NCR (National Capital Region) Beliefs

CULTURE  They practice aminism and believe in the existence

of anitos to whom they offrr animal sacrifices as well
 Flores de Mayo is one of the May devotions to the as rituals to ask favors, thanks and appease their
Blessed Virgin Mary and lasts for the entire month. gods.
 Giving of ang-pao. Kids, teens and usually still
unmarried members of the family are delighted to Arts
receive their ang pao (literally, “red envelope”).
 Agriculture
Beliefs  Woodcarving
 Wood and basket weaving
 Eating and giving tikoy. It is believed that the sticky
quality of the tikoy represents the tight-knit
closeness of families and clans, which hold the
hopes, goals and ideals REGION 1 (Ilocos Region)
 If a black cat walks towards someone, that person
CULTURE:
will have bad luck. If a black cat walks away from
someone, then that person will have good luck.  Long courtships with love letters and harana or
serenate in English. Once formalized, women must
Arts
stay virgin until they got married.
 Spoliarium (often misspelled Spolarium) is a painting  An atang is a traditional food offering for the
by Filipino painter Juan Luna. Ilocanos to ward off evil spirits.
 Tanghalang Pambansa is the national theater of the  Gulgul is usually done after the burial of the member
Philippines of the family where in they wash their head and
 Home of National museums such as the National usually done in the sea or river. To wash away the
Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of pain of losing someone and to wash away the
Anthropology and the National Museum of Natural sickness and bad luck.
History.
Arts
Sayings
 Biag ni Lam-ang (The Life of Lam-Ang), an epic poem
 Money cannot buy you HEALTH. about the fantastic life and escapades of an Ilocano
 May bukas pa. hero named Lam-ang. ▪️Binatbatan - beating of
 May mga bagay na baluktot na kailangang ituwid at cotton balls using a bamboo sticks to separate the
may mga bagay na tuwid na kailangang ibaluktot. seeds.
 Panagabel - oldest ilocano weaving tradition. The
ingredient of loom is: tilar(sinulid)

Sayings
CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region)
 "A mature person always put his feet on the ground
CULTURE and foresee his next step" (Ti tao nga ulbod madintu
pulus mapagtalkan);
 Oral tradition is a cultural material and traditions  "Even it pours a gold of bars, if you are a lazy man,
transmitted orally from one generation to another. you could not pick anything at all" (Uray agtudo ti
 Known for unique musical instruments including the balitok nu ti tao ket sadot madinto pulos makapidot;
gangsa kalinga, nose flute, bamboo flute, nuzzer Iti utang mabayadan, ngem ti naimbag a nakem
bangibang, tongatong, etc. saan);
 Panagbenga Festival focuses on Baguio as the Flower  "A person who does not have debt of gratitude will
Garden City of the North. never be successful in life" (Ti dina ammo a taliawen
ti naggapuanna, saan a makadanon ti papananna).
Beliefs Carabao Festival and Obando Fertlity Rites in
Bulacan;
 Ilocanos were animists who believed in spirits called  The Giant Lantern Festival and Lenten Rites in
anito who were either bad or good, male or female. Pampanga; and the Mango Festival in Zambales.
 Karkarma, the souls of living persons, leave the body
at death but linger in the house until after the post- Beliefs
funerary offerings of food are made to the deceased.
 Manese kang pusa atlu kule ban datang ing suerte
(Raise a three colored cat to allow fortune to come).
 Ing dalagang babai eya dapat magpasyuk ustung
Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) bengi ban kanita eya paglolon duwendi (A maiden
must avoid whistling during the night to refrain from
CULTURE
being wooed by dwarfs).
 The Cabarruan jar burial site, also in the town,  Ali ka mamalis bengi uling lumwal ing grasya (Do not
features ancient Filipino traditions of taking care of sweep the floor at night time becausefortune will
their dead. come out
 For a glimpse of craftsmanship from olden times, see
Arts
the blacksmithing work still being done in Larion
Bajo, Tuguegarao where the sounds of hammers on  Furniture, Christmas lanterns, jewelry, marble
metal can be heard from early morning. Or visit the products, meat products and sweets and delicacies
pottery makers in Iguig who work on the clay pieces  Centuries-old churches, ancestral houses, as well as
with their hands. historical monuments serve as landmarks that depict
 Sabutan Festival. Sabutan is a plant that develops the rich cultural heritage of the region.
along the beach front region of Palanan, utilized by
the ladies of Palanan in making mats, packs, caps, Sayings
and fans, which at that point fill in as an extra
wellspring of income. These items are displayed in  Eka mamaronga nung eka bisang mituran (Do not
local moves and band exhibition. cast stone if you do not want to be stroke).
 Mamie ka ban midinan ka (Give and you will
Arts receive).
 Eka mamie dalan ban eka midalanan (Do not give
 Basket-weaving way to avoid being rail raided).
 Pottery
 The Ybanagas, Itawits, and Malawegs are mainly
lowland farmers in Cagayan Valley. They usually
conducted trade with neighboring areas using
distinctive seacrafts. They are also excellent
blacksmiths and continue to make good bolos.

