Why there are hardly any bahay na bato left in Bayambang

Why are there hardly any bahay na bato left in Bayambang? Unlike other old towns, Bayambang does not have a profusion of the old Spanish-era houses that draw tourists from all over today. There are four most likely reasons, and the first is the most obvious one: the ravages of fire, flood, and typhoons, not to mention termites. The second is the need to keep up with the aesthetics en vogue at the time, at the same time with consideration to the prevailing economic realities (i.e., the price of materials and labor).

Another reason could be the accounts of juez de cuchillo or massacres that happened during the Palaris rebellion, wherein the houses of locals who didn't join the uprising were torched or that the houses of those who did received the same destructive fate.

A fourth, and historically confirmed, reason is World War II. According to the account of local historian and educator Dr. Clarita D.G. Jimenez: In the 1940s, "The Japanese atrocities left bitter memories among the Bayambangueños. Big buildings like the church, the schools and the big houses were the target of bombings as these were suspected to be the headquarters of the enemy. ... Many Bayambangueños joined the guerrilla forces who fought against the Japanese Imperial Army. Some of them were tortured, killed and forced to join the infamous Bataan Death March."

Aside from old family pictures of locals, archival photos from the National Historical Institute, resourcefully accessed and reproduced by Municipal Consultant on Museum, Culture and Arts Gloria D.V. Valenzuela, confirm that there were indeed such houses in town. Take these photos of the Sabangan and Dauz houses, which are both gone, sadly.

They were constructed in the American colonial period, but they were fine examples of the bahay na bato (at kahoy) Hispano-Filipino architectural style that bloomed during the Spanish colonial period. (Some call it Antillean, to be exact, to refer to the Antilles.) They featured most of the elements present in such a house, including its fixtures and furniture inside, from antesala to zaguan.

The Dauz House, the caption reads, was "built in 1933 and designed with tall, wide windows with sliding capiz shell panels." The Sabangan House, on the other hand, was also "built in 1933, and features a continuous balcony or gallery at the second floor of the house, cutwork in the eaves and an occasional acroteria in the roof."

It must be pointed out that the combination of American, Spanish, and indigenous architectural elements is uniquely Filipino, and this is what makes houses like these historically and architecturally significant. This is a little reminder that it was in the Philippines where, to quote historians, "the first instance of true globalization occurred," thanks to the galleon trade. It is where cultures from all the four corners of the world did not just clash or meet and match, but actually mixed and melded, resulting in the fusion of elements in our cultural markers with those of others. We can observe this consistently not just in Filipino architecture but practically in all facets of Filipino culture -- cuisine, wear, games, literature, music, dance, and so on.

It is only probably in the Philippines where various styles traditionally mix and match to suit an overall theme or mood: capiz windows that remind of Japanese paper windows, the expected ornate baroque details, and the Art Deco and Art Nouveau flourishes in the ensuing American decades... It is just like finding pineapple finials and fu dogs (Chinese lions/gargoyles) together in one notable church, the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, or baroque churches with a Borobudur-like (Indonesian) silhouette and Eastern symbols like sun faces (Paoay church), Churrigaresque detailing, solomonic columns and other neo-Mudejar touches, pagoda-like bell towers, and so on.

There is a pervasive halo-halo (as Gilda Cordero-Fernando puts it) sensibility (which others scoff at as "mongrel culture"), but it is one that is not totally thoughtless. The eclecticism, Fernando Nakpil Zialcita notes, is more careful than desultory cherry-picking. The resulting cultural chimera or, say, platypus, that is the Pinoy halo-halo culture, to the outsider, 'works' on some level of collective understanding that, in the long run, would garner the approval of people like Anthony Bourdain, sophisticated taste and all, at least on the culinary level.

