(Day 14) Learning from the Ground: CAM, Culture, and Community Health

        Engaging directly with the community of Indang revealed to me that traditional health practices like hilot, suob, herbal remedies, and even spiritual healing are not just fallback options. They are actually deeply rooted ways of life that are not just alternatives to western medicine, and are primary responses to illness for many families. It surprised me that even young adults with formal education still preferred CAM for common ailments like body pain and fatigue. This wasn't due to a lack of knowledge, but rather cultural familiarity, affordability, and perceived effectiveness. I heard stories about blessed oils used after childbirth. These showed me that health beliefs are often combined with spiritual and communal identity. It challenged my assumption that modern medicine had replaced these practices. I realized that medical care in rural Philippines must respect and integrate these traditions to be effective.

 

        Conducting the survey came many challenges. It was difficult adapting my communication style to suit respondents like older adults with hearing difficulties. I learned how to ask sensitive questions without sounding judgmental. This was crucial in discussing spiritual or non-scientific healing practices. Some respondents were reluctant to share. Others wanted to tell stories about their healing journeys. It learned how listening is just as important as asking the right questions. Working with my group needed collaboration. We divided roles and made sure that everyone was respectful to those we surveyed. It was an experience that made me appreciate community-based research.

        Before, I thought CAM was something that might be useful but often unregulated or outdated. After this immersion, I see CAM as a cultural foundation. CAM serves not just medical but emotional and social needs. People rely on albularyos not just for healing, but also for guidance and reassurance. This is a role that many doctors don't always fill. I now understand that I must approach CAM with cultural humility. Instead of dismissing CAM, integrative medicine allows safe, evidence-based CAM practices to be acknowledged. This would make open dialogue with patients regarding CAM to be normal. I now see CAM as a partner in care, especially in communities where there is no trust in modern medicine. This immersion made me realize the privileges and limitations of being a doctor. In Indang, people don't always have the time or money to see a doctor. CAM fills that gap because it's available and familiar. Empathy for CAM is necessary. Seeing how families treat illness as a collective effort through hilot, prayers, or other CAM shows that healing is a clinical and cultural process. As a future physician, I need to honor their beliefs of patients and serve them with humility.

        If I were to design a health intervention based on this experience, it would be a barangay-level CAM safety and integration program. There would be programs like monthly “Hilot at kaalaman” days where there are health talks and hilot sessions supervised by RHU staff and trained local healers. This would give space for both CAM and modern healthcare workers to share knowledge and promote safe use of CAM. I would also assist in designing culturally sensitive materials that explain when to use CAM, when to seek a doctor, and how to avoid dangerous herb-drug combinations. It would also be great if there were partnerships between albularyos and rural health workers so that a collaboration between scientific and ancestral knowledge occurs. These programs will improve health outcomes and empower the community to continue CAM usage to honor their culture. This experience in Indang taught me that true public health work starts with understanding the beliefs of patients and gaining their trust. I now see CAM as a category of medicine that I should listen to, adapt with, and always consider to honor both science and our patients’ culture.