ARC 052

UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN
PHINMA EDUCATION NETWORK
Arellano St, Dagupan City

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

HOUSING
(3:00PM – 5:00PM SATURDAYS)

TITLE: CULTURAL BELIEFS IN

HOUSING (REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS)
RSW NO: 04

Date Given: SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

Date Due: SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

Submitted by:
JAVIER , DANICA T.
(03-1920-06335)

Submitted to:
Arch’t. CESAR C. AGPOON
III. CULTURAL BELIEFS IN HOUSING: REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• The experienced Filipino architect is familiar with the common folk beliefs and
usually follows them or applies these age-old guidelines in the planning of
one’s dream house.

• Many of these beliefs are based on sound planning practices that do not have
to be overly emphasized.

• It is more advantageous if two faces of the house take in the morning sun.
This can be achieved if a corner of the house take in the morning sun. This
can be achieved if a corner of the house faces east. In fact, most educated
Filipinos are of the belief that the more windows in your residence has (or the
larger they are), the better the chances of your house absorbing natural and
spiritual graces.

• In Bontoc, the front door of the house must face against the flow of a nearby
river according to ancient folk beliefs.

• In Romblon, the roof of the house must slope following the direction of the
incline of the nearby mountains.

• In the Cordilleras, it is different. The ridge of the roof is always positioned at

right angles to the ridge of the mountain on which the house stands.

• Among the Ibalois, it is customary to give ample space underneath their

houses by elevating their floors to accommodate the future tomb of the
owner to ensure perpetual guidance over the house the dead leaves behind.

• If one is building a house within a family compound or between two relatives,

make sure that the roof is not higher than theirs, otherwise, their lives will
never progress or will always be worse. A sibling’s house must not be built so
close to that of his parents such that rainwater from the eaves of the main
house pours onto the roof of the sibling.

POSTS
  In Southern Tagalog, posts are erected following this procedure: posts are
laid with their bottom ends at the footing on the ground and the top ends
pointing towards the east. The post nearest the east is the first to be raised.
The same procedure is followed for the other posts, one after the other in a
clockwise direction as one reads the plan. This same clockwise manner of
raising the posts is practiced on the island of Romblon and the belief is that it
will make the house windproof.

 The Tausugs equate the building of a house to the development of a fetus.

They believe that the first to appear in a woman’s womb is the navel. Hence,
the first post to be erected should be the main post within the interior of the
house. In the Cagayan Valley, meanwhile, the first post to be raised is the
one positioned nearest to the northeast. But this is done after the footings
have been sprinkled with wine.

 The old folks of Bataan caution against having a solitary post in the middle of
a room. It is said to bring misfortune to the family. This belief is also
common in Tagalog areas and it is said that posts situated this way augur a
“heavily laden” life (mabigat ang kabuhayan).

 The Yakans do not use crooked wooden posts especially the ones with
knotholes in them because they are said to symbolize death. In the older
communities of Bayambang, Pangasinan, it is commonly believed that
termites (anay) will not enter the house if the bottoms of all wooden posts
are first charred. Informed master carpenters, however, suggest that these
bottoms not just be charred but tarred as well.

 Others swear by the potency of rock salt sprinkled generously in all footing
excavations as preventive measures against anay infestation.

 Old people also cautions against cutting old posts for reuse so as not to lose
one’s wealth.

STAIRS
 An orientation towards the east is also required for stairs.

 Ilocanos position their stairs so that they rise with the morning sun. To them,
if it were the other way around, meant turning one’s back on fate. But
builders in Pandi, Bulacan, just like many typical Filipinos, believe that a
stairway facing east is considered bad luck because, they say, anything
facing the early sun dries up ahead of all others, and in the same token,
wealth taken into the house will dry up much faster.

 If there is no way one can make the stairs face east, at least make them face
any nearby mountain. If one’s lot abuts a river, position the stairs in a way
that they are facing upstream. This is so in order that good luck from the
house would never be washed away with the river’s flow. In the same way, if
the proposed house is beside the sea, or if one is building a beach house,
plan the stairs in such a way that they run parallel with the shore. If the
stairs are perpendicular to the shoreline, luck may flow in but also flow out
with the tides.

