MANILA, Philippines - The 30-year-old dream of naturopathic doctor Elizabeth Micaller is finally coming to pass with the extraordinary partnership forged by three institutions, which have agreed to make available a ladderized system of learning for natural medicine. These three institutions are the Family Life and Wellness Institute (FLWI) of De la Salle Zobel, the Makati Medical Center College (MMCC), and the Philippine Institute of Naturopathic Sciences (PINS) which Dr. Micaller heads.
FLWI aims to provide an educational opportunity for community workers and other professionals to pursue a master’s degree in the areas of family life and family wellness, complementary/integrative and holistic health arts and sciences, pastoral and wellness counseling, addiction counseling, hospice and quality of life care. MMCC, on the other hand, is the training arm of one of Asia’s premier hospitals, Makati Medical Center, and its forward-looking management, headed by its president Dr. Ofel Biznar, believes that having extra knowledge in natural health care will give their Nursing graduates an extra edge in the same field. PINS is the pioneering institute in natural medicine that has been the vehicle for many to learn the scientific method of Iridology and its correlation with nutrition since 1988.
The three institutions banded together to share each other’s expertise and give the opportunity to the many who cannot travel and study abroad, the ability to learn and get a degree in Naturopathic Medicine. The naturopathic approach focuses on the internal environment of the body that allows the condition to exist rather than just treating the symptoms of conditions. By this approach many conditions (such as asthma, menopause symptoms, eczema, flu, obesity, and chronic fatigue among others) can be treated on a primary level.
The initial courses offered for the first trimester are mostly evening classes and given once a week. The courses are Philosophy and historical foundations of Naturopathic Medicine, Understanding Philippine Traditional Nutrition, Comprehensive Traditional Healing Hilot, Anatomy and Physiology, Fundamentals of Energy Medicine, Naturopathic Emergency Skills, Comprehensive Iridology, and Moving from Illness to Wellness. Anyone can enroll in just one or all the offered courses.
The joint faculty of the three institutions includes experts in their various fields: Susan Balingit, MD, a traditional Filipino healing diet expert; MacGerald Cueto MscD, MSAHP, CA, ADS, meta physician and TCMP acupuncturist; Jessica Cueto de Leon, MD, MPH, CMA, Energy Medicine expert; Bibiano S. Fajardo, PhD, the albularyo of the group who will teach the comprehensive healing hilot modules; spouses Rommel and Gina Tinio, MDs, Nutritional Oncology; Charissa Raneses, PhD, RN a Psycho Trauma interventionist and Emotional Healing coach; and Ma. Elizabeth Micaller, PhD, ND, NMD, CCII, the first certified Iridology instructor in the country and advocate of natural nutrition. Second trimester courses will have Patricia S. Sison, PhD; Dan Redona, MD; Lily Marquinez, MD; and Roy Cuison, MD, among others, as professors of the other needed courses.
The courses started last June 6 and will follow a trimester pattern. Call Jean Oria, director for student affairs, at 09223957373 for inquiries.