Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants used by Yogad People of Echague, Isabela

Concept Paper
Submitted to Philippine Normal University
A Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Course of

RESEARCH-1

by
AMBROCIO, Kecilyn
BINAG, Rialyn Kate
CACHOLA, Rica Jane
CONCEPCION, Rose Ann
DOMINGO, Lovely
LOPEZ, Jaeroselle
PAGUIRIGAN, Ryan Jasper
SANTA MONICA, Jewel Benjamin
VISAYA, Charmie Gay

Aurora, Alicia
August 2017
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Table of Contents

Rationale........................................................................................................................3
Research Questions........................................................................................................5
Conceptual Framework..................................................................................................6

Research Method.................................................................................................................7

References............................................................................................................................8
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I. RATIONALE
The relationship existing between the native plants and people is studied in ethnobotany.
It is the scientific and humanistic study of the complex set of relationships of the biota to present
and past human societies (Steph, 2005).
This encompasses all studies that concern the mutual interaction between plants and
people, with a particular emphasis on traditional tribal cultures. (Mesfin et al., 2013).
Ethnobotany, therefore, is a field focusing on the study of the indigenous knowledge on how
plants and animals interacts with the human culture.
Moreover, it is very crucial to consider and determine the indigenous knowledge present
in the traditional society in relation to ethnobotanical study. Indigenous knowledge is a body of
knowledge built up by a group of people through generations of living in close contact with
nature and it is cumulative and dynamic (Belay, 2016). According to Molina (2015), indigenous
knowledge embraces the skills, experiences and insights of people, applied to maintain or
improve their living. Thus, systematic application of indigenous knowledge is important for
sustainable use of resources and sustainable development (Thomas, 1995).
One of the widely used indigenous knowledge system in many countries is the
knowledge and application of plants as traditional medicine. World Health Organization (2008)
defines traditional medicine as the sum total of all knowledge and practices whether explicable
or not, used in the diagnosis, prevention and elimination of physicals, mental or social
imbalances and relying exclusively on practical experience and observation handed down from
generation to generation, whether verbally or in writing. One advantage in preferring traditional
medicine is that healer’s services are more affordable as they only charge negligible fees, highly
accessible, are familiar with patients, and operate within the ambit of culture and environment
(Molina, 2015). Hence, traditional healers still exist in the local communities, exerting influence
on the local health practice as most people still rely heavily on traditional medicine.
Indigenous people of different localities have developed their own specific knowledge on
plant resources, use, management and conservation (Cotton, 1996). The use of medicinal plants
may gaining popularity this past few years as more clinical proof emerge that validates many of
old age alternative medicines used by Filipino folks has been in from generation to generation.
One of the smallest minority group of the Philippines known as the Yogad tribe still embraces
the traditional healing practices.
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The Yogad people which are usually found in Echague, Isabela are almost entirely
merged with the Christian Ilocano-Ibanag groups in the Cagayan Valley lowlands (NCCA,
2015). Consequences of this merging hold the Yogads on the berge of extinction. One of the
observed main consequences has to do with the changes in the tribe’s identity as traditional
medical practitioners.
In the account of acculturation, the lack of proper ethnobotanical inventory and
indigenous knowledge study in their place of origin also play a role in the gradual vanishing of
their medical tradition. Belay (2016) argued that both the medicinal plants and the indigenous
knowledge about them are equally threatened when the ethnobotanical information is not
documented and remains in the memory of elderly practitioners
These issues therefore, pose a research need that would address and preserve the rapid loss of
traditional medical practices of the Yogad. The prompt extinction of their population inspires a
need of documentation and assessment of their indigenous knowledge related to the usage of
medicinal plants in their vicinity. This study will also put fort noting the localities ethnobotanical
information given by the elders and traditional healers in the tribe in particular.

a. PROBLEM STATEMENT
The abrupt acculturation of ethnic groups and urbanization in Echague, Isabela, impend
to the disappearance of indigenous knowledge of the Yogad in practicing traditional
healing using medicinal plants. Yet no local studies has been conducted to document the
useful medicinal plants found in the area and their respective therapeutic potentials as
practiced by the said tribal group.

b. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study aims to document and gather ethnobotanical data regarding the useof medicinal
plant by the Yogads in their medical practices.
The specific objectives were to:
 Explore and describe the indigenous knowledge of Yogad people in using
medicinal plants.
 Identify and describe the reasons relating to utilization of medicinal plants in the
study communities.
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 Identify the preparations of medicinal plants used by the traditional practitioners

in treating diseases experienced by the Yogads.
 Identify and record the indigenous medicinal plants used by the Yogads and
explore the other useful application of indigenous knowledge in medicinal
aspects.

c. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The outcomes of the study will be useful in the following manner:

a. The documentation of this medicinal plants may help to preserve the indigenous
knowledge on medicinal plants.
b. The results of this study will be used to make the communities aware of health related
cultural values of the Yogad.
c. Medicinal plant species identified by the said tribe will be documented to provide
additional ethnobotanical inventory to all environment related institution.
d. This study will be made available to the public through the existing databases primarily
the Department of Health and Bureau of Food and Drugs Administration to foster self-
care, self-reliance and self-determination for the maintenance of good health.
e. Health care knowledge described in this study will make possible influence to policy
change towards incorporation of beneficial traditional health practices into the national
health care systems.
f. The documentation of this plants will be a useful reference in studying further their
potential in the medical field.

RESEARCH QUESTION
Data that will be presented in this study are analyses of responses to research questions
formulated to collect data on the use of indigenous knowledge for primary health care. Key
questions are:
 What are the reasons of respondents related to utilization of medicinal plants by the study
community?
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 What are the indigenous medicinal plants used by the study communities for maintenance
of health care?
 How are the medicinal plants being utilized in practicing traditional medicine?
 What are the diseases (common or not) being treated by the medicinal plants?
 What part of the medicinal plants are usually used in practicing traditional medicine?
 How are the medicinal plants applied to the diseases (common or not)?
 How are the medicinal plants being prepared in performing traditional practices?
 What are the other uses of the medicinal plants aside from treating diseases (common or
not)?

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Independent Dependent Moderating Outcome

Variable Variable Variable
Medicinal Plants Yogad Tribe Indigenous Ethnobotanical
1. Plant Profile Knowledge Documentation
2. Utilization

There are three input data that will be consider in the study namely the medicinal plant, the
Yogad tribe and their indigenous knowledge. The medicinal plants as independent variable on
this paper were narrowed down into two categories regarding their profile and utilization. This
variable have a direct relationship to Yogad tribe (dependent variable) as they heavily rely on
herbal plants in traditional medical practices. The reliance of the said tribe implies that they
already acquired indigenous knowledge based on utilizing the medicinal plants. The interaction
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between the two strata namely the medicinal plants and the Yogad tribe best describes
ethnobotanical relationship. This two variables while taking into account their indigenous
knowledge (moderating variable) will be synthesize to come up with ethnobotanical inventory.

RESEARCH METHOD
The study will be conducted in selected barangays at Echague, Isabela as a sampling site from
August 2017 to present. The respondents will purposively chosen (Elders and Traditional
practitioners) from among the selected barangays. A prior informed permission will be done
through their barangay chairman and some local administrators (NCIP & DENR) before the
study conducted. Qualitative data will be gathered through series of informal interview in order
to let them speak spontaneously to minimized feeling pressure (Olowa et al., 2012) Quantitative
data will be collected with the help of floating of questionnaires. Ethnobotanical information and
field description about the all collected medicinal plants were in listed and photograph of every
specimen were taken during the field survey. Botanical identification of the species will be
carried out with the help of the literature (De Guzman-Ladion, 1985) Answers in each question
will be tabulated and calculated using frequency distribution method. Graphical presentations of
data will be made based on the percentage of response in each questions. Descriptive analysis
will be used for the interpretation of all the data gathered in the study.

REFERENCES
Baleta, F., Donato, J., & Bolaños, J. (Eds.). (2016). Awareness, Utilization and Diversity of
Medicinal Plants at Palanan, Isabela, Philippine. Retrieved from

Belay, J. (May, 2016). Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Medicinal Plants Used by

Indigenous People of Jigjiga Wereda, Somali Regional State, Ethiopi. Retrieved from

Fongod, A. G. N., Ngoh L. M., & Veranso M. C. (Eds.). (November, 2013). Ethnobotany,
indigenous knowledge and unconscious preservation of the environment: An evaluation
of indigenous knowledge in South and Southwest Region of Cameroon. Retrieved from
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Baydoun, SA et al., (2017). Ethnobotanical and Economic Importance of Wild Plant Species of
Jabal Moussa Bioreserve, Lebanon. Retrieved from

National Commission for Culture and the Arts. (2015). Yogad. Retrieved from