QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Jul 2026) – A new tabletop game called Herbularyo is proving that mastering organic chemistry does not have to involve sleepless nights and endless rote memorization. Instead, players can step into the shoes of an albularyo, or folk healer, to learn the science behind everyday backyard remedies.
Developed by researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Health Sciences Program at Ateneo de Manila University, Herbularyo is a fast-paced educational card game that teaches organic chemistry and traditional Pinoy folklore. In tests conducted in local high school and college classrooms, students who played the game showed significant improvements in their science grades, proving that local traditions can make complex science more accessible.
Playing as a folk healer
In Herbularyo, each player races to cure various illnesses by matching medicinal herbs with their active chemical compounds. The game includes backyard staples like guava, yerba buena, ampalaya, and aloe vera. To keep things exciting, developers added special action cards based on local cultural beliefs like binat, or relapse, sumpa, or curse, and himala, or miracle.
The game mechanics help players connect the plants to the specific organic compounds responsible for their healing properties. Instead of memorizing chemical formulas from a textbook, players learn through active gameplay.
Backed by real science
While the game leans into folklore, its educational content is grounded in serious scientific research. The remedies featured in the game are based on the Encyclopedia of Common Medicinal Plants of the Philippines Volume 3, a reference book published by the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care. Ateneo chemists Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit and Dr. Rene Angelo Macahig edited the volume, ensuring the game accurately bridges traditional knowledge with modern science.
The developers behind the game, Maryjane T. Magsino, Inah Marie Q. Rivera, Dr. Armando M. Guidote Jr., and Dr. Genejane M. Adarlo, published their findings in the May 2026 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education.
“We wanted to make a game that not only teaches organic chemistry and Filipino traditions, but also how these areas of knowledge can inform each other,” Magsino said. She added that the team wanted to highlight the practical value of traditional medicine that has stood up to scientific testing.
How to learn more
For those interested in bringing the game to their classrooms or learning more about the research, inquiries can be sent to the Ateneo Research Communications team at [email protected]. More details are also available on the official Ateneo research repository.
