CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Ethnic group in the Philippines can be grouped into indigenous and non

indigenous ethnic group (ethnic) group in the Philippines 2008). The indigenous ethnic

groups include bicolanos, ibanag, ilocano, ivatan, kapampangan, moro, pangasinense,

sambal, tagalog, visayan and tribal groups such as igorot, ytausug, monobo,mangyan and

badjao.

Badjao is considered as the smallest ethnic group in Sulu. They are also called as the sea

gypsies. They we’re found along coastal areas in Sulu. Some live in nipa huts along the

seashore. Their houses were built on stilts above the vintas. Floating home of them

contains a single family unit. Because of their natural environment, the badjaos are

predominantly fishermen and they are full time boat dwellers. It is their life blood and

way of life. They depend on fishing for survival. Seashell gathering called anebra is

usually done by women and children of badjao. It is their alternative means to earn a

living. They have dark skin and bronze hair as their physical characteristics. They are

also considered citizen of low class; ignorant.\, dirty, stench-smelling and deprived. They

are also ignorant and innocent in a way and do not want trouble. They are harmless and

peaceful but as time goes by, the missionaries and charitable institution have helped

educate them transform life although their cultures and traditions still remain. Some

embraced Islam as their religion but most still cling to pagam beliefs and practices. (Teo,
1989). They barter their fishing to be nomadic. At present they sprout all over Luzon,

visayas and metro manila.

Our group conducted the study due to several reasons. First, one of our groupmates had a

badjao patient in one of our affiliated hospital, when the patient was asked by our group

mate; they said that she don’t want to go to the hospital seeking care whenever they are

sick. They will just find treat the symptoms by themselves. Second, we observe when

passing along Espana avenue, metro manila, we noticed that they were always begging,

asking for alms because they do not have any food to eat. They sing and dance while

playing their own instrument as a way of entertainment.

This study aims to describe the health promotion practices of Badjao families in

Metro Manila.

Objective: To be able to identify and describe the following:

1.1. Health Perception

1.2. Personal Hygiene

1.2.1. Handwashing

1.2.2. Toothbrushing

1.2.3. Perineal care

1.2.4. Bathing

1.3. Health seeking behavior

1.3.1 Management of symptoms and illness

1.3.2 Use of medication/ herbal medication

1.4. Food Preferences

1.5. Socialization

1.5.1. recreational activities

1.6. Maternal care

1.6.1 Prenatal care

1.6.2 during labor

1.6.3 Post partum care

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
FIGURE 1:

BADJAO

Health perception
Personal hygiene
Health seeking
behavior
Food preference
Socialization
OPTIMUM
Maternal care LEVEL OF
FUNCTIONING

FIGURE 1:

Figure 1 shows that the health promotion practice of the badjaos has a great effect

to their optimum level of functioning.

NURSING STUDENTS

This study will deepen the student’s understanding regarding home settlement and

health practices of the badjaos. This will also help them to be prepared in dealing with the

said ethnic group if they are aware of their practices.

NURSING EDUCATION

We noticed that there are only few studies done discussing the topic and it will be

advantageous for the readers or learners because it could help them identify the different

health practices of badjao as well as their home settlement. They would be able to interact

with them because they are knowledgeable.

NURSING ADMINISTRATORS

This study will help them on how to communicate well with the badjao because

the study will be able to discuss the cultures and practices of the said ethnic group.

FUTURE RESEARCHERS

The outcome of the study will serve as a guide, future reference and information

related to particular studies that may lead to a new research study. This will also increase

the level of awareness and interest of the future researchers in conceptualizing problem

related to ethnic groups and their practices.

This study was conducted to 3 family units of badjaos in Metro Manila. The focus

of this study was to know the health practices of the badjaos within metro manila. Only 3

families were included in the respondents. This study determined if the health promotion

has a great effect to their health. The data were gathered by means of interview and

observation designed by the researchers. The data obtain from their study were

transcribed. The researchers gathered the information regardless with their age, gender

and economic status.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
HEALTH

1. Health is the state of complete physical, mental, and social well- being and not

merely the absence of disease and infirmity. (World health organization)

2. health is a state of an organism with respect to functions, disease and

abnormality at a given time (American heritage dictionary of the English language)

BADJAO

It is also written as Badjao, Badjaw or Badjau. are an indigenous ethnic group

of the southern Philippines. They have been a nomadic, seafaring people for most of their

history. They are commonly called "sea gypsies." (Merriam-Webster dictionary)

LIFESTYLE:

Lifestyle means health related practices over which a person has some choice.

