ABSTRACT
The history of the Philippines has been influenced by Spanish, Chinese, Malaysian and Western cultures. Although modern medical practices are part of everyday life in the cities, traditional folk medicine is popular. Health insurance is being introduced as a private prepaid system by larger companies and governments for their employees, but this covers only a small proportion of the population. Self-care, with home remedies or over-the-counter products, is generally the first level of care. Traditional practices are an important part of primary care for many functional, chronic and psychosocial disorders for which modern medicine has no 'cures', and for which local healers can do much to provide support and comfort. Folk medicine and its practitioners should be accepted as partners by physicians in the broad spectrum of care. Acupuncture is being practised by an increasing number of physicians. Meanwhile the government is encouraging herbal medicine, and many medicinal plants are made up into tablets and sold cheaply.
