Himig ng Kalinga - Music As Therapy For Sick Children

From l - r:  Dr Joeslyn Eusebio,  Celeste Sanches and  Barbie Dapul

I was invited last Wednesday July 3 at Dusit Thani Hotel,  to attend "Himig ng Kalinga" 

- an advocacy event.  

Dr Joselyn C. Eusebio a internationally recognized Filipino Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician together with Celeste Sanchez, the mother of Philippine Music Therapy talked about the benefits and effects of music in improving health and healing. 

Dr. Eusebio, told the audience that according to the American Music Association, music therapy is an interpersonal process in which the the therapist uses music and all of its facets-physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic and spiritual to help clients to improve or maintain their health.  She traced the practice of using music as early as 400 BC when  Hippocrates, a Greek physician played music for his mental patients.

While the most extensive use of music in general hospitals appeared during the first half of the 20th century.  They used music in conjunction with anesthesia and analgesia.  Today music therapy is used to treat individuals of all ages for a variety of health conditions.  These include:  psychiatric disorders, medical problems, physical handicaps, sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, communication disorders interpersonal problems and aging.

Celeste Sanchez a music therapist also shared her many experiences in this field of music therapy. She caters to the needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) through music therapy and arts therapy. She dedicates herself and her expertise in helping and educating children, adults with mental disabilities, the sick the elderly and the dying.  She together with her daughter conducts Music Therapy Seminars and Workshops for the community of the PWDs, caregivers, elderly, parents, therapists, students and church volunteers around the country.

Himig Kalinga was instituted by GlaxoSmithKline Philippines, Inc.("GSK") supported by doctor-recommended Paracetamol (Calpol) and done in partnership with key hospitals in GMA and Luzon.  The pilot launch of the music therapy activities was led by prominent TV personality Suzi Abrera at the Philppine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) and Cardinal Santos Medical Center recently.

The "Himig Kalinga" program aims to bring appropriate and familiar nursery rhyme song to in-hospital pediatric patients that will be performed by the program volunteers.  "Gagaling Ka rin" wirtten by Jimmy Antiporda, a well known Filipino song writer is the theme song of this program.  This song is being taught to the patients and parents to uplift the spirits of the hospitalized children.

This program is really a welcome development since there are only a  few music therapy practitioners in the country. And we do hope that more hospitals will adapt this program as we begin to recognize that music can indeed be a medicine to heal the body the mind and soul.