This study aimed at understanding the way inculturation has taken place between folk healing and Catholic beliefs as reflected in the Tambal Binisaya stalls around St. Michael’s Cathedral of Iligan City. This study was qualitative in nature that employed the grounded theory in analyzing the data gathered. The key informants were seven vendors of the Tambal Binisaya stalls, and the three mananambals or folk healers. After the three levels of analyses of the data based on grounded theory described by Strauss and Corbin (2008), it was found that there were three core categories that could be used to classify the beliefs in folk healing. The first was on the spirit-driven abilities, which referred to supernatural capabilities in diagnosing, causing, healing, and preventing illnesses. The second was on the nature-driven abilities, which pertained to capacities of diagnosing, causing, healing, and causing illnesses through the processes of the natural elements in the body, like air, water, and heat. The last was on the spiritual abilities, which pointed to the mystical signification of the balance in the life force, between health and illness. Among these folk beliefs in healing, Catholic beliefs and values were found to be evident. However, there were also indigenous views in Tambal Binisaya that were identified to be contrary to the teachings of the Catholic faith. Therefore, the view of Ramos (2015) on inculturation was even more affirmed as it constantly puts forward the emphasis on cultural exegesis, that is, to “re-root” the Christian teachings in the culture.
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