MANILA, Philippines ? Remember the hippie culture and the flower children of the 1960s? They called themselves children of the universe, one with nature, wild and free, wearing their hair long and scorning tradition and rules.

Well, giving birth to the next generation made the flower children realize they had to go to work to feed, clothe and educate their own children. And so work they did, and how!

With their kids now grown up and armed with what may now be considered disposable income, these '60s generation have rediscovered the hippie in their soul. And, happily, there's still time to take up where they left off, getting connected with nature all over again, being touched, nourished and pampered by the fruits of Mother Earth.

This, in a nutshell, explains the unprecedented growth and success of the spa industry, explain Catherine Brillantes-Turvill, president of Nurture Spa, and Jomar Fleras of Sanctuario Spa. Where the generations that preceded them would have ?slowed down? towards the retirement years, Baby Boomers have found that they still have the stamina to continue working. But while their parents and grandparents before them would have gone drinking, singing or dancing at the end of a workday, this generation chooses to wind down through healthy and holistic approaches that are readily offered in a spa.

"Spa" used to refer to a mineral spring considered to have health-giving properties but today, the term applies to establishments that promote wellness by providing therapeutic and other professional services ?aimed at renewing body, mind, and spirit.?

?People go to a spa to relax, rejuvenate, restore, one or the other, or for all these reasons,? says Angie Castillo, manager of The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, Manila. ?There are massages for those who want to get rid of muscle tightness and aches, and also to get some pampering and relaxation. Others come for the body treatments like scrubs and wraps to get rid of dead skin cells and acquire more nourished skin. For some people, the visit is for relaxing facials. But generally, the trip to the spa is for the purpose of looking good and feeling good.?

Karlo Nisce, president and CEO of the Big Apple Express Spa, agrees. ?Our customers enter our premises feeling tired, old, and worn out. We apply massage therapy to restore their look and energy. Immersed in the 'fountain of youth' through our therapists' hands, they leave the spa with regained youthful vitality, saying goodbye to stress, and hello to wellness.?

Aside from just the ?feelings of well-being,? Turvill adds, a trip to a spa actually results in improved health. ?Having a massage results in increased blood circulation, increased flexibility of muscles, detoxification of the body through the lymphatic system, decreased production of the stress hormone cortisol, and the release of endorphins, also known as the happiness hormones.?

Add to that, she continues, is the new dimension of socializing introduced by the spa industry. Elderly matrons and young professionals, and lately, even the menfolk, are now going out for 'spa parties' or 'sparties,' having discovered a new way of bonding or a new means to a high that doesn't leave them with a hangover.

"The spa industry in the Philippines is a sunrise industry, having grown 74 percent since it was first introduced in 2003, with 87 spas currently open and operating,? notes Fleras, during a talk he delivered at a Spa Management Seminar at Spa Professionals in Sucat recently.

In the Philippines, massages remain the most popular service. Explains Fleras: ?Pinoys are comfortable with touching. They understand 'touch therapy.' It's not even unusual, he observes, to see Filipino males reach out to pat each other or walk with arms over each other's shoulders.

Massages at the local spas are as varied in treatment as in price. The Big Apple Express Spa offers an unbelievably low-priced P49 foot massage and a P149 body massage for 15 to 30 minutes of bliss. Other massages range in price from P450 to P675, a Bangkok foot therapy is P720, and different therapies including a hard massage called ?Bronx Therapy? can cost up to P999.

At the Sanctuario Spa, massage therapies start from P845 to P1,155, while the Filipino Traditional Healing services range from P755 to P1,855. There are also hand and foot pressure treatments from P255 to P1,155.

At the Mandarin Oriental, 80 percent of The Spa's clients come for the massages, 10 percent for body treatments, and 10 percent for facials, shares Castillo. Its Ultimate Body treatments cost anywhere from P2,200 to P3,688, while its Spa Packages can cost from P3,688 to P6,388.

Similarly, the Nurture Spa's best-sellers are its massages, dubbed Aruga, Ginhawa and Magsing-Irog, followed by the scrubs and wraps, foot spa and facials. Its ?Haplos Kalinga? body massages cost from P1,400 to P2,800, while its ?Hiyas? Spa Jewels can cost up to P5,200.

At the Chi, The Spa at Edsa Shangri-La, the most popular treatments are the Himalayan Healing Stones, Himalayan Tsangpo Ritual and Futuresse Caviar Deluxe Facial.

For most Filipinos, of course, a few hours or even a brief respite at a spa may still be a luxury. But as an inveterate sparty-goer wisely counters, ?Where would you rather spend your money, at the hospital or at the spa??

Big Apple Express Spa
3/F West Wing, Robinson's Galleria, Ortigas
Franchise Hotline: (02) 631-1697
With branches at Robinson's Galleria, Ortigas; SM Supercenter Pasig; Robinson's Place, Otis, Pandacan; F103 Forbes Town Center in Fort Bonifacio; SM City Lipa; N.E. Pacific Mall in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Solano, Nueva Vizcaya and Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Sanctuario Spa
1829 J. Bocobo St., Malate, Manila; 30 Scout Esguerra Ave., Quezon City. Tel. (02) 450-1127; (02) 920-9969; (02) 920-9970, Telefax : (02) 521-9904.

Web site : www.sanctuario.com.ph

Nurture Spa
Barangay Maitim II, West Tagaytay City
Tel. (046) 483-0804, (046) 483-0805; Mobile : 0918-8888SPA; 0920-9505724; 0920-9106522
E-mail address: operations@nurture.com.ph, info@nurture.com.ph. Also located in Abe's Farm, Pampanga; Buri, Puerto Galera; Camarines Sur.

The Spa
Mandarin Oriental Manila, Makati Ave., Makati
Tel. (02) 750-8888 local 1901 or 1902, (02) 750-0968
Telefax : (02) 750-0968; Web site : www.mandarinoriental.com

Chi Spa

4th & 5th Floor, Garden Wing, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel
Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Tel. (02) 633-8888. Fax : (02) 631-1067
Web site: www.shangri-la.com