Region 4-A (CALABARZON)

Region 3 (Central Luzon)
CULTURE
CULTURE
 CALABARZON is also rich in cultural traditions.
 Central Luzon has a very diverse cultural heritage Laguna is known for embroidery, wood carving, and
and colorful traditions, owing to the influence of papier-mâché (locally known as taka).
Spanish, American and Japanese colonizers, as well  Quezon has harvest festivals and flamboyantly
as the presence of different ethnolinguistic groups – decorated houses. Rizal has artisan villages and art
Aetas, Sambals, Capampangangs, Tagalogs, Ilocanos galleries. It’s a colorful region.
and Pangasinenses.
Arts
 Among the region’s festivities, celebrations and
religious sites, the most prominent include the
  Tagalog art is shown in literary pieces usually in in the southern part of the island and they are
verse. known to still cling to their roots in Banton.
 Plays like the pagbati, karagatan, tagayan,  Tagalog spoken in Marinduque has been carefully
pananapatan, sabalan and tibaw are staged studied and it has been concluded that the language
accompanied by songs and dances for different spoken here is the root from which modern national
occasios. The karagatan was a debate in verse which forms of speech have sprung. (1914 study by Cecilio
later became the balagtasan. Lopez).
 The dances and songs of the Tagalogs developed at  Aside from being the roots of our modern form of
almost the same time as the plays. The balatong language, Marinduque is also home to Moriones
dalit, hilaw, kutang-kutang, bulay, indullanin, festival, an annual festival celebrated during the holy
kumintang, salampati, tagulaylay, subli, barimbawi , week. With this, the province is popularly called “the
and tagayan are Tagalog music-and-dance examples. Lenten Capital of the Philippines”. In the festival,
 The needle work of the dalagas of Luzon is a townspeople dress up as roman soldiers and other
fascinating work of art. Handkerchiefs, centerpieces, biblical figures to represent their religion.
tablecloths, blouses, and the barong tagalog have
artistic designs.
 The women spend their leisure hours in embroidery,
Region 5 (BICOL REGION)
sewing darning, knitting, crocheting or lace making.
 Embroidery is used for decorating pillows, fine linen CULTURE
and children's and ladies'wear. Lace is handmade
and used to decorate undergarments, clothes and  The Bicolanos observe an annual festival in honor of
handkerchiefs. the Virgin of Penafrancia every third Sunday of
September.
 The towns of Naga comes alive. During the
celebration, a jostling crowd of all-male devotees
Region 4-B (MIMAROPA) carries the image of the Virgin on their shoulders to
the cathedral, while shouting Viva La Virgin!
CULTURE:
 For the next seven days people, mostly Bicolanos,
 Aside from the region’s biological diversity, the come for an annual visit light candles and kisses the
region is also culturally diverse, with each province image of the Virgin. To the Bicolanos, this affair is
