Schooling the Manghihilot

Have you remember that our parents have said that we should study hard so that we may land into a better paying job. Is this still true today?

In 2008 Technical Education Skills Development Authority have seen Hilot as employable skills that they created Hilot Training Standards and Regulation so that they may conduct National Assessment and Certification to manghihilot. With that they provide training to those who want to learn Hilot through schooling and for those who are unschooled but well skilled in Hilot they need to be assessed in order to be certified.

This year, we have participated in the talk between Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) and Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in terms of Certification of Hilot. But the current talk as of now revolves on the quality of services that a manghihilot provides. Well in terms of training it should be TESDA who will provide training just like in Commission on Higher Education they are the one who teach and Train the students and after they graduate they will apply license to Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC). The later was suggested by Dr. Isidro Sia former Director General of PITAHC. So let us let them who belongs to who but our main concern here is the future of our Manghihilot.

Let us be honest here, the skills of touching other people can be done by anyone such as in doing Massage. When I was a child I’ve been asked by parents to give the Hilot Massage either on head or legs. Everyone has a gift of touch when in times of emergency it is automatically activated. So as in our home, our parents have secret herbal formula that they use in times we are sick and out of budget going to the doctor. Having said this Regulating the Practice of Hilot by making its practitioners be Certified will give security towards public health but it will also give burden to our practitioners. But how is the manghihilot now-a-days even if they are certified? On what Industry will they fall if they received Standardized and Regulated Training? As I hear them out, these experts still think that a Manghihilot together with Massage Therapist work in a Spa which is a Hospitality Industry which is covered by the Department of Tourism.

Well it seems that our effort in telling that Hilot is part of Healthcare industry is wrong if all our graduates will fall into Spa Industry. But these must be properly addressed not only in terms of which industry should a graduate of Hilot must work? The issue here that i want to raise is to secure a Job for all manghihilot whether they are trained or recognized through assessment that upon compliance based on the Standards and Regulation, all manghihilot must have a descent job to work.

As of this moment, there are still many manghihilot who works at home in a donation basis system. Some who are schooled landed on a Spa where they do massage and other spa treatments. If they apply abroad their skills in Hilot is converted into massage so as if they apply in a cruise ship. These government agencies think of HIlot that is something to be proud of that they need to offer it to foreigners just to say that we have our own brand. Indeed we have but unfortunately we falsely advertise it by showing the wrong modality. As you browse on internet, you can always see articles telling Hilot as a Filipino Massage and there are some people in abroad call themselves as Hilot either because they are Filipino or have lived in the Philippines for a decade or two but what they make is Massage and not Hilot.

If a Manghihilot will be schooled at least at the end of schooling, they should land a better job which can give them security in their future. A schooled Manghihilot should have a Job that pays for their Social Security, Health Assurance and Pagibig Fund. Though some of our current practitioners have it by doing voluntary payment for their own SSS, Philhealth, and Pagibig.

If i have a right or authority, i do not want a manghihilot to work in a spa but instead they should be hired in Government Health Centers where people can avail the service of Hilot even that the people will not pay, PhilHealth insurance will cover it for the people.

The Work of Manghihilot

In reality, not all time people will need a manghihilot. Unlike Massage, Hilot can only be availed if you have a Pilay which is a condition that been treated with Hilot. Like what i’ve said, not everyday there are people who have pilay, so what other work can a manghihilot will do?

If our Government is really serious on uplifting the status of Hilot in the Philippines, aside from giving treatment, a Manghihilot can be a partner of PITAHC in conducting field research on Herbal Medicine. As field researcher they should be:

responsible in documenting herbs that is available in their respected barangay by going house to house and take pictures of the herbs that grow in their yard.
Take sample of the herbs and send it to PITAHC to further conduct research on the medicinal properties of the collected herbs.
Cultivate the sample herbs in the Barangay Botanical Garden.
Process the approved herbs into herbal medicine such as in making oils, soap, tea, capsules, syrup, etc. in PITAHC Laboratory.
becomes a sales partner of PITAHC in distributing approved herbs.