 Also, it is not advised to place a large window in the wall directly facing the
stairs so that good fortune will not easily go out that window.

 Most Western countries consider it bad luck to walk under a ladder. Actually,
this can be taken more as a safety precaution than a superstition. Locally,
one should not make a passageway any area under the stairs.

 Tagalogs never use the space beneath the stairs as a sleeping quarters. The
underside of wooden stairs of Ilonggo houses are usually completed covered
not because of peeping Toms but because the Old folks say so.

 For business establishments, especially the small ones, the cashier or the
place where money is kept should not be located under the staircase. In
homes, neither should rice be kept there because it translates to treading on
the grace of God whenever one goes up or down the stairs.

 When planning a structure with two or more storeys, the stairway should not
be positioned at the center of the structure so as not to divide the building
into two equal parts.
  It is believed that the dried umbilical cord of a son or daughter of the house
owner inserted in the staircase will strongly bind the stringer with its
supporting girder.

ORO, PLATA, MATA

There are guidelines, too, governing the number of steps in one’s stairs.
Starting with the first landing, count the steps using the words oro (gold), plata
(silver), and mata (death). The perfect last step should be oro. Ending up plata is
not too bad either but, understandably, do not ever end up with mata. This ruling is
strictly observed especially if it involves the first steps going into the house. If your
home has a slight elevation, choose four steps but never three.

This building belief is not limited to stairs alone. It also applies to walkways that are
made of individual flagstones or the popular circular or square slabs of pebbled
concrete or even an entire concrete walkway or ramp that is divided into sections
by lines drawn onto the pavement itself, especially if they lead to the main entrance
of the house.

The Yakans of Mindanao, however, believe in odd numbering of steps. They also
require an odd number of bedrooms. Chinese Filipinos, on the other hand, count
their steps by fours.

The Yakans of Mindanao, however, believe in odd numbering of steps. They also
require an odd number of bedrooms. Chinese Filipinos, on the other hand, count
their steps by fours.
DOORS

It is advised that doors should not face each other. The

people in the north associates this with the easy passage
of a coffin through two doors that directly face each other.
Most regions in the country also avoid positioning the
main gate of the lot opposite the main entrance of the
house itself.

In Sta. Maria and San Miguel, Bulacan, however, wide doors facing each other are
considered lucky, especially if they lead to the terrace or garden. One’s door also
should not directly face one’s neighbor’s to avoid future conflicts with the said
households and to avoid wrestling with each other for the possession of the luck
that passes in front of both your houses.

LIVING ROOMS

Sunken rooms, like basements are looked at as pockets of caves where evil spirits
can hide. It is balanced off only when an exit lower than the said room is provided.
Some Ilocanos do not want basements altogether because of the belief that only
coffins should be found under the ground. Old folks of Sta. Maria, Bulacan advise
that the floors of the living and dining rooms must be of the same level. They say
the imaginary “ball of fortune” must be able to freely roll across both floors.

Overly ornate living and dining room ceilings, especially those with cornices,
moldings, and other superficial decorations are avoided as it tends to make the
ceiling look like a coffin. Even the “mansard” or flat type of roof invented at the
turn of the century are avoided as it reminds people of a coffin.
BEDS AND BEDROOMS

It is advised that one must plan the doors of one’s bedrooms in such a way that
when it is opened, one would face neither the foot nor head of the bed. There
should always be ample space between the door and the bed itself.
Position the bed such that the headboard does not rest against a window opening.

Neither should you put any bed under a cross beam, regardless of whether the
beam is of wood or concrete, and position the bed so that the occupant will not be
lying perpendicular to the beam. Overly strict homeowners do not have exposed
beams at all even if these are veneered with different materials.

For houses with second floors, it should be observed that no drainage pipe runs
inside or under the floor where the bed is located. Drainage pipes contain unclean
fluids associated with bad energies which may affect the good spirits of the people
sleeping over these pipes.

