Faith healing remains a medicinal practice in the Philippines despite the maturing technology and science.
It was widely practiced during the pre-colonial era by Filipino shamans or babaylans, most of whom were women who had the ability to communicate with powerful spirits and deities and could cure natural and spiritual illnesses.
This traditional healing has been handed down through generations, and practitioners now go by various names such as albularyo, manghihilot, mangluluop, mangtatawas, and faith healers.
In the Philippines, whose culture is awash in religiosity and traditional beliefs, and whose people are fascinated by the supernatural, it is unquestioned that faith healing is still resorted to by some Filipinos, especially the underprivileged.
Poverty and high-priced healthcare are the primary reasons people turn to faith or spiritual healing.
To religious people, this is their go-to, in their robust belief that these God-centered rituals would help them overcome their illness.
Debunkers and denouncers of this folk medicine have anchored their uncertainties on ever-evolving science.
The fierce objection is often tied to why Filipinos are more prone to be cured through the exercise of faith in lieu of medical methods.
"Most Filipinos are fixated on the concept that 'to see is to believe,'" said Nards Leonardo, a faith healer in his 40s.
"That's why you must have a strong faith that you will be healed. What is faith healing if you don't have faith?
Makes sense.
Leonardo has been engaged in a spiritual duel more times than he can count. Most of his patients are financially challenged.
But unlike professional medical practitioners, faith healers don't make a fortune. They don't ask for payment in exchange. They make ends meet through voluntary donations, whether monetary or in kind.
Leonardo couldn't be more aware of the dangers associated with faith healing. He has wrestled with various entities from the supernatural realm, including "kapre," "tikbalang," "dwende," "nuno sa punso," "engkanto" and other evil spirits.
He has thrown the book at those engaged in "kulam," "barang," and other forms of witchcraft or sorcery.
But what price glory?
"Life extension."
"I'm feeling very well, physically and emotionally. I haven't had a flu-like illness for three years, even during the Covid-19 pandemic," Leonardo bragged.
Faith healing is not for those just after money.
Leonardo left a good-paying BPO job in Manila in late 2020 to be a full-time healer.
"It's a calling I cannot refuse," he said.
Getting his spiritual knowledge from his mentor, he started to perform cures and miracles for sick people whose illnesses couldn't be diagnosed by professional healthcare.
From a medical perspective, cancer is the most common manifestation of witchcraft.
Leonardo cured a myriad of spiritually ill patients. The majority of them were victims of various types of witchcraft.
To avoid falling prey, you must be vigilant against anyone who may wish to tap you, not even accepting food or drinks, especially in far-flung areas or barrios.
"When you get tapped, tap them back, otherwise you'll get sick" he said.
Tapping and offering food and drinks are the most widely used approaches by witches to cast spells or curses.
Leonardo is acquainted with witchcraft and the devil and he gives them a lesson they will learn in the most brutal way.
His grit in cracking down on numerous types of witches is due to the fact that none other than his late mother had been a victim.
"That prompted me to be in this line. With this level of spiritual strength, I have right now, I'm gonna put her and lock her in a bottle once our paths cross."
Leonardo says this could be the finest approach to utilizing the gift of healing the spirits and bodies of the sick.
While faith healing has been the subject of both positive and negative connotations in the country, faith healers, including Leonardo, boast that such an ability can cure unspecified diseases that medical practitioners can’t find even with the help of modern science.
After all, competing with the professionals is not the sole objective.
Alleviating the suffering and restoring the health of the sick is the ultimate goal.
