These are the terms they use for the so-called physicians during the pre-Hispanic society.
katalonan - Tagalogs
babaylan - Visayas
balian - Bicolanos
baglan - Ilocanos
baylan - Mandayas
These five terms are used for their priestess, since priestess are the one who cure diseases way way long ago.
The term of Tagalogs for their Supreme Being is Bathala, while the Visayans call it diwata. He is the disperser of good and evil but power is shared by Captan, who planted the bamboo from which the first man and woman sprung from. (If you remember your Filipino mythology.)
The “lesser gods” are called anitos, who are the protectors of the home.
These physicians are believed to cure our ancestors sickness since it may be caused by evil spirits or by the gods as chastisements to offenders.
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