The Body and Sole Franchise Corporation has spent over P3 million to establish a specialty Spa facility that will preserve and promote the Filipino way of massage therapy, highlighting the “Hilot” as its main come-on.
Alibyo Boutique Spa was opened recently located at the Asia Town IT Park, providing the different cultural health and wellness services of Filipinos.
Body and Sole Franchise Corporation president Johnie Lim said this is the best time that the Filipino culture in massage therapy or health and wellness services will be promoted.
Alibyo, a Visayan term, which means “to relieve,” offers authentic Filipino health and wellness services. In fact, all packages are titled in Visayan term, such as Bang-gud (Foot Spa), Pahamis (facial detoxification), Pi-So (press), Tu-ob (smoke therapy), among others.
“We have been promoting other countries’ massage style, like Thai, Swedish, but we are not really promoting our own authentic massage way, “Lim said.
According to Lim, Alibyo is an upscale Spa Boutique, with an ambiance and services that are carefully developed to emphasize the authentic Filipino culture in health and wellness. All products used in the operations including the interior design materials are sourced from the countryside.
Lim said it is high time that tourists will be offered to see and discover the cultural health and wellness practice of Filipinos.
Likewise, the young generation will be able to appreciate the uniqueness of Filipino way in these kinds of services.
Aside from offering massage and other wellness products, Alibyo is also providing delicacies like puto, sikwati and mangga, salabat (ginger tea).
“We are so fond of adopting western culture [in the health and wellness] and we forget our own,” Lim said.
Lim said after the Alibyo facility will gain popularity in the market, he intends to open up branches within Cebu or other feasible areas in the country.
The Swedish massage is more focused on muscle, while Thai, is more on stretching, the Filipino “Hilot” on the other hand combines all these with the spiritual ingredient and is more therapeutic.
Traditionally, ‘Hilot’ service here can only be availed of through home service by older women and men who are ‘gifted’ with the talent ‘Manghihilot’.
Lim said Alibyo will bring Hilot service in a re-constructive spa-like ambiance.
Earlier, Department of Tourism (DOT) undersecretary Eduardo Jarque Jr., he said that there is a growing tourists market that is looking for alternative therapeutic services, especially in the Philippines.
Most of the Europeans and Russians have expressed strong interest to discover the authentic Filipino therapeutic massage. Some are even willing to go to the mountains or far-flung areas to avail of the natural therapeutic services offered by “alternative healers.”