The uses of medicinal plants are influenced by the culture and perceptions of the local community. The plant resources found around community settlements living in remote areas also play an important role in providing materials for traditional medicine. The study reveals the diversity of medicinal plants in communities living in remote areas with limited access to the market is important as an effort in documenting the traditional knowledge. The documentation of ethnobotanical information is not as it were for the reason of creating the potential of these plants, but may have an effect on the preservation of nature. This study aimed to document the traditional knowledge on the diversity of medicinal plants used in Brgy. Berseba, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, Philippines. The research was conducted by the researchers through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. The researchers used the data on medicinal plant diversity from the 15 key informants, with an age range from 40-65 years old. Ethno medicinal data were consolidated from the interviews, information was documented about plants local; name, scientific, their useful parts, and their medicinal uses. After the data collection, the results showed that there were 9 plant species used by local healers. These plant species were distributed to 9 genera in 8 families. The family of Ateraceae has 2 plant species and the remaining 7 families namely Poaceae, Myrateae, Menispermaceae, Rutaceae, Lauracea, and Piperacea. The local people and traditional healers in Brgy. Berseba, Bayugan City use different plants in their surroundings, utilizing various parts of them including leaves, stems, roots, fruits, and rhizome, which are also found to be similar practices observed in this study. Based on the responses and observations, the common ailments that are treated using medicinal plants are stomachache, fever, cough, diarrhea, hypertension, and arthritis. As the access to modern healthcare is limited, the majority of the people in Brgy. Berseba, Bayugan City still resorts to traditional healthcare practices although some use both traditional and modern medicine. The diversity of medicinal plants for health care documented in this study showed the valuable role of plant resources in supporting the daily needs and health care of the communities living in the fringe of forest areas. The documentation of the diversity of traditional medicinal plants in this study contributes to the preservation of traditional knowledge, as well as provides information on the potential of these plants for further development.
