The Different Death Beliefs of Filipinos

A. Introduction

The early Filipinos had already believed in a concept of life after death. They make
superstitions and beliefs in funerals . Funeral rites are very important to Filipinos
some of the death rituals and celebrations in provinces are wake, vigils, burial,
nine-day-novena, 40th day, and 'waksi' (death anniversary). Due to different
cultures from different part of the Philippines, many different burial practices
have also emerged from the different tribes.

Filipino too also honor the dead through different practices. Most prominent
practice of honoring the dead is by holding a wake as way for the loved ones to
properly mourn the death of one that is dear to them. This practices that our
ancestors believed is now being brought here in our generation.

B. Survey Locale
a. Participants Profile
i. Name: Dominador Caupit
ii. Gender: Male
iii. Age: 68 years old
iv. Ralationship Status: Married
b. Location
 Matti Manggahan, Digos City
c. Other Matter
i. Children: 8
ii. Religion: Catholic
iii. Citizenship: Filipino

C. Interview Proper (Closed/Open – Ended)

a. What is/are your beliefs?
 example there is a funeral wake and someone's gambling.
That's not allowed, praying should be prioritize. You should not
gamble there when someone is praying. That’s prohibited.
There should be no gambling. Gambling should end. You
should gamble afterwards. When you’re arguing that’s not
allowed. When someone died you should be careful not do
wrong that's not allowed.
b. What can you say about those people who says it is just a lie?
 It's different now. Kids nowadays don't believe on the old
beliefs. The old beliefs, they don't believe it right now. Teens
now they'll just go along what the elderly believed. The
behavior then was really different now.
c. Why does when the funeral wake is held in household, mirror
should be covered with cloth?
 That's because of the smell of formalin, people should not
smell the formalin when they come close. You can smell the
formalin when come near to it. That's why it should be
covered. It's not the same as before that when someone dies it
will bury instantly.
d. What is the reason why we don’t bring home foods from the
funeral wake?
 That's not good in the past. I don't know now. It was not good
before. Bread or what it's not good bringing home. When
going to the cemetery. Others have the power to eat snacks,
but not me.That's not allowed in the past but now teens don't
believe it. But not all.
e. Why should we celebrate 40 days after burial?
 that's what we've learned in the past taht we should pray for
them in 40 days and then next year after. It's death
anniversary. example he died on january 10 his next prayer will
be on the same day but next year. But now after the burial it
 should have 40 days. it should follow from prayers, burial until
40 days. That's what we believe in the past.
f. Why should children wear red clothes when there is a wake?
 It depends on the parents and in charge of it. It’s not good
when you’ll dress up with red color now a days. But in the past
they don’t follow this. It’s okay when you dress up with color
white or blue. It just now.
g. What is the sign if a person died cause of witchcraft or “barang” in
bisaya?
 It depend on a person. There are someone who don’t just like
the healer or “mananambal” said it was embrace by the spirits.
They’ll show them to you that they was embrace by the spirits.
There is no trace of the cause of their death.
h. What is it necessary to watch over the casket during funeral wake?
 Now it’s 1 week before the dead body should bury and the
dead body is poor when it’ll left alone. It should have someone
to watch over. Afterall, it’s possible to leave it. It doesn’t mean
that it will tell you that “you didn’t watch over me”. If a person
died only the body will be buried in the land. And the spirit, it’s
not like it is included in the burial. The spirit is not included.
i. Why is it necessary to touch the casket when you visit funeral
wake?
 It depend on you. Me, I don’t really touch it when visting. I’ll
just watch. It’s not really necessary to touch it. It depends.
j. Why is it not allowed to get the donations in the funeral?
 It depend on the in charge of it. Example they don’t have any
money it is possible to get the donation to buy some snacks for
the funeral. It’s okay to use it for the funeral but if someone
steal it. It’s not good. If you’ll just get it for the snacks it’s okay.
It’s not like the dead will get anger.
D. Reflection
a. Rience Mae Tito
  Based on what tatay said, I’ve learn that after the burial the
people who passed away should deserve to celebrate 40 days
for him/her to go to heaven.
b. Fritzmae Adolfo
 The lesson I’ve learn is we have to continue the beliefs of our
ancestor even if our generation and their genration are
different because if we are true filipinos we need to believe on
what belief that they do.
c. Bronson Alejandrino
 My relfection to me is that the culture of our ancestors must
be transfer to the next generation so it will continued as now
to prove that we are a true filipinos because we are not
filipinos without those beliefs of our ancestors.
d. Charliel Betonio
 Base in our interview that we should respect in dead.
e. Jheybe Castañares
 My reflection about our interview that we should pray the
dead.
f. Racy Densing
 The lesson that I’ve learn in our interview is that in the past
generation and next generation is it’s differentiation beliefs
because there are beliefs in this generation that doesn’t exist
in the past generation.
g. Noli Boy Morales
 My reflection do not wear red clothes.
h. Zenneth Cagat
 The lesson that I’ve learn in our interview, I think we should
continue the thing that out ancestor doing before.
i. Louise Zandra Rañon
 What I’ve learn from our interview is that we should not treat
the beliefs of our ancestor like nonsense because it must be
respected and bring to our next genration.
 j. Janissa Lape
 I learn in our interview that we should give respect to the
beliefs.
k. Earl Macholo Galaraga
 What I learne in our interview is we need to preserve the
beliefs older people so that next generation people know what
to do when they attend a burial.
l. Renz Christian Sarzosa
 What I learn on the interview I should the beliefs.

E. Vitae
a.

b.
c.

d.

e.
f.

g.

h.
i.

j.

k.
l.

m.