housing multiple indigenous groups of its own. religious and cultural, as well.
 Mangyan is the generic term for the eight indigenous  Every night, shows are held at the plaza the year's
groups in Mindoro. These indigenous groups include biggest cockfights take place, bicycle races are held
the Hanunuo, the Alangan, the Tau-Buid, the and the river, a lively boat race precedes the fluvial
Bangon, the Tadyawan, the Ratagnon, the Iraya, and procession.
the Buhid. Each tribal group has its own language,  At noon of the third Saturday of the month, the
customs, and rituals. Their population is estimated at devotees carry the Image on their shoulders
100,000. preceded to the packed waterfront. The image is
 In Palawan there are many cultural groups as well: boarded onto the barge and the procession begins.
Cuyonon & Agutayon, considered the ethnic elite of With much splashing back to the old chapel until
the province; Muslim groups such as Molbog, Jama next year's celebration.
Mapun and Tausug live in the southern coast;
Tagbanuas the largest indigenous group inhabiting Arts
the central portion; And there are even smaller
Bicolano art is shown in their love songs such as Sarong
cultural communities like Pala’wan, Taut batu, Batak,
Bangul, Burac na Magayon and others. Among the young
Ken-uy and Kalamian.
songs about nature are popular. To the Bicolanos, the Ibalon,
 Romblon, because it is near the Visayas has three a story of heroism, is an impotant epic.
main languages, Romblomanon, Asi and Onhan –
they belong to the Visayan language family.
 Marinduque has no indigenous groups except
Tagalogs, but many descendants of the Asi tribe live
Region 6 (WESTERN VISAYAS) 5. Baptismal parties are held after the baptism to ensure the
child's success in any future undertaking.
CULTURE
ABOUT THE COURTSHIP
 The Ilongos observed certain customs and traditions
about birth, baptism, courtship and marriage, death  The man court the girl of his choice by visiting her at
and burial. home and sending love letter. When the girl accepts
the man. they became engaged.
ABOUT THE BIRTH  Before their marriage, the man has to observe the
pabagbati and the paregalo. The pabagti refers to
 The coming of a child in an Ilongo family is usually
required servitude of the man is the house of the
an important and welcome event. Certain
girl while the paregalo is the formal announcement
precautions are followed to insure the safe delivery
by the parents of the intention of their son to marry
of the child. Among these are as follows;
their daughter. On this occasion, the boy's parents
1. The members of the family see to it that all the wishes of bring food and drinks while both parties are making
an expectant mother are granted. They are careful not to arrangements for the coming wedding. If the man is
displace the mother for fear that she might give birth accepted by the girl's parents, a dowry is agreed
prematurely. upon.

