HOW TO EARN A PHILIPPINE MASSAGE THERAPY LICENSE THE EASY WAY
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Transcript of HOW TO EARN A PHILIPPINE MASSAGE THERAPY LICENSE THE EASY WAY
HOW TO EARN A PHILIPPINE MASSAGE THERAPY LICENSE THE EASY WAYBy Benjamin Eugenio Jr., LMT, LET, CIBTAC, MPA
ince when the Philippine Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy (CEMT) of the
Department of Health (DOH) headed by Dr. Kenneth G. Ronquillo, Director IV of the
Health Human Resource Development Bureau (HHRDB) took the helm in the conduct
of the massage licensure examinations, many significant changes has been made which I feel
the public, particularly the spa and wellness stakeholders, and would-be examinees, must be
informed about.
SBut before going any further, let me remind everyone about one difficult statement of fact on
massage. And this is it: The (Philippine) law expressly says that, “No person is authorized to
practice massage in the Philippines without holding a valid certificate of registration xxx”
(Section 9, Chapter XIII, PD 856, the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines. Thus, enrolling in a
review class and applying and taking (and of course, passing) the DOH massage therapy
examinations is the right thing to do if one
wishes to legally practice in the country.
Figure 1- Massage Licensure Review Class Students Taking a Short Break with their
Lecturer
To solve that, here are the simple steps to be
observed, as follows:
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A. FIRST, MAKE SURE YOU MEET ALL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
The following are the latest and updated application requirements for the DOH Exams:
1. Age requirement- Based on the IRR of PD 856, the basic age requirement for anyone
who wish to earn a license on massage must be between 21 to 60 years old. However,
during the last June
2010 exams, the CEMT allowed non-twenty one (21) year old applicants to take the
exams, however, according to them, unless the provision on age requirement has been
lowered down to eighteen (18) years old, said applicants may get their license on their
21st birthday. Sounds good? Also, based on the proposed PD 856, Section XIII,
amendments, anyone beyond 60 years old, for as long they remain able, may also be
allowed to take the said examinations. To me, this will surely make a lot of senior
therapists occupied and happy (Thank you, DOH!).
2. Certificate of good moral character from the Barangay.
3. Certificate or clearance from the NBI or provincial fiscal citing no conviction in court
involving moral turpitude.
4. Medical Certificate from a Government Physician- Perhaps due to lack of information,
many applicants still submit a health certificate. Although the said certificate has been
duly signed by a government physician but the CEMT would rightfully insist for a
Medical Certificate instead of the former.
5. At least a high school graduate. Make sure to submit a true, authenticated copy of
your High School diploma or transcript of records. Cheating on your documents will
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never give you peace of mind, and, worse, when truth comes out, this will be bring an
abrupt, shameful end to your massage career.
6. Basic Academic and Practical Instructions- The original IRR on massage says that
applicants must have basic instruction on Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and
Parasitology, Hygiene and Sanitation, Ethics and Jurisprudence and the Practice of
Massage. However, in last two massage licensure examinations all exam takers are
required to be honed according to the following DOH-prescribed curriculum: Module I –
Anatomy and Physiology; Module II- Microbiology and Pathology; Module III- Massage
Therapy I (Fundamental Concepts of Massage Therapy); Module IV-Massage Therapy
Application; Module V (Practice of Massage Therapy). Only DOH Accredited Training
Institutions can provide a certification on this regard.
7. Marriage contract among married female applicants.
8. Special note on citizenship requirements – Only Filipino citizens are allowed to take the
DOH massage therapy examinations.
B. SECOND, ENROLL IN A REVIEW CLASS
1. Identify a DOH Accredited Training Institution (*Complete list of updated TIs is available
in this article) near you and enroll yourself.
2. Always be on time for class and, as much as possible, never be absent from any session.
3. Make sure that you meet the required 136 hours of training both in academics and
practicals.
4. Study your lessons thoroughly and practice the Swedish massage inputs seriously.
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5. Pass all in-house tests and evaluations. Training centers shall be reluctant to send
people to DOH who does not show any promise of passing.
C. THIRD, TAKE THE EXAMS
1. Allow your review center to process your documents – All application requirements
shall be submitted to the DOH by the TIs. The DOH does not accept direct applications
nor entertains follow-up inquiries related to massage licensure exams.