In specific terms, what this means is that the Antillean house architecture was adjusted to suit the tropics, and this resulted in several elements of the bahay kubo being retained, thus distinguishing the bahay na bato at kahoy from the Spanish pueblo house and similar colonial residential architectures in the Antilles and the rest of Latin America. These ingenious adjustments are the following, as the Old Manila Nostalgia blogger observantly took pains to note:

- making the structure more earthquake-proof
- allowing more light into the house
- allowing more air to circulate
- shielding the house from the rain and heat of the sun
- raising the floor as a precaution against flooding

These adjustments were no doubt present in the original houses of Bayambang's oldest families.

References:

https://filipiniana101.blogspot.com/2014/03/list-parts-of-bahay-na-bato.html

Read the bold claim on the Philippines' place in the history of globalization by historians such as Irving in Colonial Counterpoint: Music in Early Modern Manila (Currents in Latin American and Iberian Music) by D. R. M. Irving (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2010)

Old Manila Nostalgia Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/oldmanilanostalgia

Ancestral Houses in the Philippines Facebook page members Maria Cecilia Atienza Sunico, Chris Chan, Murvyn Callo, et al.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28427065/Philippine-Spanish-Interior-Design

Bahay na Bato by Rodrigo D. Perez (2007)  http://www.librarylink.org.ph/featarticle.asp?articleid=110
These are reportedly the authoritative resources on he subject of bahay na bato (I haven't gotten a hold of them yet.)

Philippine Ancestral Houses (1810-1930) by Fernando Nakpil Zialcita and Martin I. Tinio, GCF Books (1980)

Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and Urbanism in the Philippines by Gerard Lico, UP Press (2008)

Philippine Heritage Homes: A Guidebook by Jaime C. Laya, Cristina V. Turalba and Martin I. Tinio, Jr. (2014)

Reyes House

(Category: Tangible Immovable Heritage; Heritage Houses/Vernacular Architecture)

The Reyes house is a post-World War II house located at #12 Roxas St., Brgy. Magsaysay, Bayambang, Pangasinan. Built in 1949, it is made of narra wood and cement, and it occupies an area of 200 square meters.

It is currently owned by Capt. Bernard Limos. The original owner of this house was a teacher from Bayambang National High School. After the demise of first owner, Engr. Vicente Reyes Jr., a civil engineer, bought the house. In 2009, Capt. Bernard Limos bought the house and he started to renovate the entire house because some parts were friable.

With its pleasant Art Deco elements combined with bahay na bato elements, the view of the house outside is very attractive. It has a combination of color blue and white. The gate, grills, and rooftop are painted in color blue, while the outer wall is white, though the paint is gradually fading. The house is not exactly huge, but it has a basement. There is a flight of stairs outside, which is cemented, with decorative ceramic tiles. Most of the house are made of native narra panels and certain parts have glasses. There are six windows, also made of wood, and some are covered with rusting grills in geometric design. The entrance door is located on the left side. You will notice the square design at the upper part of the house. On the rooftop are finials in the style of the era. The ground is cemented but a particular part is made up of soil mixed with rocks and pebbles. The house is surrounded by a small drainage. If you enter inside, you will see two rooms and one comfort room. You can find some furniture and paintings, and the floor inside the house is also made of wood protected with varnish.

There are certain stories about the structure, according to the owner. After World War II, he said, it became a dwelling place of some ordinary people and Spanish or American soldiers that probably took part in the war. The owner added that, in the middle of renovation work, the diggings in the backyard meant for a new apartment revealed some artifacts such as spoons, forks, cups, other kitchen utensils, and some horseshoes. It was then believed that some Spanish or American soldiers used the area as horse stable. On the other hand, according to the neighbors, the sound of horses walking and a group of people talking to one another in a strange language could often be heard around midnight.

As of now, the Reyes house is in good condition in its original site, though it has been altered. Some parts of the house remain durable and therefore do not risk replacement anytime soon. Although certain parts have been replaced, the architectural integrity of the hose has been preserved, thus making it a heritage house, one of the very few left in Bayambang.

