Traditional Healing in the Philippines

Even before foreign influences arrived, our ancestors already had their own ways of healing. They were called babaylan, not just healers, but also spiritual leaders who served as intermediaries between the physical world and the spirit world.

Over time, the practice of healing in the Philippines evolved. Healers such as albularyo, manghihilot, medico, and faith healers emerged, and today they are seen as continuing the knowledge once held by the babaylan in many communities. And even with hospitals and modern doctors available, many Filipinos still turn to traditional healing because of their deep belief in its effectiveness.

Albularyo

In many provinces, the albularyo is usually the first person people approach when they’re sick. They are like general practitioners of traditional medicine. They use herbal remedies, prayers, chants (orasyon), and rituals to heal. Many albularyo inherited their gift from older family members and are believed to be spiritually gifted, often guided by the Holy Spirit or other spiritual forces.

Manghihilot

There are two types of hilot or traditional body healers:

• Traditional birth attendants – They assist pregnant women who don’t have access to hospitals. They also know various herbal remedies for prenatal and postnatal care.
• Body massage healers – They help treat body pain, sprains, and “lamig” (trapped cold energy). They often use coconut oil and healing herbs during massage sessions.

Medico

The medico is a combination of traditional and modern healing. Aside from using prayers and herbs, some also use pharmacy-bought medicine, acupuncture, or injections depending on what the patient needs.

Mangluluop

In the luop ritual, items like kalanghuga (a type of shell), salt, blessed palm leaves, charcoal, and thin bamboo sticks are placed in a metal container. The healer uses smoke to cleanse or diagnose, and the shape of the shell is observed afterward to determine if the illness is spiritual or physical in nature.

Magtatawas

The tawas ritual is used to identify the root cause of an illness. Alum (tawas) is melted over a candle or placed in water. The resulting shape is interpreted to give meaning to the condition the person is experiencing.

Manghihila

This healing method uses coconut oil, cloth, and sometimes banana leaves to check for sprains or blocked energy. If the leaf sticks to the skin and is hard to pull off, it’s believed to indicate a problem in that area. The healer then massages the part of the body to relieve pain or discomfort.

Faith Healers

Faith healers believe they were given a spiritual gift to heal others. There are many types of practices under faith healing:

• Psychic healers – Believed to be able to heal someone even from a distance.
• Whisperers of prayers – They pray while softly whispering over the part of the body that’s in pain.
• Prayer blowers – They blow over the body while silently praying for healing.
• Anointers – They apply their saliva to the affected area as part of the healing process.
• Those who use crosses or sacred images – They rub or place these sacred objects on the body for healing.
• Psychic surgeons – Believed to perform surgery using only their hands, without any medical tools.

Traditional healing remains alive and well in the Philippines today. It’s not just because of limited access to hospitals, but also because many still believe in the power and wisdom passed down by our ancestors.