Miraculous manghihilot in Malate

photos and text by ALYOSHA J. ROBILLOS

University of Santo Tomas Journalism program


MANILA—IN the heart of Malate nightlife lies the spot of Nanay Alice, who is the balm that soothes the aches and pains of both the ritz and the poor, 24/7.
In a place where sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll prevail at night, the Our Lady of Remedies makes her presence felt through the hands of Nanay Alice.
Alicia Espiritu Ramos is a traditional Filipino healer or ‘manghihilot.’ Somewhere along the sidewalks of Jorge Bocobo, she sits beside her Eurotel-sponsored signage that reads “Nanay Alice…Hilot.”

There, she waits and does no hard selling for the people come willingly—a result of the only promotion she gets—word of mouth.
There is often a string of vehicles that conceals this septuagenarian’s makeshift clinic. Patients wait their turn, blending into the bohemian scene regardless of stature or profession.
Ramos had not always been the resident manghihilot of Malate in the Remedios Circle area. For 27 years, she was a volunteer at the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies) Parish, more commonly known as Malate Church.
She did a number of things for the institution, from selling sweepstakes tickets, candles and garlands of sampaguita to making sure that the church was spic-‘n-span. Eventually, parish priests convinced her to retire.
According to Alicia, it was not only because the priests took into consideration the aging lady’s unpaid labor, but because of her special abilities as well.


‘Senora’
IT was on Nanay Alice’s 15th year of servitude when, as she claims, that the Virgin Mary reffered her as “Señora Remedios,” supposedly bestowed a life-altering gift upon her.
During one of the many Sundays she spent at the church, she noticed a child barely seven months old, coughing profusely. When the infant suddenly vomited, she allegedly heard the voice of the Lady of Remedies.
“Hilutin mo ang bata (Massage the child),” the voice whispered. Without hesitation, she approached the family and offered to massage the child.
The parents were taken aback by the sudden display of concern from the strange woman. It took an hour before the parents came back to Alicia with the ailing child still crying. A few minutes and some oil-laden rubs later, Nanay Alicia asked the parents to go home and make their child rest.
The next Sunday, the family returned to Nanay Alicia’s spot —this time with a cake in hand. The father, who turned out to be a specialist at the Makati Medical Center, couldn’t stop thanking Nanay that day.
Upon retiring from volunteer work in 1996, Nanay Alice started treating people out in the streets through the traditional “hilot” and herbal medicine.
It became easy for her to sense things, especially those of ill nature, whether they be kept secret or made out in the open. There was, for instance a young woman who approached her for a stomach massage. Nanay Alice refused to massage her because, upon taking the young woman’s pulse, she determined that the girl was pregnant despite the flat appearance of her abdomen.
“There are many doctors who would go along with what you are planning, but I am not going to do it for you,” Nanay said in Filipino rebuffing the girl’s intent to abort her unborn child.

Soothing the pain
HILOT, a massage native to the Philippines, is used as an alternative to invasive treatments and other complicated medical procedures. It makes use of unconventional healing methods such as energy transfer, spiritual philosophy and herbal medication.
According to Dr. Bibiano Fajardo, an albularyo and practitioner of hilot of the Association of Traditional Health Aid Givers Inc. (ATHAG), hilot is the age-old indigenous Filipino healing practice associated with elderly healers who could identify body illnesses and areas of energy imbalance with one touch.
Being one of the oldest and most secret medical arts in the Philippines, hilot is usually taught by the elderly to the younger generations.
Nanay Alice, on the other hand, was taught by no one and was supposedly guided by the grace of the divine Mother.
Advocates and practitioners of traditional medicine like Alicia Ramos keep the art of alternative and unconventional healing afloat despite people’s growing preference for modern and western medical methods.
Alberto Ugdiman and Julie Guinanao, both residents of Jorge Bocobo St., hold Alicia’s uncanny “gift” in high regard. Ugdiman’s leg was red and swollen a few months back, making walking almost impossible.
It did not heal until Nanay Alice massaged it. Although doctors advised him to have it x-rayed for it might have been broken, he ignored the advice and went to see the “manghihilot” instead.
Now, his leg is as good as new: “Some of her methods are the same with our ‘manghihilot’ in Negros Occidental, (and Nanay Alice’s massaging) works, too,” Guinanao said.
Because of her miraculous touch, Nanay Alice has been able to work with prominent medical doctors. Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan, Vice Chancellor for Research of the University of the Philippines, Manila (UP) and former Department of Health (DOH) secretary, has been in touch with Alicia Ramos since 2004.
Currently a professor at the UP College of Medicine, Galvez-Tan often asks his third-year medicine students to visit Ramos and ask about the phenomenon of her work. Galvez-Tan has also included Nanay Alice in his research and books on alternative medicine.
Despite the respect she has gained even from practicing doctors, Nanay Alice keeps herself grounded and never imposes a price on her patients.
Having lost her only son, her heart goes out especially to the children of those like her who are neck-deep in poverty. Nanay Alicia helps her three adopted children with whatever donations she gets from treating the sick round the clock. On a good day, she gets a total of PhP400.
Although she wishes to have a more permanent and stable spot, Alicia Ramos has used her “blessing” from Señora Remedios to help those she can with what she has.
“Masaya ako dahil nakakatulong,” she beamed, the corner of her eyes crinkling in a warm smile. (996 words)