The Philippines is a country with a long history of colonization, strongly influencing its culture and traditions. This impact extends well beyond language and food and into the many superstitions that locals take to heart. With an Animist, pre-colonial past (with likely Hindu-Buddhist influences), followed by a major conversion into Christianity, The Philippines claims ownership of a very interesting, diverse mix of beliefs.
The number of steps of staircases at home should not be divisible by three
Enter a Filipino household with a staircase and begin chanting “Oro (gold), plata (silver), mata (death)”, taking one step up with each word. Most likely, upon reaching the top step, the chant will end with either oro or plata. This is because many Filipinos will go to great lengths to avoid ending in mata which denotes bad luck. The two preceding words on the other hand, obviously denote good fortune.
Turn your plate when someone leaves in the middle of a meal
When sitting at the dining table for a meal and someone gets up to leave before the rest of the group finishes, everybody left at the table should turn their plates to ensure safe travels for the person leaving. Another meal superstition (though more loosely believed) is that the table should not start being cleared while people are still eating. If this is done, it is believed that the last person left dining will live a lonely life.
Geraldine Sy / © Culture Trip
Don’t go straight home after attending a wake
This superstition is called “pagpag” (the shaking off of dirt). In the context of a wake, it means going elsewhere after attending the wake before heading home to shake off the spirit of the deceased lest it follows you home. Superstitions surrounding wakes are among the most widely practiced by Filipinos still today. Another is that the family of the deceased should not drop off visitors at the door upon saying goodbye as it symbolizes dropping them off at their own deaths. And, as for serving food at wakes (be it heavy meals or light snacks) at Filipino wakes is customary, visitors should not make the mistake of taking any home with them (be it a small piece of candy), as it signifies inviting misfortune into your home.
Reassure your host that you’re human
A very common line used by Filipinos when knocking on someone’s door is “Tao(person) po!“. Many assume it refers to the knocker calling out to ask if there are any people inside, when actually, it is said to stem from the knocker reassuring the people inside that s/he is a person and not a possibly harmful supernatural creature.
Geraldine Sy / © Culture Trip
Siblings should not marry within the same year
This superstition is called “sukob” and advises against siblings marrying within the same year as it is said to divide the luck between the two marriages. Another type of sukob advises against marriages within the same year as the death of an immediate family member. Pushing to do so is considered bad luck.
Another wedding-related superstition is that the bride should never try on her dress before the big day. This is said to bring bad luck and cause the cancellation of the union.
Serve pancit (noodles) at celebrations, especially birthdays
This ever-present dish at Filipino gatherings is believed to represent long life. And while Filipinos today may joke and laugh about actually believing that this noodle dish is served for long life, it remains a staple at nearly every birthday feast.
Respect the elementals
Filipino folklore is rich with a variety of elementals, from giants smoking tobacco, to small, grumpy, old men living in anthills. Stories of these creatures fill the childhoods of many Filipino children, inciting both intrigue and fear. Many superstitions still surround the beliefs in such creatures today. Among the most practiced is the saying of “tabi tabi po” (excuse me) when passing through places where elementals are likely to dwell. These places are usually outdoors, such as anthills and Balete trees. Failure to do so and disturbing such creatures may lead to unexplained sickness that can only be cured by an albularyo (folk healer).
Geraldine Sy / © Culture Trip
Be careful when showing fondness over babies
It’s difficult to restrain from playing with cute babies or complimenting their parents on their adorable features, but doing so in the Philippines is believed by some, to be a potential cause of illness. Referred to as either “usog” or “bati”, this superstition says that when a person with strong energy greets a child, the child may soon after suffer from unexplainable discomfort. This is why, especially in the countryside, older people know to say “pwera usog” when showing fondness over children. This is meant to counter any usog that may have happened otherwise. If this isn’t said, and parents attribute certain maladies of their children to usog, they may ask the greeter to smear their saliva on the suffering child’s forehead as a cure.