With that being said on the possible job that a manghihilot should perform, when schooled the manghihilot should be properly equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitude in performing the said job description.

So when a Manghihilot is properly Certified a secure jobs awaits them in the Philippines. And these will also grow as there are a lot more jobs that a manghihilot can do in the Field of Philippine Traditional and Indigenous Health Care.

Misusing Title as Hilot or Babaylan

Now-a-days, people who can afford to access the internet empowers to access information on which they will not exert more effort unlike before. As a student of the 90’s, if we need to learn some information, we used to go to the library and look for books that can provide the information we need to know. Or if there are no books about the subject, we conduct our own research by conducting interview or apply for apprenticeship. These is how i learn Hilot. At that time there is no book written about Hilot nor a school that teach Traditional Hilot as the Law on Philippine Traditional and Alternative Health Care was only enacted on 1997. Only at that time that Alternative Health Care was given attention and not Hilot. And on 2002, i formally receive my diploma in Alternative Medicine but not on Hilot.

I worked obtaining this diploma for only a Year, but mastering what I am right now takes a life time of research and practice. The diploma that i have lead me to focus on Philippine Traditional Medicine that makes me conduct research and clinical training by accepting clients that undergone certain condition which can be treated by Hilot. As i practice, I revolve around the principles of natural healing that says that:

Every Individual has the ability to heal them selves and as a healer, we are only an assistant in order for them to achieve their own healing.

It is the same claim that i always hear from traditional healers that the true healer is God our Creator and as Healer we are just an instrument of God like a bridge where God can channel the Blessings to the people.

Here by constantly dealing with people by hearing out their concerns in life either they have physical complaint about their health or just hearing out their emotions, there is a part within me that moved that tells me to take action and that action is called Hilot. The action that a Manghihilot do may vary depend on the situation presented, but the common action a manghihilot does whether it be on physical pain or emotional complaint is that a manghihilot will get his bottle of healing oil and apply it to the suffering person to provide relief.

Now at present time, relief from emotional trauma can be covered up by accessing social media. People can solicit sympathy and compassion by making statements or posting pictures of their situation. Even is they want to know something, people will just get their mobile phone connect it to the internet and type their questions to google and they will have the answers to what they are looking for.

And there are some people uses what they know out of Google and call them selves with Titles. Such as the title of being a Manghihilot or Babaylan. Since there is no definite law that forbids anyone to call them as such, so people could easily claim them as such unlike the Title of being a Doctor, if you are a Massage Therapist in the Philippines there is a specific law that forbids you to do as such unless you are a real doctor being conferred by the Professional Regulatory Commission.

As of this date, there is no Philippine regulatory body that regulates the practice of Hilot except for the Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care but there is no clear policy yet on penalizing anyone who will misuse the Title of Manghihilot or of the Babaylan.

In Hilot Academy we are working hard for 7 straight years now in bringing awareness to the Public about Hilot, but still many people, either Filipino or foreigners are still unaware of what Hilot is all about. Many people still think that Hilot is Filipino Massage because many website tell it so. But real information about Hilot is rare to find. Even Spa Businesses in the Philippines would think that Hilot is about massage where it is not.

I really pray that a Hilot Commission will be created that will really focus on the Development of Hilot as Philippine Traditional Medicine.

Establishing our Role in our Society

Hilot has been mentioned in the work of William Henry Scott Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society. According to his book at page 118 Hilot is described as a person who apply massage for injured or dislocated muscles, or pressure put on nerve centers. And they were known as Physical experts.

But to the eye of a Catholic Priest as mentioned in the book, Hilot according to Fr. Sanchez as a form of massage in a woman’s abdomen to cause miscarriage or abortion. Though through out time in our History, Hilot evolve so as our definition of Hilot change.

In Hilot Academy, we want to establish the Identity of Hilot as an umbrella term for Philippine Traditional Medicine. As the practitioners throughout the country has their own native practices that is known in their own local dialect. And in promoting it to the world it must have a name which people would know.

