ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of medicine in the Philippines

Okay, kiddo! So let's talk about the history of medicine in the Philippines. You know how when you get sick, you go to the doctor and they give you medicine to help you feel better? Well, way back a long time ago in the Philippines, there were also people who knew how to use plants and natural remedies to help heal others.

These people were called "herbologists" or "albularyos" and they were like the first doctors in the Philippines. They would use different plants and herbs to cure things like fevers, stomach aches, and other illnesses. These albularyos often learned their trade from their parents or grandparents and passed down their knowledge to their own children.

Later on, when the Spanish came to the Philippines, they brought with them Western medicine. This included things like surgery, medicine made in labs, and other treatments that were based on scientific research. The Spanish also set up hospitals where sick people could go to get better.

However, not everyone in the Philippines had access to these hospitals and medicines. Many people couldn't afford to go to the hospital or buy medicine, so they continued to rely on the traditional albularyos and natural remedies.

Over time, more and more Filipinos began to learn about Western medicine and became doctors themselves. Today, the Philippines has many hospitals and clinics where people can get medical care. There are also still traditional albularyos who practice their knowledge of natural remedies.

So that's the history of medicine in the Philippines! From the traditional albularyos to the modern hospitals we have today, people in the Philippines have been finding ways to help each other stay healthy for a long time.