*Philippine Accredited Massage Therapy Training InstitutionsTraining Institution Office
AddressTraining
Provider/sContact
NumbersCentral Luzon Alternative Health &
Development, Inc(CLHAD)
2nd F. ABN Bldg., McArthur Highway; del Rosario, City of
San Fernando, Pampanga
Jevren Sibug (045)861-2493(0915) 9970969
Early Divine School Forever Alternative Medicine Rehabilitation and Training
Center (EDSFAMRTC)
59-A Escarilla Subd., Mandurriao, Iloilo City
Alma Bernadette E. Agor (0927)6898089
EPHETHA Foundation for the Blind(EFB)
NVRC Cmpd, P. Burgos St., Project 4, QC
Lucia SartoMailyn Pinon
(02) 437-2276(0918) 225-3153
Hand-Med Integrative Healthcare Center(HMIHC)
Osmena Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan Faith Maybelle Yecla (036)268-2810(0929) 7350080
Handspring Institute of Massage & Shiatsu (HIMAS)
3rd F, Crispina Bldg, 1589 Quezon Avenue, Bgy. West
Triangle, QC
Benjamin Eugenio, Jr. (02)410-7369(0917) 5117744
HILOT at HILOM Pilipinas(HIHIP)
33 Bakersfield St., Laguna Bel Air 1, Don Jose, Sta. Rosa,
Laguna
Victor E. Donaire (049)544-0704(0917)5457494
International NKYR Academy(INKYRA)
Unit D ProVita Bldg. 26 Columbia cor. Yale St., Cubao,
Quezon CitySt. Peter Village, Minglanilla,
Cebu City
Pedro Vasquez II Cubao Branch:(02)473-5115
(0918)664-4046Cebu Branch:
(032)238-8744(0918)9199149
Le Petit Paradis Academy(LPPA)
Suite 708 Cattleya Bldg. 235 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village,
Makati City
Emily Christie Belgira (02)401-1242(0922)8576674
NMA Center for Aquatic Therapy & Massage (NMACATM)
# 2 Brgy Court Villa Angela Subd., Angeles City
Nona AngelesEvangeline Canlas
(0929)8062688
Remnant Institute of Alternative Medicine (RIAM)
JAMERIAN Bldg., Iznart St., Iloilo City
Harris Acero (033)3379298(0920)9513589
SERVARRI Review and Training Center Las Pinas City Aida P. Gamis (02)5462768(0922)8296689
Ventura College ofNatural Therapeutic Health and Science
Tagum City Rosalie R. Ventura (0922)318(0927)5004167(084) 218-2152
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2. Choose the right review and exam schedule for you- Exams are normally scheduled
every first week of June and December of each year based on Section 8, Chapter XIII, PD
856 (Code of Sanitation).
3. Pay the required fees- Aside from the minimal examination fee of less than 300 pesos,
the CEMT may collect a Practical Examination Fee of Five Hundred Pesos (Php500) to be
used exclusively as fee for the services of individuals posing as exam dummies or
subjects, for equipment, supplies and materials except for towels. Bringing your own
towels for the exam is the most hygienic thing to do, isn’t it?
4. Things to do on the D-day (written and practical) – Wake up early. Say your prayers.
Take a modest breakfast. Be on time for the exams. Give your best and expect the best.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS BEFORE AND DURING THE EXAMS
Visit the exam venue a day before the examination. According to some, half of the battle
is won after seeing the battlefield.
On the eve of the exams, relax, perhaps watch a movie and avoid last minute cramming.
Bring water, candies and a happy heart.
Never forget your exam stub and sharpened pencils.
For the written exam, take your time in answering questions. Don’t be in a hurry; after
all, you have the whole morning to answer only two hundred (200) items.
Enjoy the whole examination process.
For the practical exams, please note that the whole exercise shall be largely based on
case analysis, discussion and performance for a minimum of at least thirty (30) minutes.
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You will be asked to choose a case to deal with. (For example: How do you manage a
geriatric client suffering from back pain at the lumbar area?). It is easy to handle if you
have studied your lessons well.
o More helpful guide in tackling the practical exams : 1) Read aloud the case you
have selected; 2) Discuss briefly (in English or Filipino) what the case is all about,
how to deal with it stating the massage strokes appropriate or inappropriate at
the time, discuss the indications or contraindications of the strokes you will
apply; 2) Proceed in the practical application but before doing so seek
permission to talk to the massage subject (the supposed client) and do some
briefing (This is important) ; Set up the massage bed; Do the client intake
procedure- this includes taking the vital signs; Discuss with the client your
assessment of his/her health history profile ; Assist the client towards the
massage bed; Do the necessary draping and warm up procedure; Perform the
massage and intersperse it with brief discussion on what you are doing.
o When the examiner says, in effect, “Time is up!” Never abruptly leave your
client. Here is your chance to perform the After Care which includes- draping
back the client, gently advising him or her that the massage session is done and
that he/she has to take a 5-minute rest, after the said rest period, ask the client
to assume a side lying position, first, before assisting him/her in getting up from
the bed. Once done, you may ask the client what beverage he/she prefers.
While waiting for the beverage, you may ask him/her how the massage session
was.
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Finally, the practical exam is a lot easier and less stressful now because the examiner
talks less and the examinee is allowed to be creative in dealing with the chosen case.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND TIPS
Never miss having a copy of the DOH Massage Therapy Licensure Examinations Manual
(2010) from your school (This is your passport to success!).
Learn to verbalize your knowledge on massage because during the practical exams
examinees are expected to explain the massage case at hand. The good news here is
that you may communicate either in English or Filipino.
Make sure that before enrolling in any review class program, you have already acquired
basic hands-on knowledge and skills on Swedish massage by Susan Salvo (Find more on
this in the internet).
Exercise unwavering discipline during your review program.
Exercise positive Imagineering. Believe that you will make it- and you can!
Common Mistakes Among Some Students Before and During the Examinations
I believe that the moment a person enlists for a licensure exam review program, he or
she is set towards the goal of earning a massage license. But how come some people do
not make it? There are many reasons for failing to reach the benchmark. Here are some
of those:
They take the review class haphazardly.
They are physically, mentally and psychologically unprepared.
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Minutes before the exams, they mingled with negative exam-takers (I call them
“grace-killers”. Grace-killers are those whom after listening to them they make
you depressed and discouraged instead of being motivated and encouraged.
They panic.
They lost focus.
They cheat.
At the end of the day, the best antidote to all these is simply: BE ADEQUATELY
prepared.
I hope that the aforementioned discussion shall give the reader a better understanding on what
to expect before, during and after the DOH examinations. Generally speaking, as mentioned
earlier, hurdling the DOH massage licensure examinations has never been this easy. All that the
student needs to do is basically to make use of the knowledge and tools which have been
outlined herein and claim the much-sought DOH Massage Therapy License. And imagine vividly
wearing that precious LMT badge.
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