So far, only the threat of termites and fire constitutes the potential hazards.

NAME OF PROFILER/MAPPER: Joshua B. Matabang, Bayambang National High School, Senior High School
DATE PROFILED: September 23, 2018
ADVISER: Mr. Christopher Q. Gozum
KEY INFORMANT: Capt. Bernard Benito Limos, 49 years old, #12 Roxas St. Magsaysay, Bayambang, Pangasinan
REFERENCE: https://en.m.wikipedia.org>wiki>Bayambang.com

Panaggawa na Deremen

(Deremen Black Rice Making, Paggawa ng Itim na Bigas)

Category: Intangible Cultural Heritage; Social Practices, Rituals and Festive Events; Cuisine/Culinary traditions

Deremen-making is a unique rice preparation in our country and even outside the country. Made from toasted then pounded immature rice of the glutinous variety, it is one of the main ingredients in making the famous black rice cakes known as "inlubi", the pop rice made from it called "gipang", and even "deremen ya latik " which are in high demand during All Saints' and All Souls' Day, when it is traditionally used as something by which the living remember their dear departed kin.

Deremen is one of the oldest and traditional food in Pangasinan during Undas. It was probably developed in the 1900s.

It is available after the rice harvesting season every once a year, which falls at the end of October and early November.

The deremen makers of Brgy. Amanperez, Bayambang are known for being the best producers. They are known even as far as La Union, Tarlac City and Baguio City.

To make deremen, the immature grains are picked stalk by stalk. The stalks are then held and the grains are put on fire, gathered, and then pounded using a wooden mortar and pestle. The glutinous rice variety, which comes all the way from the towns of Mangaldan, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, Sual, and Mangatarem, or sourced from Bayambang, is not only made for deremen but also for other native foods that Pangasinan is popularly known for, like tupig, suman, latik (Pangasinan term for latik-topped biko), and many more.

Deremen is abundant during the harvest season not just in Bayambang but also in many parts of Pangasinan, as many farmers plant glutinous rice because it costs more than ordinary rice. It is said that Pangasinan’s deremen has already travelled to many places and even overseas, where it has taken different shapes and colors. It is even served to guests in classy hotels, and luckily, it has retained its name.

According to the Undas tradition, deremen is usually placed at the altar of every Catholic household as a food offering for the dead. Old folks say that before the deremen could ever get into the mouth of the living, the dead must get it first. This is why, as a tradition, the rice cake is placed at the altar as an 'atang' or offering before the saints, usually before people go to the cemetery to pay their respects to their dead loved ones. Upon their return from the cemetery, the living could then partake of the deremen at the dining table.

Aling Josie Baldelomar, 59 years old and one of the practitioners in making deremen ever since she was a child, lives in Amanperez, Bayambang. She said that making deremen is difficult as it goes through a tedious process of production. If you can’t follow the correct process in making deremen, it will just look like and taste like normal malagkit (sticky rice).

Procedure:

1. First, prepare all the materials needed: talyasi (large iron pan), bigao (winnowing basket made from woven skin of bamboo tubes), lasong (mortar), alo (wooden pestle) and of course the glutinous rice.
2. Soak the burnt glutinous rice grains in water for 13 hours then wash the glutinous rice three times.
3. Put the glutinous rice in the talyasi and place and cook it in the pugon (furnace-type stove). Make sure that the glutinous rice is perfectly cooked.
4. Next, pour at least three tabos or dippers of water for every one sack of glutinous rice and mix it for 5 minutes.
5. After mixing the water and the glutinous rice, leave it for 15 hours.
6. After 15 hours of making the glutinous rice soft, pound the glutinous rice in the mortar or go to the rice mill to separate the glutinous rice from the chaff.
7. Lastly, cook again the glutinous rice within 10 minutes. After that, the glutinous rice can now be called deremen.