Blame your missing things on elves
In the Philippines, there is an assumption that when items around the house go missing and reappear, this is caused by dwendes or playful elves. While mischievous, these little creatures are believed to be mostly harmless – aside from the type that take small children
Filipino Superstitions That Are Funny and Useless—Yet We Still Practice Them Anyway
1. Sweeping the floor at night will drive away incoming blessings.
One of the popular Filipino superstitions our lolo and lola tell us is not to sweep the floor at night—no matter how dugyot it is because it’s malas. Our ancestors may have forgotten that having allergies, cold, and dirty feet we can get from dirt and dust aren’t blessings.
2. Singing while cooking will make you single for the rest of your life. However, a few says you’d end up with a much older spouse.
To all single ladies and gents, DON’T YOU DARE sing while cooking, lest you’ll never find your fated love or you’d marry someone way older. At least, those are what our mapamahiing grandparents say. Come on, can we not associate singlehood with everything that happens within the household?
3. Groupfie of 3? The person in the middle will be the first to die.
This most common Filipino superstitions scared teenagers in the ‘90s. Aminin mo, once in your life you included an “extra friend” in the groupfie, so none among the three of you will die. “Apat dapat,” ika nga.
4. Combing your hair at night will bring bad luck.
‘Yung totoo, what’s wrong with being clean and hygienic at night? Is it still good luck when you wake up with your hair so tangled pwede nang pamugaran ng ibon? On a positive note, it lets you do almost nothing at night. Huwag nang maglinis o magsuklay, derechong tulog na. The dirt and the kuto can wait in the morning.
5. To keep skin acne-free, girls should wash their face with the discharge from their very FIRST MENSTRUAL PERIOD.
Do you still remember when your family rejoiced after you told them you had your first period? “Yes, may dalaga na kami!” It may be appalling, too, to hear your lola say, “O siya, ipahid mo na ‘yan sa mukha mo para hindi ka tigyawatin!” Thank you, but no thank you po.
6. Don’t sleep with your hair wet; otherwise, you’ll lose your mind.
We’ve been discussing pamahiin for a long time. Minsan, kahit nilalamon na tayo ng antok, we stay up late just to dry our hair. In fact sleeping with your hair wet is bad—for it is in its weakest state. Therefore, when you neglect to dry your hair before going to bed, it can lead to hair damage and breakage. ‘Wag pag-isipan ng iba ‘yan, bes, baka matuluyan kang mabuwang.
7. When you bite your tongue, someone is thinking of you.
8. A couple shouldn’t eat from the same plate or soon they’ll fall apart.
Although absurd, this one makes sense: Go get a partner who’s as matakaw as you are but don’t dare share food in a single plate. Siguradong mag-aaway kayo because neither of you didn’t share the last piece/bite with the other. Charot!
9. Don’t trim your fingernails and toenails at night because it will bring you bad luck.
Our ancestors may have issues with cleaning at night. It could be, too, they’re just like us who make such a pamahiin to skip doing household chores and go straight to bed. Sleep the pain, my friend. Your ingrown toenail can wait ‘til the morning.
10. Avoid getting a wound or injury on Good Friday because it will never heal.
Why so? Our grandparents tell us not to get hurt on Biyernes Santo because that’s the day Jesus Christ died. Walang gagamot sa sugat o injuries mo. Bet you used to overthink about this myth when you were a child—and had wounds.
Walang masamang maniwala, but always remember your luck and fate don’t revolve around household or body stuff. You draw your fate with on the choices you make in the present, so chill lang. As long as you make the right decisions, you’ll be fine. You’re miles away from malas. 🙂
If it’s not pamahiin, it’s New Year Resolutions that we can struggle to believe and do. How many of these absurd Filipino superstitions do you used to believe? Share your thoughts in the comment box! Don’t forget to share this blog to your mapamahiing friends and family.
i can’t explain them. They sound silly to me.
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