Folk Beliefs in

Construction
old beliefs mostly influence· the design of a house in
Filipino architecture.
• Don't start the construction of a house at a period when the moon
is waning, or entering its last quarter. Pick a time on or about a full
moon.
• Start a construction on a Monday; never on a Friday.
• Avoid starting construction when the year is about to end. A better
time is when the year has just begun, January to June.
• Never have a house built when your wife is pregnant, and is
expected to give birth at that very month.
• Before giving the order to lay the foundation of your house. make
peace with all your enemies - especially those belonging to your own
family or clan.
• In the North, they usually practice the flowing of blood from some
animals and all foundations or corners of the walt are splattered with
this blood in honor of the spirits that might be living within the premises

• Before cement is poured into the foundation, one peso

coins should be dropped inside the forms to bring good
luck. Other place silver medals of any patron saints, for
protection.

• When any vertical part of the house is being erected, like the first post,
or the first row of hollow blocks or cement wall, the father or the eldest
member of the family should be present to witness. Two contributes to
the solidity of the house.
• Do not build a house directly perpendicular to the street.
If space still allows it, locate the house such that it lies
in position which is at angle with the street.
• No part of your house should cover or overhang an
anthill ("PUNSO" in Tagalog. The small spirit man or "NUNO" will get angry.

• No part of the house should cover a site of a recently-cut tree; neither

should the new house overlap any portion of the old house.
• Never use materials that once belonged to a church.
• Avoid using materials that came from the owner's old house. The bad
luck of the old house will be transferred to the new house.
• All nails and screws that become bent in the process of building a house
should be kept in a box and not left lying around. Leaving them
scattered will bring misfortune to these involved in the construction.
• The number of main posts should always be even; never 13 pieces.
• Flooring planks-whether of wood or of bamboo-must be laid parallel to
the steps of any stairway to make it 90 degrees to the stair will make the
good luck go down the stairs.
• House plan shaped like a cross should
be avoided, brings bad luck.
• A basement placed in flat level land
indicates graves. This is a sign of early
death in the family.
 • The longer length of the roof must lie parallel to
the road instead of perpendicular to it.
• The number of steps in every flight of
stairs must fall to the count of either
oro (gold) or plata (silver) never mata
(death), mata means bad luck or
poverty is to be expected.

• Doorways should not face each other along a straight

path, or a door to the window. Good fortune flows
quickly out of the house if arranged in a straight path.
Feng Shui

Translated as wind-water, is the Chinese art of geomancy, the placement and

location of buildings and manmade structures to harmonize with, as well as
benefit from, the surrounding physical environment.
It is believed that with proper orientation of one's house or business premises
one is able to harmonize with nature and relate to the physical surroundings
favorably to attract desirable cosmological influences. Having good Feng
shui builds up one's confidence and energy to pursue success. It is believed
that having bad feng shui may lead one to misfortune, failure in business
ventures or poor health.
Feng Shui
 P P P
roblem: roblem: roblem:

S
Solution:
olution:

Provide mirrors facing each on the doors.

These are used to deflect negative "chi".

Bad Feng Shui

 P P
roblem: roblem:

The door of the toilet faces

the entrance space and
customers entering the
coffee house are confronted
by the odor from the toilet
S when opened. There is cross
olution: circulation between the
waiters from the kitchen &
the customers coming into
the Solution:
coffee house.
Solution:

The entrance and the cashier’s

desk. are repositioned so that
The entrance of a book shop was
they no longer confront each
affected by a magazine rack and
other. The new entrance also
The Oi was oppressed by the ceiling
eliminates the problem of
-high partitions of the cashier's desk
cross circulation. An ante
room is created where the
toilet door is.

Bad Feng Shui

•Avoid the bed facing directly a door.
•A business establishment that is wide in front
but getting smaller resembles a drain or funnel.
•Avoid headboard aligned with
•the door.

•Avoid having a pond inside a house.

•stairs should not end· in a toilet •A triangular-shaped pond in front

whether going up or down. of the entrance is bad Feng shui.

Some Designs to Avoid

• In Chinese, wooden steps are counted in the order of autumn, winter, spring
and summer or 1, 2, 3, 4. The last step should end only in either spring and
summer.
• The master's bed should always face North. For good health and a life of
contentment. Master of the house should never sleep facing south.
• The family will have more than enough to eat if the stove switch points west
and the cooking is done while facing east.
• The toilet is the treasure of the house and so the toilet floor should be lower
than the main floor by 1 to 2 inches to keep the money in misfortunes like
financial losses and accidents can be avoided by following these dont's:
o Do not use crazy-cut or excess marble floorings.
o Do not put mirrors directly facing the stairs or overhead.
o Do not have doors that open to other doors.
 SOME ADVISABLE DESIGNS
1. Candles and red lights -are tools for positive "chi".
2. Wind chimes on doors and lanais help to bring good luck, but require that the chimes be
listened to frequently to make it work.
3. Aquariums (inside a house} are required inside a house since even if the fish die, it is
meant that the evil spirits are absorbed by the fish hence removing the trapped "chi".
4. Ponds and fountains (outside the house) attract good luck, but water should not be made
stagnant and should always have living things in it like fish and plants.
5. Before moving in a new house, the master should wear a suit for good luck, carry with
him a blanket, pillow and bedsheet together with 48 pieces of coins in a little red box.