In 2012, the Philippine Statistic Authority has conducted survey on different occupational groups of the working population The Philippine Standard Occupation Classification is primarily used as basis for manpower and educational planning, program formulation, policy decision-making and serves as useful guide for statistical operations and activities, such as censuses and surveys.

In this survey we do not find the word Hilot but instead Traditional and Complementary Medicine Associate Professional. They describe this occupational category as follow:

Traditional and complementary medicine associate professionals prevent, care for and treat human physical and mental illnesses, disorders and injuries using herbal and other therapies based on theories, beliefs and experiences originating in specific cultures.
https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psoc/?q=psoc/minor/323

Their tasks include:

a) examining patients and interviewing them and their families to determine their health status and the nature of physical or mental disorders or illnesses or other ailments;
b) recommending and providing care and treatment for illnesses and other ailments using traditional techniques and medicaments, such as physical manipulation and exercises, blood-letting using natural vessels, and preparations using herbs, plants, insects and animal extracts;
c) providing care and treatment for physical injuries such as setting and healing fractured and dislocated bones using traditional methods of physical manipulation and herbal therapies;
d) advising individuals, families and the community on health, nutrition, hygiene, lifestyle and other issues to maintain or improve health and well-being; and
e) referring patients to, and exchanging information with, other health care providers to ensure comprehensive and continuing care.

Examples of occupations classified here:

Drugless treatment healer
Bonesetter
Faith healer
“Healer of indigenous people (e.g. Mansi-bok (Ibaloi); Mansip-ok (Kankana-ey) in Cordilleras)”
Herbalist
Scraping and cupping therapist
Village healer
Witch doctor

Some related occupation classified elsewhere:

Acupressure therapist – 3255
Acupuncturist – 2230
Ayuverdic practitioner – 2230
Chinese herbal medicine practitioner – 2230
Chiropractor – 3259
Homeopath – 2230
Hydrotherapist – 3255
Naturopath – 2230
Osteopath – 3259
Traditional midwife – 32223230

Through this task enumerated by PSOC, we can have a guideline in establishing our roles in our Society.

We are Stewards of mother Earth

The month of April has been known as Earth Month so as with us in Hilot Academy, we recognize this month being the month were Baybayin through the Laguna Copperplate Inscription was recorded in our history. The LCI is the first ever dated document that shows that our ancestors have our writing system. The date being recorded in this document is April 21, 900- so on the 21st of April year 2022, this public document will celebrate its 1122 years of publication. And this copperplate celebrates not only the liberation from debt but also redeem us of our Identity as a Filipino.

Since the establishment of Luntiang Aghama on year 2000, we are celebrating Earth day by conducting rituals honoring the Earth Deities and one of the result of this rituals is the establishment of Hilot Academy of BInabaylan as an Educational Ministry Arm of Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc. We have established Hilot Academy of Binabaylan through registering it to the Philippine Department of Trades and Industry on April 5, 2016 and this year we are celebrating our 6th year anniversary. We have register it first at DTI Makati but the processing officers refuse to process the registration, as she says that we are not allowed to use the word Hilot as a business name because it is a public domain. But i push and make appeal because we do not make it an exclusive name just for us as the Business name is a descriptive title of what we are providing.

So from Makati, I travel back to my Home province which is the Land of the Heroes in Bulacan. And luckily my registration was approved at DTI Malolos City at Robinsons Place Malolos. It was a 32 miles or 51 Km travel. It seems that the ancestors are guiding us where Hilot Academy of Binabaylan should be established. I remember when doing it in Makati, i have waited for 2 hours queuing before being rejected, but DTI Malolos, i only spent 15 to 30 minutes to process it without queuing.

From then on, our ministry began to grow that we have accept our first students of Hilot as we share the Earth Healing Tradition up now. Before we are only providing lessons on a face-to-face basis and now thanks to the Universe because we have been taught how to face life challenges such as this Pandemic of Coronavirus 19, that it has opened a window that people could still learn Hilot Virtually through our Hilot Online Training.

