The people of Bayambang have a number of traditional healing practices and beliefs in the causes of illness.
Beliefs about Causes of Illness
• Panag-akan ya ambabangil ya putahe (Eating a variety of dishes) - According to Mrs. Myrna Patongan of Brgy. Amancosiling Sur, during her childhood, she really loved to eat different dishes at the same time without caring about the possible consequences, until she developed high blood, diabetes and heart disease. “Many people in Bayambang love to eat too much especially food high in cholesterol that is why the number of people in Bayambang with these diseases is high,” she said.
• Aga nantabi-tabi o nanbari-bari (Didn’t show respect to unseen creatures by saying "Tabi, tabi" or "Bari, bari" or variations on these) - A large portion of Bayambang’s population believe that someone who walks through dark and quiet places should say “Bari-bari, Apo Laki, Bae” to pay respects to unseen creatures to avoid falling down with strange and sudden illness.
Specifically, one says "Bari, bari, bari, midalan ak pa" when passing by a place for the first time, and "Bambano lalig, Bai, Laki, agka natatakot" so unseen creatures will not take notice ("bano") of you, because once they do so, you will fall ill.
The "Bari, bari" 'greeting' is also uttered whenever someone takes a leak or throws away hot water at an unfamiliar corner.
• Akapuldak/Akapasakit na aga nanengneng (Having hurt unseen creatures) - This is believed to happen to someone who insists on working outside the house even after sunset, so he/she accidentally hurts creatures that cannot be seen. If you are “akapasakit,” these elements will hurt you back in the form of inexplicable diseases.
• Panag-ames na labi ya anggapod oras (Taking a bath late at night) - According to Ms. Rosalia Laurino of Brgy. Inanlorenza, “It’s not a good idea to take a bath late at night especially when you are tired. You can easily catch cold that can cause headache, body pain and spasm.”
It is also believed that when you or at least your head is amayamayaan (got wet in the slight rainfall), you need to take a bath once you get home to prevent running a fever after.
• Tinaneman (Bewitched)
Panananem is an evil work done by a “manananem” or witch to hurt someone he or she hates. Through the use of the victim’s personal belongings or hair strands, dolls and needles, the manananem prays and makes a ritual to cause the victim to suffer from inexplicable disease or pain until the victim dies. According to Mrs. Myrna Domingo of Manambong Sur, disease caused by witchcraft has no cure, and the only way to stop it is to look for an “albularyo.” Saying “Pwera buril” at the sight of an alleged witch is believed to prevent becoming a victim of this.
• Pan-gagalaway enkanto (Being played naughty tricks upon by negative elements) -
It is believed that when someone is being played tricks on by negative elements, there is a sudden change in the victim’s behavior and the way he/she thinks. The subject is often mistaken to be mentally ill or insane. If this is not addressed, the person is believed to gradually die and his soul will be taken by them.
• Aga timmangay ed kisame ya balon abong ya nilooban to (Didn’t look up at the ceiling in the house he just entered in for the first time) - If it is your first time entering a house, you have to look up to the ceiling because there are unseen creatures in the house that might hurt you without your knowledge if you don’t do it.
Indigenous Healing Practices
• Panagtawas
According to Mrs. Remedios Peralta, panagtawas is a common practice to heal someone who suffers from strange sickness or disease in Barangay Cadre Site, specifically in the “Kamanggaan” area.
These diseases are believed to be the work of evil creatures that are inadvertently encountered or hurt and unfortunately cannot be diagnosed and treated by doctors.
Some people who can’t afford to pay hospital bills also patronize this healing practice.
The “managtawas” needs to do the “orasyon” or prayer first to ask for guidance and power from God. And then the things needed in panagtawas such as a small basin, water, and rice are prepared. Through these, the managtawas is able to see what creature/s the person has hurt and what kind of disease was implanted in his/her body. This is usually done in a quiet and dark place.
• Panaggaton
If the managtawas found out that a patient were hurt by unseen creatures, he/she will advise to do the “panaggaton” or the process to appease with those creatures. The process of panaggaton varies depending upon the geographical area you are in. “Managgaton” commonly uses candle, oil and cigarettes and the food that the patient will eat for dinner. They will offer it to the unseen creatures somewhere near their house and wait for the candle to die before taking the food and feeding it to the person who has hurt them.