These includes: sexual health practices, smoking, alcoholic use, diet, exercise stress

management, and use of preventive health service (Brooken & Waugh, 2007)

HEALTH PROMOTION

Health promotion as factors related to lifestyle and choices that maintain, or

enhances a population’s health. It includes promotion to individual and communities’

abilities to cope with changes in environmental, social and to maintain overall health and

well being. (Carroll, 2004)

In nursing care, actions directed to preventing illness and promoting health to

reduce the need for secondary or tertiary health care. Prevention includes such nursing

actions as assessment, including disease risk; application of prescribed measures, such as

immunization; health teaching; early diagnosis and treatment; and recognition of

disability limitations and rehabilitation potential. In acute care nursing many

interventions are simultaneously therapeutic and preventive. (Mosby's Medical

Dictionary, 8th edition, 2009)

HEALTH BELIEFS

It is defined as the personal convictions that influence health behaviors. (Mosby's

Medical Dictionary, 8th edition, 2009)

OPTIMUM LEVEL OF FUNCTIONING

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

BADJAOS

The term “badjao” which means “fisherfolk”, refers to the people who live on the

seas or shores of the Sulu archipelago which consists of Sulu province, Tawi-tawi and

southern palawan. Considered part of the samal, a land-based muslim ethnic group, the

badjao are generally boat dwellers or “sea gypsies” whose religion is ancestor worship,

albeit with Islamic influences. (CCP encyclopedia of Philipines art vol. , Reyes, 1994)

The Badjaos have no permanent dwellings and live on their boats throughout the year. In

some places, the Badjaos have built houses usually 20 to 30 feet long with a width of 15

feet thereby forming a perfect rectangle. Fronting their house is an open platform to serve

as boat landing stage.

HEALTH PROMOTION

Health promotion has been defined as "the process of enabling people to

increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health.

The primary means of health promotion occur through developing healthy public policy

that addresses the prerequisites of health such as income, housing, food security,

employment, and quality working conditions. (World Health Organization)

of helping people change their lifestyle to move toward a state of optimal health"
(
American Journal of Health Promotion)

HEALTH PRACTICES

A health or medical practice is called "alternative" if it is based on untested,

untraditional, or unscientific principles, methods, treatments, or knowledge. "Alternative"

medicine is often based on metaphysical beliefs and is frequently anti-scientific. Because

truly "alternative" medical practices would be ones that are known to be equally or nearly

equally effective, most "alternative" medical practices are not truly "alternative," but

quackery. If the "alternative" health practice is offered along with scientific medicine, it

is referred to as "complementary" medicine. (Bausell, Skeptic dictionary)

Causes Curing of and Illness

Basically, the Badjao have no concept of and cannot explain the causes of illn

colds ncommo of the ess. When asked about causesand coughs, most of respondents

answered “I don’t know”. However when a member of the family gets sick, every effort

is made top bring him back to health. Most often, simple home remedies are applied. For

simple headache, a “ Magsasag” , an older man or woman who is believed to have magic

power, is called to chant a prayer. This practice is called “anag” and is used to drive the

evil spirit that causes headache. At the end of every prayer, as many names as of possible

deceased members of the family are mentioned as likely to be the “saitan” or evil spirit. If

upon mentioning a particular name the magsagsag yawns, it means that the deceased
member named is the cause of the headache. In due time, a simple headache is relieved

by the magsagsag.

Badjaos never submit to or consult a physician; it goes against tradition. They also

do not like the experience which accompanies medical consultation. The herb doctor, or

“magtatambal”, does not charge a fee he or she accepts whatever is given. Since the herbs

used as medicine can be gathered from the hills or even from their own backyard there is

no need to charge. If the magtatambal is paid, the payment is declared as “sadakka” or

charity. The herb doctor is preferred because the family can talk freely thus, the visit

enhances both medical and social ties for they belong to the same ethnic group.