As of this day, we are proud to say that we have retrieved the lost healing method that been taught by Kilibansa who is the Diwata of Healing and through the guidance of Luntiang Aghama we also have developed the Sibulan Adlaw Tala Binabaylan Mystic Oracle which employs Baybayin as a Divinatory/ Diagnostic Method which is under our Tawas Divinatory and Spiritual Diagnostic Studies. And this 13th of April we are going to release our Book on Hilot Orasyon through a webinar which you can register by scanning the QR code.

And hopefully, I could finish all the materials needed so we can start the Diploma Training on Manggagamot, Magtatawas and Albularyo.

By the Way, Hilot Academy still needs fund in order to build our own place in sharing this ancient knowledge. As some of you know that we are like gypsies who goes to places in conducting this training. We really pray that we could have a proper venue, where the students could stay either for 9 days or even months in Mastering the Ancient Healing Tradition.

If you have a calling, and the Spirit touches your heart to build this School you may do so by making donations below.

HELP US BUILD OUR ACADEMY NOW

With a smile

I know that you are familar with the title of our article today. And to remind you, it derives from the Eraserheads hit song With a Smile!

I was in HighSchool when this song becomes very popular and amazingly it is still a hit for me specially right now that i had stroke. I cant imagine myself having this illness to myself. All i thought only before is I want to understand Stroke so that i could handle it properly with patients. I know i could learn it by reading books or articles in the website but now i am learning and overcoming it through experience.

In relations to the title of this article, luckily my stroke does not affect so much of my actions. except on my first 3 weeks from February 14- it paralyze my left part of my body. my left legs could not move so as my arms and hands. The paralysis reached my left face that makes me to have slurred speech.

I was so down that time and my left part of the body is literally cold and at that time i considered it dead as if your right part of the body is alive and moving while the left part is dead. i want to move it but literally i could not move. i could not even picked my nose using my left finger or wash my butt when i poop. it has no strength to carry a tabo (dipper) or even a glass of water. But in my mind i refuse to be enslaved and be chained by stroke. literally stroke makes you a prisoner within your body that makes you not only limited but totally all your freedom are frozen.

Luckily, i have a companion here in the Shrine. Lakay helps me to be warmed up and battle the coldness that covers my body. With the help of the Diwata through a Hilot Orasyon and pagpapahid, the natural heat of my body has been restored that now i can walk and move my arms. But i am still working out my smile.

From Rejection to Recognition

Have you felt that you are worthless? It happened to me one time in my life. It was way back 2008 when i have a live in partner who is working. I feel ashamed of my self because both of us are living in my parents house while my partner is employed and working. I really feel bad to my self that one night at the height of the full moon, i go out and pray. I went to a vacant lot in front of our house where the tiger grass stand tall. I went inside the bushes, lie down on the ground and cry. As i look up to the moon, I pray to God and the stars and the moon are my witness: “What is my worth?” Then a voice comes up in my mind asking: “what do you know to do?”; “I am not a degree holder, but i only knew Hilot and Tawas.” then the voice said: “Use that to live.”

When i go back home i tell this vision to my partner and she encourage me to find job. So i decided to apply for a Job in a well known Spa in Quezon City but I have no success. That i think of applying work abroad. I search for an agency that offers Massage Therapy Job and I found one that sent people to Oman, but when i applied, i was rejected because they are looking for a licensed one specifically who have a National Certification. I went out of that agency very down. In my sadness, I just walk my way home. While walking, i am talking to the spirit ranting all the bad feelings that i had. And on the way, i saw a poster saying:

” Free TESDA Certification and Assessment.”

So i checked that post if there is an address and i see that this offer can be found at Tesda Office in Quezon City. So I went straight to Tesda Office and said that I want to Claim the Free Tesda Certification and Assessment. And the Officer who assist direct me to go to Human Care Training and Assessment Center and from there I received my Assessment and been rewarded my first National Certification for Massage Therapy. When the Assessment Center Manager saw my credentials, she recommend also that i should take the Certification to become an Assessor and Trainer and when i had completed that my Journey in Hilot Wellness have began. From there my path have changed, from being a Tambay (Jobless/ Home Body) i had a busy life of teaching Hilot and have established Philippine Certified Wellness Therapist Association which the members are all Nationally Certified and Assessed that almost reached to 100,000 members in Quezon City and Manila alone.

