Faith Healers and Faith Healing: The Healers of Pateros, Philippines

Abstract

The objective of this study is to describe the beliefs and practices of the local healers of Pateros, Rizal, Philippines. Based on interviews and participant observation, it was found out that the local healers believed in the following: (1) They believed in the five gods called Cincovocales (five vowels of five springs of water) A, E, I, O, U, or God the Father (Dios Ama); God the Mother (Dios Ina); God the Son (Dios Anak); God the Holy Spirit (Dios Espiritu SantongWagas), and God who is the core of knowledge permeating both darkness and light (Dios UbodUtakKarununganKalangkap ng Dilim at Liwanag) as taught by Valentin de los Santos, the supreme or head of the Lapiang Malaya (Freedom Party) whose members were massacred by the troops of Marcos government in 1967; (2) They believed in reincarnation and astral travel; (3) They believed in deriving wisdom and knowledge from nature; and (4) They believed in spirit possession or medium ship. The local healers believed that healing is effected through the performance of the following ritual: cleansing one’s soul or loob (literally, inside) by kneeling before a light bulb with the filament removed and then filled with water. The initiate then or the healer has to miraculously cause water to drip from the bulb by sheer will power and purity of intention, as well as purity of the loob. Being able to let the water fall in drops from the bulb is, according to them, a sure sign that one is completely cleansed of all sins and that said person is endowed with supernatural powers in the form of healing, clairvoyance and prophecy.