2. The mother is cautioned not to make fun nor look at  The man is also required to stay in the girl's house
people with certain physical handicaps because this might prior to the wedding day. The behavior of the man is
happen to her unborn child. carefully observed while rendering service to the
girl's family.
3. The mother-to-be is not allowed to eat foods with black
color to avoid having a child who is dark complexioned. ABOUT THE MARRIAGE

4. The newly-born child should be rocked to and form so he  The marriage is solemnized by a minister of the
will grow-up to be brave. church or by the justice of the peace court. On the
eve of the wedding day, a dance is held at the house
5. The placenta should also be buried together with a book on
of the bride-to-be.
music arithmetic and readings so that the child will be well
 The expenses for the wedding dress, church rites and
versed in all these subjects.
wedding reception are shouldered by the groom and
ABOUT THE BAPTISM his family.
 After the wedding, the married couple kiss the hands
 Baptism is a catholic religious ritual observed by the of the elders to receive their blessings. The wedding
catholic parents of a new born child. The following ceremony is later followed by the wedding party.
are some practices the Ilongos follow in connection The parents and visitors presents such as furniture,
with baptism; utensils, dishes, and beddings to the newlyweds.
During the party, the bride and the bridegroom are
1. The parents select the godparents very carefully so that asked to dance on the mat. While dancing, the guest
child will take after the good character traits of the throw money to the bride and groom. The money
godparents. the couple picks up serves as additional fits.
 After the wedding, some parents allow the
2. The parents choose the priest or the minister to baptize
newlyweds to stay with them until they are able to
the child.
save and stand on their own.
3. It is the parental privilege to give the name to their child.
ABOUT THE DEATH AND BURIAL
4. The child should be baptized after the first week or not
 The death and burial of a person is a community
later than the third month after birth. If a child dies without
affair. Relatives and friends offer help to the relatives
the benefit of baptism his soul will go to purgatory. This is
of the dead person in the form of money and
according to catholic belief.
service. Friends and relatives attend the wake and
offer prayers for the dead man's soul.
  During the wake, the family refrains from bathing Dances
and sweeping the floor for fear that another person
will die. The family wears lack for one year as a sign  Tinikling, the Philippines' national dance is folkdance
of mourning. The family and friends of the deceases that originated from the region.
accompany the dead during the funeral. Some carry  The most popular cultural dance among Warays is
the coffin while others stay behind to prepare food. the Kuratsa, danced during feast celebrations and
 After the burial, the family invites those who joined special gatherings. The Leyte Kalipayan Dance
the funeral partake of foods then prepared. After the Company, a local cultural group, held highly
burial the family offers prayers to the dead or a nine- successful performances around the world.
day novena.
* The couple who dances the Kuratsa are showered with
 The host provided a big feast on the third and ninth
money by the people around them. The belief is that the
day of novena. This is a catholic beliefs.
more money showered upon them, the more blessings will
come their way.

Music
Region 7 (CENTRAL VISAYAS)
 Waray people are music lovers whose folkloric music
CULTURE
are mostly ballads in form, famous of which is Iroy
 The cultural and commercial core of the central nga Tuna (Motherland), a patriotic song.
Visayan region, Cebu was opened to foreign trade in
Festivals
1860. It was chartered as a city in 1936. Although it
imports few foreign goods, it is the main collection  Since 2018, Eastern Visayas holds each October the
centre for such interisland commodities as copra, 'Oktubafest' to showcase the best local wine made
abaca, sugar, timber, and fish. Cebu is a major point from coconut palm called tuba.
of passenger traffic by air and sea and is served by
an airport a Lahug and an international airport Sayings
across the harbour on Mactan Island.
 The Waray-Waray are often stereotyped as brave
warriors, as popularized in the tagline, “basta ang
Sayings Waray, hindi uurong sa away” (Waray never back
down from a fight.)
 “In order that you would not be cheated, Ask the
price at three shops.” (Aron dili ka limbongan,
Pangutana sa precio Sa tolo ka tindahan)
 “If you owe a man anything, There is nothing like REGION 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula)
seeing him often.” (Kon ikaw sa usa ka tawo maka
CULTURE:
utang, Kinahanglan magpakita ka kaniya sa kanunay.
 “If one wishes to get friends with his fellows, Let him  The character of the Zamboangueño people are
buy on credit and never collect the money.” (Kon unique as we can say for their kinship family system,
gusto ka nga maka kita ug higala,Pautanga siya ug love for one's cultural heritage, propensity for
ayaw paningla.) extravagance, fiestas and siestas, as well as
aristocratic behaviour.
 Their social lives usually revolve around religious
practices, the tradition of the bantayanon and
fondas, includes their bailes the vals, regodon and
paso doble.
 They are mostly devout Roman Catholics.

