Cebuano invests on hilot massage

Posted October 05, 2009 10:25:00

Aileen Garcia-Yap

Cebu Daily News

Hoping to make Cebu known as the best place to go for the soothing authentic Filipino massage called “hilot,” Johnie Lim opened Alibyo on August 8, 2008.

Lim thought it was a risk on his part as he was not sure how Cebuanos and tourists would accept the concept.

He said spa operators were hesitant to offer hilot.

“We often appreciate foreign massages like Thai, Swedish more than anything Filipino [and] that is why spa owners don't want to take the risk.”

However, as the president of the Spa and Wellness Association of Cebu (SWAC), whose members have had many discussions of coming up with Cebu's, if not the country's, own brand of massage, Lim felt he had to pursue his plan.

The calm atmosphere of the spa belies the difficulties Lim experienced in setting up the place, hiring people and learning the hilot massage technique from an expert.

Lim had to invest P3.5 million in the spa.

“I have to contact the hilot expert who's from Romblon and have to get a copy of the module which he developed.”

Lim trained and studied the whole massage module himself as he felt that he could better make the spa successful if he studied hilot.

“The module which we are using now is also the only module approved by DOH [Department of Health],” Lim said.

Lim explains that there are two types of hilot massage. The first is the indigenous hilot for “mga pi-ang.” The second type is a reconstructed hilot that Alibyo adapted from the first type.

“The hilot massage that we know is that healing massage for sprains which focuses only on some parts of the body so what we did is alter some steps to make a massage still based on the authentic hilot, but this time to soothe the person and relieve stress.”

It was with these two hilot techniques that Alibyo soft-opened in November 2007.

“Basically from that time until we finally did the grand opening in August, we did experimentation and learned from everything since we are the first to offer it here. We have to establish the system and do more research if we have to,” Lim said.

To his surprise, more and more clients came.

“Even from the different government agencies here in Cebu.” Lim finally decided that he had found his niche in Alibyo and that all his hard work was well appreciated through the responses and increasing number of clients coming to his spa.

One thing that makes Alibyo different from other spas, including Lim’s first spa brand Body and Sole, is its very spacious ambiance and displays of artworks by Filipino artists like Celso Pepito. The spa employs 18 therapists who dress in traditional Filipino clothing.

Alibyo occupies a 250-square meter area on the second level of the I2 Building in Asiatown I.T. Park in Lahug, Cebu City.

Lim said that he made sure that his customers had enough space to move around for a more relaxing experience.

In terms of finances, Lim says he has not yet achieved his desired return on investment in Alibyo. However, he feels he has achieved his goal of popularizing hilot as a Filipino brand. Lim says that he has seen changes in how tourists as well as Cebuanos perceive hilot.

“People now are becoming more aware and they have developed this certain liking for hilot. In fact I have many Japanese and Korean customers who come to the spa in big groups to experience hilot.”

He said that he is now optimistic about the prospects for the Filipino massage technique. “I'm currently negotiating with Filipinos who are in Dubai and San Francisco, California for a franchise of Alibyo in their location.”

That development, he said proves that hilot has now come as a popular brand of massage and people are willing to offer the same even outside of the country.

Lim said that he is offering a franchise for Alibyo for a total investment of P2.5 million including setting up of the place and modules.

“That's already very cheap considering I have done everything already like the research and all,” he said.

“I'm hoping and optimistic that through Alibyo I can influence other players to offer hilot too,”

Lim said adding that the Alibyo San Francisco franchise will hopefully materialize within the year.

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