Tawak is a rural alternative therapy used in the southern Tagalog area. In Boac, Marinduque, this dark tea-colored decoction is made from a rolling boil of twenty or more wild-crafted herbal and medicinal plants. It is believed to be effective as a preventive measure against illnesses caused by poisonous bites from snakes, dogs, scorpions, etc. Preferably, a glassful of the warm decoction is drank on Good Friday or the first friday of August. Sometimes, the ritual of seasonal drinking is combined with a "bulong" or "orasyon" from a healer.

Ingredients Tagbak Mam in Amo Siling Labuyo Duhat (balat, rind) Kudyog (balat) Pandakaki (itim) Pandakaki (puti) Malunggay (ugat, root) Cacao (puti, ugat) Bettlenut (ugat) Cogon (ugat) Lagundi (ugat) Makabuhay (ugat) Makahiya (ugat) Ikmo (ugat) Lunas Tree (scrapping, from Mindoro) Tsaang Gubat ( leaves, roots) Bayabas (native, leaves) Sambong (ugat) Pupuwa (ugat)

Preparation
Decoction through 1 hour of a rolling boil.

Contraindication
Peptic ulcer, pregnancy.

Other uses
Tawak is also used for the acute treatment of animal or snake bites. Occasionally, a few of the ingredients ­ siling labuyo, ikmo, and scrappings from the lunas tree ­ are chewed and applied directly to the area of the bite.