The managgaton will give you a choice whether you do the pannaggaton or you’ll just buy it to them.
Residents of Barangay Sapang are still observing this healing practice.
• Panagtambal ed baltik
If a happy and energetic person suddenly changes in mood or feels pain in any part of his body, usually abdominal pain, dizziness and vomiting, the victim is believed to be “abaltikan.” It is suspected to be the work of negative elements or could also be unintentionally caused by the person with a deceased family member or someone the abaltikan has just met. The “baltik” can be experienced by anyone but most often, its victims are children.
Panagtambal ed baltik o amling is very common not only in Bayambang but in the entire province. The affected person is often whipped with the leaves of malunggay (horseradish), guava and/or guyabano. You can also look for the person who may have caused baltik on you to put saliva on your forehead or tummy.
To prevent the children from suffering from baltik, parents always ask their visitors to “ipakemkem” or caress the head of their children before leaving their homes. A red pulseras (bracelet) made of bugayong (rosary pea) seeds is worn by young children to protect from baltik.
Local folk also often say, “Pwera baltik!” as a way prevention whenever their child is greeted or praised audibly by casual visitors or strangers.
• Panagbanyos ya di asin
In ancient times, it was believed that "panagbanyos ya di asin" or bathing with salt was the way to heal the sick. At the time, taking pharmaceuticals was not yet a reality. Practitioners of panagbanyos boil water with salt and put the water in a small basin. The patient’s body is then wiped using a bimpo or hand towel dipped on the boiled water with salt while it is still hot. The sick person reputedly often feels relieved from body pain, fever and other complaints.
In panagbanyos, a person with fever is advised not to take a bath or expose himself to draft; the sick just have to content himself with wiping his body in the recommended method or else resort to a concoction made of various leaves.
• Panagtawag
Whenever a person suffers from sickness because he/she is “abanbanuan” or has been greeted by unseen creatures, his/her family should ask help from the “managtawag.” They are doing the “panagtawag” to call back the soul of the sick person which is believed to have detached from his body.
• Panag-usar na bulo-bulong
The practice of using different plant leaves as substitute for medicines is widely observed in Bayambang specifically in Brgy. Buenlag 2nd. The leaves most often used are those of guava, guyabano and tagumbao. A concoction using these leaves is reputed to help eliminate the headache, strain and fever of a person believed to have been afflicted by unseen elements. This practice is a part of the culture of Bayambang that is still being observed up to this time.
• Panag-ilot
Panag-ilot (panghihilot) is the use of massage to treat someone presenting with a piley (pilay) or sprain or dislocation. Coconut oil is often used in panag-ilot.
•Panag-gugol/gulgol
The gulgol ritual is performed by a faith healer on a family in which at least one member has a misaligned or lacking sintas, the visible line connecting the bellybutton to the upper reaches of the sex organ. This 'error' is believe to be the cause of any spate of illness in the family.
The managgulgol healer instructs the family members to wear old clothes they are willing to throw away, then bathes the members using medicinal herbs like biray, sobosob, etc. The healer pours the warm bath on the members one by one. A live chicken is partially butchered and made to bleed, and the blood serves as an ink, using the tip of a chicken feather as pen, to correct the misalignment or lack of the sintas of the concerned family member, or the healer uses a ball pen to draw a straight line.
The still-alive chicken is thrown away in a faraway place together with all the old clothes worn during the bath.
Key Informants: Remedios N. Peralta, Cadre Site; Consorcia G. Carreon, Sapang; Antonio M. Uson, Bacnono; Conchita Flores, Baluyot Bautista; Maura A. Corpuz, Tatarac; and Felicidad Dela Cruz, Buenlag 2nd
NAME OF PROFILER/MAPPER: Bayambang National High School, Senior High School Students
ADVISER: Mr. Christopher Q. Gozum
SCHOOL: Bayambang National High School, Senior High School
Additional informants and consultants: Clarita F. Tagab, Melchor Orpilla
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