Courtship etiquette
REGION 8 (Eastern Visayaz)
 A perfectly respectable Zamboangueño gentleman
CULTURE: (caballero) would not sit unless permitted to do so
 by the woman's parents, he then had to endure Festivals
questions pertaining to his lineage, credentials and
occupation. Finally, the courtship curfew and the  Higalaay Festival in Cagayan de Oro City. They
need to cultivate the goodwill of all the members of celebrate the feast day of St. Augustine every 28th
the woman's family were paramount considerations day of August.
before any headway could be made in pursuing a  Kaamulan festival in Bukidnon. It is an ethnic cultural
Zamboangueño señorita’s hand in marriage. festival wherein people allocate a relative amount of
their time to remember the culture and traditions of
Songs and Dances the seven ethnic tribes in their area. It is also
considered as a thanksgiving festival to celebrate
 Zamboangueño songs and dances are derived their bountiful harvest.
primarily from Iberian performances.  Lanzones festival in Camiguin, which is a 4-day
 The jota zamboangueña, a Zamboangueño version of celebration of this fruit. It is held every 3rd week of
the quick-stepping flamenco with bamboo clappers October. It is essential to note that the sweetest
in lieu of Spanish castanets, are regularly presented Lanzones can be found in the islands of Camiguin.
during fiestas and formal tertulias or other Regularly celebrating different causes as one whole
Zamboangueño festivities. community shows that the citizens of Region 10
value camaraderie and friendship.
Festivals
Tribal Beliefs and Customs
During Holy Week (Chavacano/Spanish: Semana Santa):
Some parts of this region are known to have preserved their
 Watching films (magá película) about Jesus and his
tribal beliefs and customs.
teachings, visitaiglesias, processions, novenas.
 Climbing and praying of the Stations of the Cross  An example is the Higaunon, a mountain tribe in
(Estaciones de la Cruz) in Mt. Pulong Bato, Fiesta de Bukidnon. Apparently, they still believe in the
Pilar (Spanish: Fiesta del Pilar) existence of spirits and gods. Furthermore, they
 A festivity in honour of Our Lady of the Pillar have a god for each element. Another superstition is
(Zamboangueño: Nuestro Señora de Pilar; Spanish: they need to please the spirits so they will
Nuestra Señora del Pilar) experience something good in return. People in this
 Zamboanga Day (Día de Zamboanga) and Day of the tribe still live according to their traditions with
Zamboangueños (Día del magá Zamboangueño) farming as their primary source of income.
which is celebrated every 15 August every year for Additionally, the ancestors of its current inhabitants
the foundation of Zamboanga and ethnogenesis of mentioned that the region was occupied by four
the Zamboangueño people on 15 of August 1635. tribes but when northern-central Mindanao was
divided into provinces, migrants from Visayas and
Zamboangueño celebrate Christmas in so many unique ways
Luzon began to dominate the region. Since that
such as the villancicos/aguinaldos o pastores this also
happened, the tribal communities went to the
includes the Día de Navideña and Nochebuena, fiestas,
mountains and forests to continue living out their
vísperas, Diana, Misa, magá juego, processions and feasting.
cultural heritage.
Cuisine

Zamboangueño cuisine includes in its repertoire curacha,

calamares, tamales, locón, cangrejos, paella, estofado, arroz a
la valenciana, caldo de vaca/cerdo/pollo, puchero, caldo de
arroz, lechón, jamonadas, endulzados, embutido, adobo,
afritadas, menudo, caldereta, jumbá, flan de leche and many
more.

REGION 10 (Northern Mindanao)

