The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) granted clearance for the conduct of the Phase 2 Profiling Survey of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (TAHC) Practitioners in the Philippines by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC). The survey will be conducted by the Macro Health Research Organization, Inc., a third-party organization commissioned by PITAHC.

TAHC is defined in Republic Act (RA) No. 8423 (Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997) as the sum total of knowledge, skills and practices on health care, other than those embodied in biomedicine, used in the prevention, diagnosis, and elimination of physical or mental disorder.

The survey aims to:

1. determine the number of TAHC practitioners;
2. determine the profile of TAHC practitioners for use in TAHC research, training, and focused development at the national and sub-national level in support to PITAHC;
3. recommend strategies to effectively manage TAHC practitioners (recognition, registration, training and standardization, and future licensing and integration) under the universal health care; and
4. provide policy and research recommendations based on the results of the study.

Major data items to be collected in the survey are the following:

1. Socio-demographic profile of the TAHC practitioner (age, sex, nationality, marital status, highest education completed, occupation apart from health care practice, and religion);
2. Type of healing method and tools used for TAHC practice;
3. Mode of acquisition of TAHC knowledge;
4. Length of TAHC practice;
5. Registration and affiliation;
6. Type of patients; and
7. Cost of service.

The Phase 1 of the survey was implemented in 2021 covering a total of 34 provinces and 18 highly urbanized cities (HUCs) nationwide, while the Phase 2 of survey will be conducted from July to December 2022 covering the rest of the provinces and HUCs in the country. A total budget of PhP 27.9 million will be utilized to interview about 100,000 TAHC practitioners. Results of the surveys are expected to be released in December 2023.

The Phase 2 Profiling Survey of TAHC Practitioners in the Philippines was reviewed and cleared for conduct under the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism being implemented by the PSA by virtue of Rule 28 of Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA No. 10625 to:

1. ensure sound design for data collection;
2. minimize the burden placed upon respondents;
3. effect economy in statistical data collection;
4. eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and
5. achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the PSA enjoins all TAHC practitioners in the country to participate in the survey by providing the required information.

For further information on SSRCS, please contact the Statistical Standards Division of the Standards Service with telephone numbers (02) 8376-1928 and (02) 8376-1931, and email addresses ssdss.staff@gmail.com and ssd.staff@psa.gov.ph.

DENNIS S. MAPA, Ph.D.
Undersecretary
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General

See more at the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS) landing page.