By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Now we again feel how everything in this world is connected. War happens in a land far from our country and we in the whole world is affected. It’s scary how oil prices in the Philippines are soaring with no relief in sight.
As fuel prices climb, the cost of transporting food, medicine, and other essentials rises as well. In geographically challenging areas like here in the Cordillera, this impact is even more pronounced as we have become dependent on factory-made goods from Manila and even abroad. For many families, this means stretching already limited budgets.
When money is tight, health often quietly takes a back seat. People may buy less food, or shift toward cheaper, less nutritious options. But this is precisely the moment when we need to return to what has always sustained us. The Cordillera is rich in agricultural resources and in the past, we have been a self-reliant region. Except for salt which we sourced from the lowlands, we have been living well and productively with our rice terraces and camote patches and wild vegetables till now. Now is the time to reclaim those knowledge and practices and skills and values.
Instead of relying heavily on market-bought goods, we can strengthen household and community food systems. Backyard gardening, even in small plots or containers, can provide a steady supply of fresh vegetables like kalunay, pechay, beans, and camote tops. Root crops such as camote and gabi are superfoods and are resilient plants. Igorot farms and arubayan always have camote and gabi plants.
Traditional food practices also offer guidance. Simple meals made from fresh, locally grown ingredients like pinakbet or beans with ampalaya leaves and tomatoes, are naturally balanced and nourishing. Meaning they are healthy. For us to get the needed nutrients for the different organs of our body, we need to eat root vegetables, sprouts, leaves, fruit vegetables and beans and whole grain.
Beyond food, the rising cost of transportation reminds us that movement does not have to depend on fuel. Walking to nearby places, tending to gardens, and doing daily physical tasks are forms of exercise that keep the body strong without additional expense. Sunlight, fresh air, and regular movement remain some of the most powerful yet overlooked health resources.
Equally important is how we respond to stress. Financial pressure can affect mental well-being, but strong community ties help ease this burden. Sharing resources, exchanging produce, and supporting one another like og-ogbo are practices deeply rooted in Cordilleran culture that promote both emotional and physical health.
The oil crisis also highlights the fact that true wellness begins long before illness requires treatment. It is built daily through what we eat, how we live, and how we care for our environment and each other.
In times like these, the path to health is not found in dependence, but in resilience. By using what we already have—our land, our knowledge, our communities—we can protect and even strengthen our well-being despite rising costs. Our ancestors has long demonstrated that health is something we cultivate, not something we simply seek when it is lost. ***
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“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2
