HOW TO EARN A PHILIPPINE MASSAGE THERAPY LICENSE THE EASY WAY

By Benjamin Eugenio Jr., LMT, LET, CIBTAC, MPA

(benjie_eugenio2000@yahoo.com)

S
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.

But 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:

1 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao
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

2 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao
 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.

3 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao
 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 Institutions

Training Institution Office Training Contact
Address Provider/s Numbers
Central Luzon Alternative Health & 2nd F. ABN Bldg., McArthur Jevren Sibug (045)861-2493
Development, Inc Highway; del Rosario, City of (0915) 9970969
(CLHAD) San Fernando, Pampanga
Early Divine School Forever Alternative 59-A Escarilla Subd., Alma Bernadette E. Agor (0927)6898089
Medicine Rehabilitation and Training Mandurriao, Iloilo City
Center (EDSFAMRTC)
EPHETHA Foundation for the Blind NVRC Cmpd, P. Burgos St., Lucia Sarto (02) 437-2276
(EFB) Project 4, QC Mailyn Pinon (0918) 225-3153
Hand-Med Integrative Healthcare Center Osmena Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan Faith Maybelle Yecla (036)268-2810
(HMIHC) (0929) 7350080

Handspring Institute of Massage & 3rd F, Crispina Bldg, 1589 Benjamin Eugenio, Jr. (02)410-7369
Shiatsu (HIMAS) Quezon Avenue, Bgy. West (0917) 5117744
Triangle, QC
HILOT at HILOM Pilipinas 33 Bakersfield St., Laguna Bel Victor E. Donaire (049)544-0704
(HIHIP) Air 1, Don Jose, Sta. Rosa, (0917)5457494
Laguna
International NKYR Academy Unit D ProVita Bldg. 26 Pedro Vasquez II Cubao Branch:
(INKYRA) Columbia cor. Yale St., Cubao, (02)473-5115
Quezon City (0918)664-4046
St. Peter Village, Minglanilla, Cebu Branch:
Cebu City (032)238-8744
(0918)9199149
Le Petit Paradis Academy Suite 708 Cattleya Bldg. 235 Emily Christie Belgira (02)401-1242
(LPPA) Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, (0922)8576674
Makati City
NMA Center for Aquatic Therapy & # 2 Brgy Court Villa Angela Nona Angeles (0929)8062688
Massage (NMACATM) Subd., Angeles City Evangeline Canlas
Remnant Institute of Alternative JAMERIAN Bldg., Iznart St., Harris Acero (033)3379298
Medicine (RIAM) Iloilo City (0920)9513589
SERVARRI Review and Training Center Las Pinas City Aida P. Gamis (02)5462768
(0922)8296689
Ventura College of Tagum City Rosalie R. Ventura (0922)318
Natural Therapeutic Health and Science (0927)5004167
(084) 218-2152

4 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao
 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.

7 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao
  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.

8 | Handspring Institute of Massage and Shiatsu (HIMAS SPA SCHOOL| Manila | Gensan | Davao