Aling Josie said she has been making deremen since she was a child. To this day, she continues the business her ancestors taught her. Just like other producers in Amanperez, Aling Josie makes it a point to pass on her knowledge in making deremen to her children, other family members, friends and neighbors.

To the people of Amanperez, deremen-making offers brisk business to them, a good source of income to their families, thus the tradition is well alive and even thriving. The most common threat is natural hazard, particularly destructive storms or typhoons.

NAME OF PROFILER/MAPPER: Johua-Ver B. Pabito, Bayambang National High School, Senior High School
DATE PROFILED: September 23, 2018
TEACHER: Mr. Christopher Q. Gozum
KEY INFORMANT/S: Mrs. Josie Baldelomar, 59 years old, one of the deremen producers in Brgy. Amanperez
REFERENCE: Micua, L. (2017). Pangasinan’s ‘deremen’: Food for the living and the dead. Retrieved September 23, 2018 from http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1014217

(Editor's note: Some lines were lifted verbatim from the cited reference, so the need to rephrase.)

Charismatic Pres. Magsaysay once caused a stampede in Mangabul area

The following is an account of Dr. Augusto V. de Viana as
posted on the National Historical Commission of the Philippines website on September 6, 2012 in an article titled, "Stories About Magsaysay":

...

"Upon winning the gubernatorial race in Pangasinan, I was to take my oath of office before the President, but instead of me going to Malacañang, he came to Pangasinan to induct me.

He brought with him his entire Cabinet, to meet out-of-town for the first time, at Mangabul in Bayambang town where people stampeded to get near him, tearing down the makeshift canopies of coconut leaves on bamboo posts that served as the venue.

Thousands turned out to mob the President in a pandemonium of sorts - no hakot as others would have done to ensure a big crowd of reluctant participants as in the case of the much-heralded EDSA celebrations.

At Mangabul, Magsaysay was approached freely by the rural folk to seek assistance, redress grievances and a whole gamut of requests which he granted then and there, including hospitalization for the sick, veterans' backpay claims and what have you.

He wrote instructions to government officials on scratch paper and upon the back of the man next to him or on the hood of a parked vehicle. No formalities were observed as long as he acted on a request with dispatch.

At the same time, Magsaysay put an end to a land dispute involving the tenant farmers of a big landowner by affirming the farmers' claim in the periphery of Mangabul springs.

In short Magsaysay had no need for elaborate preparations, protocol, motorcades, bodyguards and fanfare to announce or decorate his presidency because he was at home with the people."

...

Source: http://nhcp.gov.ph/stories-about-magsaysay/

Small-Town Paradox

(Getting to know Bayambang better)

What kind of town is Bayambang?

The answer is evident in its history. Records show that it is a kind of town where heroes would take refuge, the kind where a deputy general named Antonio Luna would case and scope, there to perhaps brainstorm preliminary military tactics with his band of revolutionaries, and would eventually be declared by his superior Gern. Emilio Aguinaldo, as the budding republic's 5th capital. Historian Jaime Veneracion speculates that Aguinaldo, Luna, et al. chose to stop by at Bayambang for it was a town friendly to the revolutionaries.

That is not surprising, for after all, the place had a reputation for pocket rebellions, as per Rosario Mendoza Cortez’s account in her book, “Pangasinan: 1572-1800” (1974): first, as a “flashpoint of the first anti-Spanish revolt led by Andres Malong in October 1660” and that of “the second Pangasinan revolt in 1762-1764 led by Juan dela Cruz Palaris, a revolt surpassing all revolts in the history of Northern Luzon in terms of scope and duration.” Another account would say that this is the reason why almost no Spanish-era houses survived in the town because of the resultant burning and pillaging following these revolts.

While it is true that the town today appears to be just another one of a series of insular, nondescript towns where travelers going north routinely pass by or briefly stop over, it has also attracted its fair share of enterprising businessmen in the colonial era (e.g. Smith Bell & Co., etc.)

