DA boosts PHL medtourism via wellness products R&D

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Agriculture Research (DA-BAR) is extending its support to the country’s emerging medical tourism and wellness sectors, by pursuing active research and development (R&D) to discover more healthful products.

In a latest report released by the Bureau, it announced that the BAR will pursue the expansion of its R&D activities on herbals and essential oils after considering their unique potential arising from a global healht and wellness craze.

“Plants have healing and beautifying elements. These contain natural colors, inherent preservatives, oils and exudates (fluid with healing effects on inflamed parts) for health and food-enhancing benefits,” said BAR Digest Head Rita T. dela Cruz.

The market for health and wellness products has been rising as phytotherapeutical sales in the United States alone was placed at $4.41 billion as of 2005. That trend in the US should impact on the Philippines, she said.

“With the Philippines making a pitch on medical tourism, demand for herbal products is expected to steadily rise,” according to the IPHW plan.

The priority crops in BAR’s Indigenous Plants for Health and Wellness (IPHW) program include oregano, zingibers, citronella, tanglad, seed oils, malarayap, Four o’clock, luyang dilaw, pakingan, katuray, alugbati, annatto, barberry, cashew, pili, coffee singkamas, papaya, and duhat.

“Worldwide there is an increasing demand for food phytochemicals which due to their functional properties can be developed as cosmeceutical and nutraceutical ingredients for application in the skin and hair health care, foods, and pharmaceutical industries,” reported BAR.

De la Cruz added that the government is exploring the potential of indigenous plants for health and wellness which may grow with ecotourism. 

The Spa Association of the Philippines (SAPI) believes demand for these products are increasing with more tourists coming into the country.

The IPHW plans to put up gene banks and an herbarium collection for these essential oils and herbals project. It intends to pilot test technologies for their farming best practices.

Despite Philippines’ high biodiversity rate as a habitat for 13,500 species of higher vascular plants, attrition rate for certain flora and fauna species eyed for medicinal herbals is high.

Related to these herbs and essential oils is the spice industry which the IPHW plans to likewise boost.

The Philippines was noted to have imported from 2000 to 2005 spices at between 510 to 1,215 metric tons (MT) yearly valued at $900,000 to US$2.2 million. Export of spices was smaller at only 12 to 249 MT valued at US$40,000 to US$400,000.

“The high cost of producing the crop is an issue that has often been raised in relation to cheaper counterparts. Appropriate use of crop variety and proper application of cultivation methods and postharvest handling techniques need to be addressed,” said the IPHW.

Important crops in spices include annatto, anis, sesame, kasubha, pandan, native bawang and onions, siling labuyo, yerba buena, piper species, begonia, and papait.  (FREEMAN)