Table 8.

This table represents the different challenges encountered by folk healers in

curing patients illnesses.

Codes Translation Organizing theme General theme

(English)

“Pagkukumpara Being compared Comparison and

san mga doktor at with the doctors or personal feelings
pangamba na di medical can lead for
sila napagaling “ professionals and challenges
fear of not being Encountered
treat them challenges were
caused of personal
“Minsan sinisiraan Sometimes, people Challenges may experiences,
ang panggagamot insulted and ridicule come from the patients and people
ko, pangungutya my healing perception of in community
andyan na yung ba methods like asking people within their
na kahit di ka nag payments as return community towards
papabayad ay to my service even the healing
sasabihin nila ay it’s not. They practices
nagkabahay yan assumed that I able
dahil sa to have my house
panggagamot at because of
pangungurakot” corruption in my
healing treatment

“Madami akong Actually, I have a Disturbance in

problema, lot of problems like personal
halimbawa being annoyed in responsibilities
naaabala ako sa my cooking, that’s contributes to the
pagluluto sasabihin why I told them to challenges
ko mamaya nalang return later after my
kayo bumalik ang chores.
niluluto ko di ko
mabitawanh

“Dire nabubulong, Unable to treat my Severe health

malala na o kritikal patients because of conditions as one
 an kalagayan” their worst or of the challenges
critical health
conditions

“Pinansiyal” Financial constraint Lack of financial

resulted in
challenges

“Pagmay makulog When patients have Patients health

an pasyente” illness conditions being
part of encountered
challenges

Pinapakulam, Being witchcrafted, Discrimination

pinapamatay, wishing and create challenges
inggit, tsinitsismis gossiping for my
na patay na death and
insecurities

“ Di mo maaraman Unpredictable Unidentified of

kung nano maagi problems that problems cause a
saimo na would surpassed challenges
kamatayon” like death

“Matigas ang ulo ng Patients Patients attitudes

pasyente at minsan hardheaded and contribute to
mas marunong pa sometimes they encountered
sa manggagamot “ tend to be come challenges by folk
wiser than folk healers
healers

This delineates the different challenges encountered by folk healers among

Selected Barangay of Gubat Sorsogon in terms of curing patients illnesses. These were

come on various instances. Most identified challenges were differ from each other and

usually based on personal experiences by key informants. These challenges were

caused by patients health conditions, perception of people within community and

personal responsibilities of folk healers in relation to their healing practices.

 According to Modena (1999), asserts that different forms of curative practices

and folk knowledge are associated with those personal experiences (caused by

accidents and surgeries), financial issues, treatments and the availability of alternative

medicine. The urge for adopting folk healing was due to these certain factors. Healers

were encouraged to steps towards the necessity of the people. Back then, the use of

folk healing is rampant which allows to reach even the urban areas. It seems like it says

that it depends on the disease of one person.

Furthermore, some experts usually degrade the effectiveness and safety of

traditional healing practices since it doesn’t undergone a scientific basis. For them,

traditional healing methods were dangerous and may cause patients illnesses more

severe. This means that having no approval and alignment from medical experts

regarding the healing traditional practices can be a source of folk healers challenges.

Some researchers contend that healers are individuals with “no proper” training. They

did not have the experience to be in the field of medicine or either earned a college degree.

Nunez (2020) stated that folk healers may be referred as doctors in their field, however, they

are not certified to provide medicine. This is due to some gaps on testing the scientific validity

on their practices and treatment to the patients. It simply implies that when someone have a

condition that can't be done of a folk healer that they consider as a doctor, they have in there

mind that maybe if they go to a certified or in doctor/hospital possible that they can be healed.

Perceptions of people of the community towards healing practices of folk healers can

also contribute on their challenges. Being a victim of gossip, insulted, insecurities and

making assumptions were some of those challenges usually received by folk healers
from their community. Instead of being protected and feel accepted since they help the

patients to get well from their consulted health conditions it seems reciprocated. This

simply means that folk healers were being discriminated in relation to their healing

practices.

Critical health conditions makes folk healers worry about the patients. Despite they

provide the treatment to patients it’s seems not effective to alleviate patients illnesses.

As some of key respondents said that “ Minsan kapag malala na ang sakit di na talaga

namin kayang gamutin” Since, the primary aim of folk healers was to heal the patients,

it hard for them when they can’t able to treat the patients.

According to Gewehr et.al (2017), therapeutic procedures outside of the established

conventional medical practices and medicines of the time are related with economic

underdevelopment. Due to the adversity in the lives of people situated from poor areas

has created a barrier that distant people from the access of medicine. As to which it

contributed to primarily patronized folk healing practices and use it for coping up with

the struggles they experienced. In other way around, folk practitioners are also

recognized as backward. Those practices are built up only with inheritance, and beliefs

that is not sufficient to say that folk healers are competent for giving medicine or

treatment. Opposing ideas in folk healers has brought to discreditation. Subject of

concern has arisen whether folk healers are credible enough to do their practices and

prescribe alternative remedies for their patients. Some researchers contend that healers

are individuals with “no proper” training. It seems like some of the diseases of

individuals can't be healed of one of the folk healers, by this folk healers can do

something for them to be able to heal those persons.

Patients with underhead and attitudes of being much wiser than folk healers, may also a

source of their challenges. Knowing the fact that folk healing practices consider as folk

healers expertise which basically mold through experiences. It is notably that their

healing practices was not simple. Thus, patients negative attitudes towards healing

practices contributed to the challenges face by folk healers. As what key informants said

that “ May mga pasyente na matitigas ang ulo, hindi sumusunod sa mga nirerecomenda

ng magagamot halimbawa yung mga herbal, minsa mas magaling pa kaysa sa

manggagamot kung kaya humahantong sa paglala ng kanilang sakit o mas malala ay

nauuwi sa kamatayan”.

The growing interest and desire on herbal medicinal plants become a necessity and

supplemental aspect to prevent illness. Ekor (2014) stated that usage of herbal

medicine has increased it use where 80% of the population in the world depend on it for

a healthcare basis. Before it reached its popularity, this has first occurred in tribal

communities or in remote areas where medicines are not that much available. If there

is, it might be so expensive to the point that villagers will not afford its price. In the case

of the existence of healers in different communities, the Department of Health has

revealed that almost 250, 000 traditional healers will be able to continue serving for

people and possesses their cultural and religious beliefs. These traditional healers are

most likely oriented in regard to their beliefs. They instruct and heal people based on

how they perceived it.

Another challenge encountered by folk healers was the financial constraint. This is due

to the voluntary amount paid by the patients as payment for their services. Sometimes
there were times where folk healers find difficulties to buy the materials needed for their

healing practices. “Minsan may mga pasyente na ginagamot ako na napakonti ng

binabayad o minsan wala talaga, kung kaya nauubusan din ako ng pambili ng mga

gagamitin sa aking panggagamot halimbawa kandila, oil at iba pa” as key respondents

uttered. According to Montallana (2017), healers do not insist for a huge money or

anything for payment. People who entrusted folk healing practices returns a favor in

voluntary form. It is inevitable that folk healers realistically perceived a financial

instability creating some difficulties to continue their folk healing practices and buy those

alternative needs such as panghilot, kandila, and herbs. Thus, due to unaffordability of

healing materials, folk healers require their patients to buy it for own in order to proceed

in treatment.

Regardless of many challenges encountered by folk healers towards their

healing practices, they remain faithful to their expertise. For them, the most happiest

moment of treating patients illnesses was to get them well. If they heal the patients that

would be the best experiences for them while the worst was not getting the patients

treated.