It is largely a rustic town, a major producer of rice, corn, onion, and various delicacies made out of these. Formerly, it was also a major source of freshwater catch of all kinds, thanks to the 2,000-hectare Mangabul Lake, which unfortunately has been buried in lahar after Mt. Pinatubo erupted in June 15, 1991, but has nonetheless left a legacy of buro-making, among other delicacies. The binasuan folk dance, which requires a delicate balancing act involving drinking glasses, is also reputed to have originated in Brgy. Sancagulis, this town.

But in the face of this agrarian background, it is easy to forget that Bayambang is also an old university town, specifically a long-time training ground for generations of the country's best teachers. Pangasinan State University-Bayambang Campus used to be called Central Luzon Teachers' College and before that, Pangasinan Normal School, and this institution of learning pioneered a number of unsung 'laboratory experiments,' so to speak, in the field of education.  Founded in 1922, it put up the country’s first Child Study Center, the first pre-elementary school or kindergarten, and the first Opportunity Class for exceptional children. In 1953, it became the seat of the Philippines-UNESCO National Community Training Center (PUNCTC) where scholars from all over the Philippines and the world came together to learn about the socioeconomic realities in the town’s interior barangays as a kind of benchmarking activity. In 1962, it also became the venue of the First National Institute in Physical Education and Recreation in the Philippines. Old-timers even say PSU also pioneered in the area of nutrition education.

It is only expected that PSU has a long list of educators who were and are experts in their rarefied fields. Today, PSU-Bayambang is the site of a Food Innovation Center that was put up in cooperation with the Department of Science and Technology. FIC is a place where food research is being done to find alternative means of taking advantage of local farmers’ bumper harvests. In fact, upon the prodding of Mayor Quiambao, Manila-based One Document Corporation headed by Jorge Yulo signed a Memorandum of Agreement with PSU on December 19, 2017 to establish a partnership for this purpose.

From the foregoing, it can be gleaned that even though nothing else much seems to happen on the surface, Bayambang makes some quiet but deep impact. Bayambang Central School, the town's public elementary school, is reported by one Manila Times news item as Pangasinan's oldest, having been established in maybe at least 1915. This reflects the fact that Bayambang is relatively an ancient town side by side most other towns in the country, tracing its founding to April 5, 1614, when an outpost called Malunguey of Binalatongan parish (in the present San Carlos City) became a visita, indicating a degree of independence and thus a distinct identity as a governed locality.

Bayambang apparently is also a bastion of Catholic faith. The people's devotion to their patron, St. Vincent Ferrer, is no less than remarkable. One can say it is a town of San Vicente Ferrer devotees. In the old parish church's Prayer Room can be found an authenticated relic of the saint, a reputed miracle worker. In the third year of 'Paskuhan sa Bayambang,' the country's biggest animated Christmas display according to no less than its maker, the Rosario family of Cubao COD's giant Christmas display fame (circa 1970s), the winged saint from Valencia, Spain (he was actually a Dominican priest), is credited for saving a nearby house on fire and for sparing the church itself from wartime bombs dropped by Japanese forces. There are, of course, an entire host of similar stories around town, and it begs for a book compilation.

One curiosity is the Bubon nen San Vicente, an ancient well along nearby M.H. del Pilar St. whose water runoff, locals believe, has healing properties. In a coffeetable book on the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church by local historian and former PSU dean, Dr. Clarita D.G. Jimenez, Subol na Pananisia, a woman named Marcelina Malicdem of Brgy. Tanolong says that her parents, in 1928, stumbled into a wooden image of St. Vincent Ferrer floating on a river there, and the image has proven to be miraculous to her family since then.

                                                                                                                     

Another interesting side note: One Spanish priest who served the parish in the early 1700s, Fr. Lorenzo Fernandez Cosgaya de la Concepcion, wrote the first-ever Pangasinan-Spanish dictionary here, and the original copy is now found in a museum in London, which according to historical accounts, Jose Rizal must have perused while on his European 'sojourn.'

