The 1997 Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (TAMA) stipulates that it is the policy of the State to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to all Filipinos through the development of traditional and alternative health care and its integration into the national health care delivery system.

To accelerate the development of traditional and alternative medicine, and promote a wide variety of accessible traditional and complementary alternative health care options, the month of November was declared Traditional and Alternative Health Month by Presidential Proclamation No. 698.

As of last year, there were at least 2,000 plants in the Philippines with known pharmacological and pharmaceutical values. And studies show that the rural areas provide a conducive environment for the growth of such plants, as well as for the study of herbal therapies and other alternative modes of health care delivery.

Among the medicinal plants that are now being manufactured in convenient forms are lagundi (for cough and asthma) sambong (a diuretic, which helps prevent the formation of kidney stones) tsaang gubat (for abdominal pains and as antimotility agent), yerba Buena (for fever and body pains) niyog-niyogan (for ascariasis), bayabas (for use as wound disinfectant or antiseptic), akapulko (for antifungal skin infections), ulasimang-bato (for arthritis and gout), bawang (for lowering cholesterol), and ampalaya (for diabetes mellitus).

The TAMA encourages the conduct of scientific research with the objective of making accessible to every Filipino traditional and alternative health care modalities that are safe, effective, cheaper, and consistent with government standards on medical practice.

Vigorously pursuing the implementation of the policy is the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC), which was created by Republic Act No. 8423. All the efforts, however, will only be as good and effective as the strength of the institute’s partnership with other government organizations, the herbal and natural products industry, the private sector, and the proponents and practitioners of traditional and complementary/alternative health care modalities.

Appropriate dissemination of information on the uses of medicinal plants and alternative health care modalities is necessary for the public to become aware of and appreciative of them. Apart from sustained research and development efforts in this area, the formulation of standards, guidelines, and codes of ethical practice appropriate to traditional and alternative health care delivery, and the manufacture, quality control, and marketing of various traditional and alternative health care products will help protect our indigenous and natural health resources and technology.