Other Beliefs

A married women who habitually gives birth to a dead or sickly baby or

undergoes premature delivery is believed to harbor a snake in her abdomen which causes

the death or illness of her babies. To remedy this malady a ritual call “maglagut” or

cutting is performed. During the maglagut the couple and the sick child are bathe by the

healer. They after wards dress in red clothing and made to sit on a pillow place on a mat.

The parents are asked to hold on to objects or pole called “talian”. The healer chants a

prayer. As soon as the talian start moving in the hands of the couple tremble. The healer

puts a big blanket around them while the healer chants A prayer. The couple runs away

from the sin, one through the back door and the other through the front door with one of

them carrying the child. The healer makes a cutting gesture supposedly aimed at the

snake which is believed to have transferred to the pole from either one of the spouses.
 The snake is pronounced dead after it is believed that the couple can have normal

children or that the sick child will be cured.

An expectant mother who has offended and elder should apologize or asked for

“taubat” otherwise she will experience difficult labor. Among badjaos, samals, and tausug

of sulu difficult labor is believe to have been cause by the failure of the parturient on her

husband to ask for the forgiveness of an elder member of the family whom they have

offended at one time or another. During labor and delivery, parents and relatives easily

recall misunderstanding which the prospective mother or husband had in the past,

especially if the patient shows signs of insecurity and appears to be having difficult labor.

During difficult labor, the people should ask all relatives in the house to stay away from

doorways and have all doors open wide so that the delivery will be easy. The “belli” is a

ritual which the parents or a member of the family whom the child resembles should buy

the child from an unknown being by setting aside a sum of money, a piece of jewelry or

any valuable property for the child. This ritual is to prevent child from getting sick.

It is believe that when a mother eats jackfruit after delivery, she will have a “buggat”

(relapse) and may even die. She is allowed to eat this fruit only 44 days after delivery.

Sweeping the house during a wake will cause more deaths to the family. Sweeping is taken

to symbolize the passing of all the other living members of the family.
FOODS

Fish which is the common viand of the badjaos in their daily diet, is often boiled in hot

water with the dash of salt and combined with a common plant known as the “sai” or

“sulasi”. This process is called “tinulah”, equivalent to sinigang to the luzonians. Fish

maybe also broiled over a hot charcoal or roasted bunot smoke (coconut husk)

The badlaos do not eat regular meal at specified times. They do not exactly know at what

time they eat breakfast lunch and suffer. Meal time depends largely on the arrival of the

husband from fishing and the amount of catch for the day. 44.5% of the breakfast meal of

badjaos is cassava and fish, 35.5 is banana or coffee or tea, 14.5% breads and biscuits

plus coffee and 7.5% for fruits and water. For lunch 51 % cassava and fish, 29% cassava

with euther shark’s meat, sea urchins, seashells, seaweeds and other sea products, 11.5%

rice , fish and cassava, 7.5% is rice and corn mix and fish, 1% rice and sardines. Fruits

and sweets are eaten only as mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. In other words

dessert is not considered part of the meal in their food habits. (Teo,1986)
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology used to gather and analyze data to describe

the health promotion practices of Badjao families in Metro Manila. It presents the design,

respondents and sampling technique, instruments used, data gathering procedures

involved in this study.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study utilized the qualitative type of study which is ethnological approach.

Ethnographic studies refer to the collection and analysis of data on the lifestyle and daily

activities of ethnics (Barrientos-Tan 1997). A descriptive study uses to determine and

obtain information pertaining to the health promotion practices of badjao families in

Metro Manila.

RESPONDENTS AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Researchers used a non-probability convenience sampling in which they chose the

most readily available families of Badjao as study respondents.

This study required three family units in Metro Manila.

The researchers utilized guided interview, one-on-one dialogue with the subject in

their respective places. A voice recorded helped the researchers to record and gather all

the answers of the respondents. Researchers were able to observe the non-verbal

responses of the respondents such as their facial expressions, posture and gestures. With

the used of pen and paper, they were able to note down all the non verbal cues.

Researchers used unstructured open ended questions which allow them to focus

on the respondent’s point of view and for the respondents to have flexibility in answering

the questions.

DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

Before conducting the study, a letter of permission was submitted to the Dean’s

office, College of Nursing. The researchers visited the badjao families to ask permission

before conducting the study. A written signed consent was obtained.

Researchers consulted their adviser for checking their research drafts.