I never thought that my knowledge and skills in Hilot is valuable enough that could help other people not only in maintaining their life force but also to be employed locally and internationally. We have shared our knowledge not only to our fellow Filipino but also to foreign nationality who are curious about our Natural Healing Tradition, that we also have established the Philippine Japan Hilot Association which is also recognized by the Philippine Department of Tourism.

Now, we who are fully living in the 21st Century and currently struggling over the Pandemic of CoronaVirus 19, we are taking a very important role as Manghihilot in our Society in uplifting their mind and spirit that all of us will pass through this challenge of time like Hilot who was endangered to be eradicated due to the evolution of Health Care and Modern Medicine.

Let us not take Rejection to be a turning point in changing what we know, but let us use that as a challenge to embrace harder to the gifts that has been given to us by the Divine and use it that we may see life.

The Gift of God is not a trash to be ignored,like what we are making a stand now on the practice of tawas that some advocates make as a laughing stock. Traditional Chinese Medicine was one a Spiritual Methodology as they value the concept of Chi which is also applied in Fung Sui. In Hilot we value the Soul of Man which manifest the life force within us. People may laugh at us but when our Soul left our body then people will cry.

Updated lessons at Hilot Online Training

Greetings Ka Manghahabi!

We have an update to our Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Work which is our Certification program on becoming a Certified Magtatawas/ Magaanito/ Pangatauhan or Pangutanahan. As of October 15, 2021, we have added an information regarding Unit 2 Lesson 2 which discuss about Orasyon. In this Topic, we have explained here what Orasyon is and have elaborated the different types of doing the orasyon and how it works. We may offer this specific topic and provide a Certificate of Attendance to the public who will request have the information about this.

Aside from Hilot Orasyon, we are going to add extra units on our curriculum in preparation for the Diploma Training Program of the Academy. So the former Hilot Binabaylan Certification which is an 8 day live-in training will migrate now into a Diploma Course which the potential students will be required to complete the Certification program in the following Areas:

Magtatawas Certification
Manggagamot Certification
Albularyo Certification

Currently our Magtatawas Certification or the Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Work Class is a 34 Weeks training program. And at this moment, we are still completing the lessons for the Manggagamot Training. Probably, i will make an announcement by the end of January 2022 if we can formally open the Manggagamot and Albularyo Training to the public in order to complete the Hilot Binabaylan Diploma Course.

For now, I encourage all of our Alumni of the Hilot Binabaylan Certification to get in touch. You will have a special role in the changes that is about to come. By the way, as i said we are updating our lessons, so if you think that the lessons that you have are outdated, I encourage you to become a Monthly Supporter to our Subscription page which is at BuyMeaCoffee.com.

License for Albularyo, Hilot and Faith Healers in the Philippines?

An ABS CBN REPORTER have reached out to us last night asking my opinion regarding the possibility of regulating Traditional and Alternative Medicine and its practitioners in our country and I graced him with my opinion early this morning.

I check out his network station website and I found an article written by Katrina Domingo with an Headline that says:

License for albularyos? Senate bills seek regulating traditional, alternative medicine

In her article it mention that there are 2 Philippine Senators that seeks to amend and update the Philippine Traditional Medicine Act of 1997 or Republic Act 8423 and they are Senator Emmanuel D. Pacquiao, Author of Senate Bill 1308 and Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Author of Senate Bill 2127.

In the Explanatory Note of Sen. Pacquaio, the SB 1308 aims to create a firmer government regulations in the practice of Traditional and Altenative Medicine by revisiting the Traditional Alternative Medicine Acts of 1997 or in short, the Good Senator want to revised the Republic Act 8423 or Philippine Traditional Alternative Medicine Act of 1997.

