1st Indigenous Barefoot Doctors' National Summit

229 tribal barefoot doctors gathered at the SMX Convention Center on May 20-21, 2009 to create the 1st Indigenous Barefoot Doctors’ National Summit.

These barefoot doctors were graduates of the Indigenous Peoples Community Health Workers (IP CHWs) Development Program. Though referred as, they have received medical or paramedical training to aid the rural communities.



The event gave the indigenous people the opportunity to interact and learn from various practices and techniques, as well as share their experiences with other people. The event also promoted the awareness of the culture and living of the indigenous people and also promoted them institutions that could aid their needs.

Participating speakers of the event were Dr. Jessica Cueto-De Leon from the Department of Health (DOH) who lectured on “Indigenous Healers and Community Health Workers as Barefoot Doctors” and Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, Professor of UP College of Medicine and the Head of the Traditional; and Integrative Medicine, UP-PGH who talked about “Integrative Medicine: Ang Pinagsanib na Medisina at Kalusugan.”

Doctors having Western medicinal knowledge were part as resource speakers while non-government organizations also took part as they advocated for the promotion of the indigenous people’s healing.
Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission Inc. (FOLPMI) and the Misereor Ihr Hilfswerk headed the event parallel to their advocacy of for the poor and unprivileged people in the country.
For more information, you may opt to contact the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission Inc. (FOLPMI) at telephone: +63.2.829.5759, telefax: +63.2.825.7653, or e-mail at info@folpmi.org