Region 11 (Davao Region)
CULTURE:
CULTURE
  Five Lumad (Bagobo-Klata, Ata, Obu-Manuvu, the country that showcases the talents of
Matigsalug, and Bagobo-Tagabawa) and 6 Moro Tagumeños, Mindanaoans and Filipinos in general.
(Sama, Maranao, Kagan, Iranun, Maguindanaon,  The Bulawan or Gold Festival of Compostela Valley,
and Taosug) tribes are the original inhabitants of which is celebrated every 1st week of March is
Davao City. Multiculturalism runs deep in Davao reflective of Comval’s gold and other mineral wealth
City’s history – it echoes in its tag line “Life is Here.” to promote the vision of transforming the province
 Visitors to Davao City can experience its rich culture into a jewelry- making center. As a province-wide
starting with the Kadayawan Village, an area inside event, the festival involves various events and
the Magsaysay Park shared by the city’s recognized friendly competitions participated in by all other
tribes. sectors of the community.
 Each of the 11 tribes has its own tribal house and
has in full display their musical instruments, colorful
attires and trinkets, even harvests from their own
Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN)
farms.
 Visitors are given a glimpse of their traditional CULTURE
dances and can even try on their traditional attires
or try delicacies from the different tribes. Tribal  A pair of agungs is one of the instruments found in
members warmly welcome guests to go inside their the kulintang ensemble, and Region XII is home to a
houses and freely answer questions for those who fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang
wish to know more about indigenous practices. music, a specific type of gong music found among
both Muslim groups (such as the Maguindanao) and
Foreign influence non-Muslim groups (such as the Tiruray) of the
Southern Philippines.
 A notable tradition brought by the Spanish still
 Kulintang music functions as a main community
celebrated today in Davao City is the celebration of
unifier, where all of the community can come to
the feast day of each of the barrios (villages) patron
engage in events such as weddings, birthday
saints with a festival (fiesta). These are celebrated
celebrations and festivals, to dignitary engagements
through song and dance.
and pilgrimages to and from Mecca. At home, such
 The Davao Chinatown is the primary residence of the
music unifies and solidifies family ties as family
Chinese community in the city. It has its own
members take to playing after dinner.
seaport, the Santa Ana Wharf, which is also a part of
 Kulintang music also plays a vital role as the
Davao International Port.
accompaniment to healing dances, as long-distance
 Japanese cultural influence, like that of the Chinese,
communication between members (They have the
was also prominent in the city.
ability to use the gandingan, also known as the
 Several foreign communities reside in the city,
talking gongs, to communicate from far away before
including Indonesians, Malaysians, Koreans and
the invention of the telephone), and a social conduit
Indians. There are ESL schools for foreigners, and
for young people (interaction between opposite
export-oriented industrial parks to entice Japanese
sexes were not allowed except though such
and (South) Korean firms to set up shop in the city.
instruments).
However, there has been some cultural conflict over
 Kulintang ensembles among those of the Southern
the integration of Koreans in the city, with then-city
Philippines are usually composed of five pieces of
mayor Rodrigo Duterte complaining about their
instrumentation. Among the Maguindanao, this
habit of smoking in public places
would include: the kulintang (strung out horizontally
Festivals on a stand, serving as the main melody instrument
of the ensemble), the agung (the largest gongs of the
 Davao City comes alive with the celebration of the ensemble providing much of the lower beats, either
“Kadayawan sa Dabaw” every third week of August, coming in a pair of two or just one alone), the
coinciding with the harvest of fruits, flowers and gandingan (four large vertical gongs aligned front to
agricultural produce. back, used as a secondary melodic instrument), the
 The Musikahan sa Tagum is internationally known as dabakan (an hour-glass shaped drum covered in
the all-inclusive and longest running music festival in
 goat/lizard skin) and the babendil (a singular gong
used as the timekeeper of the entire ensemble).

Region 13 CARAGA

CULTURE

Festivals

 Bugkosan sa isla: Dinagatan festival. Bugkosan

originated from the word "PAGBUGKOS" means to
bind, "PAGHIUSA" to unite, "PAGHUGPONG" to
merge, "PAGBUG-OS" to incorporate and "PAGTIBU"
to convene. It depicts unity and cooperation among
the dinagatnons and promotes the province tourism
potentialties.

Customs and Tradition

 Dinagatan island is rich in structures, buildings and

landmarks that are remnants of a once affluen
lifestyle. Most notably of wich are the Galeto
Ancestral Home in Tubajon and the Devine Master
Shrine in San Jose, Built by the benevolence and
volunterrism of the member of famous believers of
Ruden E. Ecleo, Sr., The PBMA, inc. (Phillippine
Benevolent Missionaries Association, inc) members
who dominants inthe province.

BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in

Muslim Mindanao)

Cultural heritage

 Has their own distinct architectures, intangible

heritage, and craft arts.A fine example of a distinct
architectural style in the region is the Royal Sulu
architecture which was used to make the Daru
Jambangan (Palace of Flowers) in Maimbung, Sulu.

Famous food

 Palapa, a culturally important spicy condiment of the

Maranao people