Healers of San Antonio and Mount Bandilaan

In the hills at the centre of Siquijor, traditional healers prepare herbal oils and potions, and a short climb leads to the island’s highest point, wrapped in forest and stories.

Area

Siquijor

Start from

Siquijor town

Distance

about 15 km

Time needed

1 day

Best season

All year; Holy Week for the healing festival

Difficulty

Moderate

Transport

Scooter, tricycle or hired car; short walk to the summit

Tickets & rules

None; donation for healers and guides

Why go

If Siquijor has a heart, it is in the hills around San Antonio. The road climbs from the coast through forest and small farms, and the air grows cooler. Here, in simple houses, live many of the island’s traditional healers, known as mananambal.

I visited a healer who used bolo-bolo: she dropped a small stone into a glass of water and blew through a bamboo tube, watching the water cloud to find the source of illness. It was calm, gentle and quietly serious. There were no theatrics, just a woman doing something her grandmother had taught her.

Nearby, Mount Bandilaan, the highest point on the island, rises to roughly 600 metres. A paved road and a short trail lead to a viewing area with views over the forest towards the sea, and the Stations of the Cross line the path.

The story

Siquijor’s healers practise a blend of herbal medicine, folk ritual and Catholic prayer. Some specialise in herbal oils, others in bolo-bolo or in treating illnesses believed to be caused by spirits or sorcery. Many Filipinos travel to Siquijor specifically to consult them.

During Holy Week, healers gather in San Antonio for a festival of herbs. On Good Friday they collect plants, roots and other ingredients from the forest, and on Black Saturday they mix them in a big pot while praying, to make potions believed to be especially powerful.

The island’s reputation for witchcraft draws on stories of mangkukulam, sorcerers who could cast spells, and of love potions called lumay. Locals are often amused by outsiders’ fears and are happy to explain that most healers simply help people with everyday ailments.

Mount Bandilaan is part of a natural park that protects one of the island’s last forests. It is said that the forest is home to many medicinal plants used by healers, which is one more reason to keep it standing.

Getting there

San Antonio is in the hills, roughly 30 minutes by scooter from Siquijor town or San Juan. Mount Bandilaan is nearby; the road leads close to the top.

Ask your accommodation to arrange a visit with a healer; it is better to go with an introduction than to show up unannounced.

A suggested plan

1. 8:00Ride up into the hills towards San Antonio.
2. 9:00Visit a healer with a local guide or introduction.
3. 10:30Continue to Mount Bandilaan and walk up to the viewing area.
4. 12:00Lunch in a simple place in the hills, then return to the coast.
5. OptionalVisit the Cantabon cave nearby with a licensed guide.

Where to stay

San Juan or Siquijor town. There are very few places to stay in the hills.

Good to know

• Leave a donation for the healer; there is often no fixed price.
• Ask before taking photos of healers or their tools.
• Bring a light jacket; the hills are cooler.