The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) granted clearance for the conduct of the Profiling Survey of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (TAHC) Practitioners in the Philippines Phase 1 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 PITHAC.

TAHC is defined in Republic Act (RA) No. 8423 (Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997) as any knowledge, skill, and practice, other than those in the biomedicine, which is used in the prevention, diagnosis, and elimination of physical or mental disorder.

The profiling survey aims to:

a. determine the number of TAHC practitioners;
b. 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 Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC);
c. recommend strategies to effectively manage TAHC practitioners (recognition, registration, training and standardization, and future licensing and integration) under the universal health care; and
d. provide policy and research recommendations based on the results of the study.

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

a. Demographic profile of the TAHC practitioner (age, sex, nationality, marital status, highest education completed, occupation apart from health care practice, and religion)
b. Type of method and tools used for TAHC practice
c. Mode of acquisition of TAHC knowledge
d. Length of TAHC practice
e. Registration and affiliation
f. Number of type of patients
g. Cost of service

About 100,000 TAHC practitioners nationwide will be interviewed from June to December 2021. The survey will utilize a total budget of
PhP 24.0 million and the survey results are expected to be released in March 2022.

The Profiling Survey of TAHC Practitioners in the Philippines Phase 1 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:

a. ensure sound design for data collection;
b. minimize the burden placed upon respondents;
c. effect economy in statistical data collection;
d. eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and
e. achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, the PSA enjoins all TAHC practitioners in the country to take part in the survey.

For further information on SSRCS, please contact the Statistical Standards Division (SSD) of the Standards Service (SS) with telephone numbers

(02) 8376-1928 and (02) 8376-1931, and email addresses ssd.staff@psa.gov.ph and ssdss.staff@gmail.com.

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