In this bill under section 1 of the Definition of Terms, the Good senator has defined Alternative Health Care Modalities as:

“Other forms of non- allopathic, occasionally non-indigenous or imported healing methods, though not necessary practiced for centuries nor handed down from one generation to another. [ Some alternative health care modalities include], WHICH SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO, reflexology, ACUPUNCTURE, MASSAGE, acupressure, chiropractic, nutritional therapy, HILOT, NATUROPATHY, HOMEOPATHY/HOMOTOXICOLOGY, TUINA MASSAGE, OSTEOPATHY, ANTHROPOSOPIC MEDICINE and other similar [methods] MODALITIES.”
Senate Bill 1308 Explanatory note of Sen. Manny Pacquiao

In this clause, the Good Senator has categorized Hilot as an Alternative Health Care Modality whereas Hilot is not part of Alternative Medicine but instead it should be defined as our Traditional Medicine in the Philippines.

The Bill must also provide a clear definition between Alternative, Allopathic, Conventional, Complementary, Indigenous, Integrative and Natural Medicine; as all of these terminologies may be different from one another.

And going back to the explanatory note of Sen. Pacquiao that says:

“traditional and alternative health care, as defined in R.A. 8423, is “any knowledge, skill and practice, other than those in the biomedicine, which is used in the prevention, diagnosis and elimination of physical or mental disorder.” As listed in the Philippine Standard Occupational Classification (PSOC), associate professional of traditional and complementary medicines include drugless treatment healer, bonesetter, faith healer, healer of indigenous people (i.e. Mansi-bok, Mansip-ok), herbalist, scraping and cupping therapist, village healer, witch doctor, and acupressure therapist. On the other hand, traditional and complementary medicine professionals include acupuncturist, ayuverdic practitioner, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, homeopath, hydrotherapist, naturopath and unani practitioner.”
Sen. Manny Pacquaio

Are those Modalities mentioned in the Senator’s explanatory note are the modalities being prescribed to have licensure in accordance to section 2 of this bill in paragraph k? It is said that as listed in the Philippine Standard Occupational Classification, that the associate professional of traditional and complementary medicine includes Faith Healer and Witch Doctor. So will that mean that Faith Healer and Witch Doctors in the Philippines must be a licensed professional before they could perform Faith Healing?

What about the Religious Groups such as the Charismatic Movement who does laying of hands and Faith Healing? What about the Union Espiritista? Jesus Miracle Crusade? Philippine Benevolent Missionary Association? And also Luntiang Aghama Natural Divine Arts Shrine of Healing Inc? Do we need to have a license or permit from Pitahc before we can heal people who come into our shrine?

What about our Constitutional Right that says in Article 3 Section 5 in the Philippine Constitution that says:

“No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”
1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines

And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations has said in Article 18 that says:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Now if this is true, why when I wrote an Email to Pitahc, they did not consider my request to have an Audience with the Director General in presenting the Hilot what we are teaching in the Academy that includes the practice of Tawas which is our traditional spiritual diagnostic method. Which their only response is this:

Mahal na Rev. Comon,

Isang mainit napagbati sa ngalan ng aming Director General, Dr. Annabelle Pabiona De Guzman. Salamat sa inyong ibinahagi tungkol sa ginagawa ninyong katutubong gamutan katulad ng hilot babaylan.

Tungkol naman sa ginagawa ninyong pagsasaliksik sa kaalaman sa pagtatawas, halamang gamot at pagpapahid (masahe) ay aming ipinagbibigay alam na ang pwede gawan ng pananaliksik ay mga halamang gamot at paghihilot.

Ipagbibigay alam ko sa kinauukulan kung pwede kayo mabigyan ng oras at araw para maipakita ninyo sa amin ang paraan ng inyong pag gagamot.

Salamat po.

Lina Regis,

Standard and Accreditation Division

Though in their response, they do not specifically mention Tawas but only mention that the only allowable to conduct research is about Halamang Gamot and Hilot (pahid).

In PITAHC website which is PITACH.GOV.PH /GLOSSARY-OF-TERMS, they have defined Hilot as this:

HILOT

The Science and art of the ancient Filipino Healing Tradition 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 manipulation for the prevention of disease and for the restoration and maintenance of health and well-being. It includes the use of medicinal plants and bulong/orasyon.