Do not place bedrooms in the basement portion of the house. It is always preferred
(luck-wise) that the bedroom floor is higher than the living room. Non-sleeping
rooms like library, den, foyer, storage, etc. can be at a lower level than that of the
living room.

BRIGHT DINING ROOMS

As anyone who knows Filipino cuisine, Pampangos love to cook (and eat), so most
of their dining rooms are situated in the sunniest and brightest locations of the
house. Ilocanos, on the other hand, prefer subdued lighting because they consider
eating a solemn occasion.

OTHER CULTURAL BELIEFS

• As in other areas of their existence, Filipinos nurture certain superstitions

when it comes to building their abodes. These house-building beliefs are as
amusing as they are intriguing. The origins of these now widely held
superstitions can be traced back to the traditions of particular ethnic groups.

• Applicable to both house owner and tenant, if the former is not residing in it
this superstition is attributed to Pampangos in Central Luzon.
• Palm fronds are popular in Filipino houses especially for Roman
Catholic families.
• In planning and designing the house, people should refrain from
having their house in the shape of a cross as it will bring the residents
bad luck.
• Doors should never face west.
• Mirrors should never face a house’s main door because it is believed
that the mirror will send out the blessings that are supposed to go
inside the house.
• During construction, residents or the carpenters working on the house
 should offer a pig or a chicken’s blood through pouring it to the
foundations or posts of the house.
• Another thing which should be done during construction is twisting the
posts clockwise before cementing it in its place.
• It is believed that a child will be lucky if his or her first ever extracted
tooth is placed under a house’s roof.
• People should never sweep the floor in the evening going to the
direction of the main door and outside the house.
• A house that is built in the middle of a crossroad and faces the dead
end or what is called “tumbok” in Filipino is said to be full of bad luck
for its residence. This also applies to buildings, apartments, and all
other structures.
• An imperative ritual in building a house, perhaps the Ilocano
counterpart of the cornerstone-laying ceremony, is to imbed the
foundation posts with loose coins- for good luck.
• A house must face east, if it could helped. Sunshine entering the front
door ushers in prosperity.
• Doors inside houses must not directly parallel other doors that leads
outside. Easy exits mean money earned may be quickly dissipated
and never saved.
• As for stairs, they should always turn right, that being the righteous
path. This particular belief applies best to the marital bond. An
opposite direction signifies infidelity.
• Ilocanos of the northernmost part of the Philippines tend to cut down
aratiles trees growing in front of their houses to prevent their
daughters from being illicitly impregnated.
• To make a house typhoon- resistant, the posts should be turned
clockwise before being permanently cemented and secured. Allowing
the shadow of a post to fall on you while erecting it is a bad omen.
• Erecting a house in front of a dead-end street will bring bad luck to its
occupants, whether it is the original owners or tenants.
• Doors should always be on the right side of the house and the stairs
should always turn to the right to keep a married couple loyal to each
other for life.
• Doors should not be built facing each other for it portends that money
will come easily but also rush out quickly.
• Septic tanks must not be constructed higher than the ground for it
would demand sacrifice in human life.
• The owner must transfer to the new house not later than six in the
morning during the new moon to attract good luck and prosperity, and
the first things that must be brought inside the house are salt, rice and
coins.
• No part of the house should cover or hang over the stump of a newly
cut tree. Neither should a new house overlap any portion of an old
house.
• A two-story building that is remodeled into a single story will shorten
the lives of its occupants.
• A snake that enters the house brings good luck as long as it doesn’t
 bite any of the occupants. This is probably based on the practice of
Filipinos during the Spanish colonial times to keep pythons in the
partition between the roof and the ceiling to reduce the rodent
population the house.
• While number 7 and 11 bring good luck, number 13 is never used
as an address number or the number of a story in a building.
• An injury to a construction worker while a house or building is being
erected is an omen of bad luck that can be neutralized by killing a pig
or a white chicken and sacrificing its blood to the spirits.
• A Balete tree is considered to be haunted and must not be cut down
when building a house or else the spirits will attack the construction
workers as well as the owner of a house.

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