

Session 10 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Introduction to Vital Signs 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Elemental Correspondence of the Vital Signs of LIfe 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Tools used in Measuring Vital Signs 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Manual measurement of Respiration and Pulse Rate & use of Oxy Meter 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Manual measurement of Blood Pressure and use of sphygmomanometer and stethoscope 

Session 11 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Understanding Traditional Pulse Reading Analysis 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM The Left and Right Pulse 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Determining the Distal, Medial, Proximal Radial Arterial Pulse Site 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Taking the Deep & Superficial Pulse  

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Analyzing Pulse and Making Feed Back 

Session 12 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Importance of Cleansing in Healing the Physical and Spiritual Body 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Internal and External Cleansing 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Different Cleansing method and its indication 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Suob 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Paligo 

Session 13 

1:00 PM- 6:00 PM Dagdagay/ Kulis Traditional Filipino Stick Foot Massage 

Session 14 

1:00 PM- 6:00 PM Pagsasala Leaf Scanning 

Session 15 

1:00 PM- 6:00 PM Tawak/ Bentusa/ Tandok Treatment 

Session 16 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Pindot Earth Elemental Touch 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Haplos Spirit Elemental Touch 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Hagod Water Elemental Touch 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Pisil Air Elemental Touch 

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Piga Fire Elemental Touch  

Session 17 

1:00- 6:00 PM Demonstration and Practice of Dry Hilot Touch Manipulation 

Session 18 

1:00 PM- 2:00 PM Hands, Arms & Shoulder 

2:00 PM- 3:00 PM Chest, Head & Face 

3:00 PM- 4:00 PM Stomach/ Abdomen 

4:00 PM- 5:00 PM Side Lying Position  

5:00 PM- 6:00 PM Side Feet, Calf and Legs and sitting as Final position 

Session 19 

Supervised Practice Session with client 

Session 20 

Graduation Ceremony & Ordination 

ADOPTED THIS 4TH DAY OF JULY 2026