Though in the part of defining Traditional Medicine on the same page, they have written:

Traditional Medicine 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.

Here we could see that the Institute has difficulty of defining Hilot as Philippine Traditional Medicine as it only defines it as Filipino Healing Tradition and does not clearly define it as Philippine Traditional Medicine; as the role of Hilot of Treatment of Physical and Mental Illness has been omitted in the Glossary of terms in Hilot, whereas the word Traditional Medicine is applied to the Traditional Oriental Medicine:

Senate Bill 2127 filled by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr.

Summary to the Explanatory Note

In his explanatory note, the good senator have noticed that many have taken interest into alternative modalities in searching for cure for their ailments as well as there are various universities that offers degree and graduate program that offers traditional and complementary medicine. In this bill he proposed to update the Traditional Alternative Medicine Act of 1997 to respond to the growing awareness and consumption of alternative care system by empowering the Philippine Institute of Traditional Alternative Health Care.

Through this Bill, we find the same clause that defines Hilot under the category of Alternative Health Care Modalities which can be found on Section 1.d. ; and on paragraph K, they have merge the term Traditional Medicine to Complementary Medicine. Whereas in paragraph J, it defines complementary medicine as:

– A BROAD SET OF HEALTH CARE PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE COUNTRY’S OWN TRADITIONAL OR CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE AND ARE NOT FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE DOMINANT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. IT SHALL BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY WITH THE TERM ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE.

Through this I want to reiterate that:

“HILOT IS THE PHILIPPINE TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. IT IS THE MEDICINE USED BY OUR ANCESTORS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH COLONIZER AND INTRODUCTION OF MODERN MEDICINE IN OUR LAND. HILOT CAN NOT BECOME A COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE AS PER DEFINITION OF THIS BILL THAT STATES THAT COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE IS A BROAD SET OF HEALTH CARE PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE COUNTRY’S OWN TRADITIONAL OR CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE!!!”

My argument might be ignored and considered just a terminology. But if we are going to define something through the law it is something very important for the people of our future. We can not teach and apply law that is misleading and not true. So it is important that the law makes will give clear definition of Hilot as our very own Traditional Medicine. It does not come somewhere else. It originates in our Country.

With regards to Section 7 of the proposed Bill it says:

SPECIAL RULES AND EXEMPTIONS. –

RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE MANNER OF OBTAINING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, IT BEING HANDED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF FORMAL EDUCATION OR TRAINING, PRACTITIONERS BELONGING TO THIS CATEGORY SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE STANDARD EXAMINATION REQUIRED BY THIS ACT.

NONETHELESS, THEY ARE STILL MANDATED TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY GRANT OF AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES TO BE PRESCRIBED BY PITAHC.

IT SHALL BE NECESSARY FOR TRADITIONAL PRACTITIONERS TO ESTABLISH THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PRACTICED TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AND PROVE THAT, IN THE COURSE OF THEIR PRACTICE, NO RELATED COMPLAINT, WHETHER REPORTED OR NOT, WAS MADE AGAINST THEM.

FURTHER, SHOULD THEY OFFER, WHETHER FORA FEE OR NOT, OR USE AS A MODALITY, HEALTH PRODUCTS, PRACTITIONERS MUST SEEK FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE SAME.

Not all Formal Education are regulated by any government agency, such as Religious Seminary and Institution that teach Spiritual Healing and Laying of Hands to the Sick; There is also an Islamic Medicine which is known also as a Prophetic Medicine; and we as religious institution do practice Spiritual Healing., so as the Union Espiritista and Philippine Benevolent Missionary Association that do Spiritual Healing with the use of Bulong and Orasyon.

For the reference of the mentioned Bill, check below.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao Bill Download

Sen. Ramon “Bong’ Revilla Jr. Bill Download

September Class is Now accepting Enrollee’s

There are so much more to learn from our Non Contact Hilot: Mind and Spirit Working Class. Aside from 3 Learning Units which composed of 19 Lessons which you could take on your own time, we have also a Weekly Video Conferencing that supplements your learning sessions with us.

So far we have done the following video conferences that could be converted as a Webinar series which an individual could have a Certificate of Attendance:

Hilot as Steward of the Earth
Spanking as our Ancestors way of Activating Life Force
Philippine Indigenous Realms of the Spirit: Understanding the Diwata, Anito and Engkanto
Understanding the malevolent spirit in balancing the polarity of nature
Hilot Orasyon: The Power of Prayer to Heal
Atang: The Healing Effects of Giving
Setting up an Altar: A way of attracting positive vibes in your life
The Medicine of Amulet, Charms and Talisman
Elements in Performing Ritual
Caring for the Soul after Death
Anangolay: The Retriever of Soul

These are only few of what our Students are enjoying in their class aside from the regular lessons that they are taking in our Google Classroom. And the video below is one of the topics that we have recently discuss on our meeting.

This video is about answering the question if a Human Soul can be replaced with an Animal soul. The full video of our discussion can be accessed at our Subscription Page at Filipino Magick. By the Way, membership to our Buy Me a Coffee Page will allow you to have a 20% discount when you enroll to our program.

Next class will start on September 26, 2021. So better enroll now to be included in our class of September.

Hilot: A Virtual Stage play by The UP Repertory Company

Sa panahon ng krisis na pangkalusugan, nais mo na bang gumaling nang tuluyan?
Sumama ka na sa isang paglalakbay tungo sa kalayaan.
The UP Repertory Company

DILIMAN, Quezon City – In the month of August 2021, the UP Repertory Company
advances its 48th production season themed “Atras-Abante: Pasakalye sa Loob at
Labas ng Sakit at Lunas’, with the virtual theatre production entitled HILOT, inspired
from traditional healing in the Philippines. It is a compelling fictional and retrospective
narrative, written by Aldrich Gerard Gatbunton and Winona Eunice Alindogan.

Ang kultura ng Pilipinas ay binubuo ng iba’t-ibang elemento, at isa na roon ang natural na panggagamot. Mula sa The UP Repertory Company, inihahandog ang produksyong Hilot. Mula sa inspirasyon ukol sa mga paraan ng panggagamot na ginagamit ang pisikal, kalikasan, damdamin, at isip, nabuo ang isang dulang naglalaman ng mga pansariling tala. Dadalhin ng Hilot ang mga manonood sa mundo na hindi limitado sa nakasanayang paraan ng paglunas ng mga sakit. Sa pamamagitan ng personal na pagkukwento, matutunghayan ang mga sari-saring uri ng manggagamot na nabuhay sa mga pinaka-mapangahas na panahon sa bansa. Mula sa sinaunang panahon, pagpapahirap ng mga kolonisador, at ngayo’y sarili na nating estado, maipapakita na sa halip ng mabuting intensyon na makapaghilom ng kapwa ang mga manggagamot, patuloy silang pinatatahimik upang maisulong ang sariling interes ng mga mula kanluran. Sa produksyong ito, ipaglalaban ang kalayaan at representasyon ng mga manggagamot para sa katutubo, at ang kinagisnang panggagamot at kalusugan sa Pilipinas.

The artistic and production team is composed of The UP Repertory Company’s resident members: Aldrich Gerard Gatbunton (Head Playwright), Winona Eunice Alindogan (Playwright), Pat Maliwat (Dramaturg), Robe Zamora Dagcuta (Creatives Team Head), Therese Laput (Stage Manager), Aimee Ramos (Production Manager), and Hillary Guevara (Company Manager).

The creatives team includes Johnmark Villanueva, Laine Fernandez, Ace Hernandez, Decca Lumanglas, Gian Paulo Suarez, Ronan Cyrone Baay, and André Miguel (Musical Score).

Featuring Ace Hernandez, Pat Maliwat, Jaime Monserrat, Leah Curitana, Kendrick Rivera, Kirk Justin Ramos, Johnmark Villanueva, Lupin Princesa, Clara Senga, Isay Embérga Sinfuego, Pauline Vengano, and Michelle Alde.

With the direction of Ron Simon Lomibao.