Bayambang, it must be noted further, used to have a large territory, and so its history won't be complete without noting that this includes the former barrio of Bautista (now a neighboring town), where the lyrics of the national anthem were written by Jose Palma, and the former barrio of Camiling (now a town in Tarlac), the home of Rizal's muse, Leonor Rivera, and former President of the United Nations General Assembly, Carlos P. Romulo. It is only logical that Bayambang is a town where Rizal often visited via the old Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan or on a horseback (he was a "most wanted" man back then) to court the elusive 'yes' of the love of his life, whether she was staying in Camiling or in Dagupan.

Bayambang is the hometown of these other notable personalities: Atty. Geruncio Lacuesta, a former Manila mediaman who is considered today as “the father of Philippine cycling”; former University of the Philippines Vice-President for Public Affairs and now Commission on Higher Education Chairman, Dr. J. Prospero ‘Popoy’ E. de Vera, today a popular resource person on political matters and other topics in the trimedia; Sr. Mary John Mananzan, RGS, a world-renowned leader in religious, feminist, academic, and activist circles; and Christopher Q. Gozum, the director of Anacbanua, the first full-length film in the Pangasinan language which is an internationally acclaimed arthouse film about his native Pangasinan. Showbiz personalities Wendell Ramos and  Donita Rose trace their lineage to the town’s Ramos clan. Of course, there is the renowned ‘philanthropreneur’ Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao, who is the current Municipal Mayor.

Bayambang is apparently a town where rabid patriots lived while breathing fervent Catholicism, and a rustic town where significant experimentation and pioneering feats are nonetheless attempted and made, creating silent ripples.

References: Prof. Clarita D.G. Jimenez’s unpublished coffeetable book on Bayambang’s history and its people and Subol na Pananisia, the town’s first coffeetable book, which traces the history of the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church.

PCCI

The fifth capital of the first Philippine Republic.

The corn belt and onion capital of central Pangasinan.   

The Guinness World Record holder for the longest barbecue.  

Home of the tallest bamboo sculpture of Saint Vincent Ferrer.

And now an ideal hub for minor and major investments.         

Bayambang is a thriving town located at the central part of Southern Pangasinan. This municipality composed of 77 barangays has begun to make its name known in the business industry with the massive social, infrastructure, and economic development that it has experienced in the past three years. This development, sparked by the progressive leadership of Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao, continues to bring in revenue for the town and its people, making it an ideal spot for investment and for opening up businesses as it is guaranteed to attract thousands and even millions of tourists in the following years.       

The inauguration of the 50.23-meter high bamboo sculpture of the town’s patron on April 5, 2019 is the first part of the completion of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan designed with the help of renowned architectural firm Palafox Associates. During the Holy Week alone, the town recorded an estimated 100,000 tourists who saw the world’s tallest bamboo sculpture. Once completed, the Saint Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park is expected to bring in more income to the municipality by attracting devotees and visitors from all over the country and the whole world.   

The Local Government Unit has also requested the funding of the Langiran Agri-Aquaculture Park from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority of the Department of Tourism, a P250M project which aims to develop and beautify a four-hectare lake nestled in the quiet barangay of Langiran. It is planned to feature a zipline, a floating restaurant, and more attractions which would give locals hundreds of jobs and tourists more reasons to visit Bayambang.       

The LGU Ville, which broke ground on March 2019, would provide housing to LGU employees at lower costs while ensuring income generation for the local government.         

The Municipal Slaughterhouse has also been recently inaugurated and is guaranteed to bring more income to the municipality.    

The One-Stop-Shop has made it easier for entrepreneurs to process their papers and legal requirements in opening up their business. This has encouraged more Bayambangueños to start their own businesses which can be seen with the increase in the number of applications from 1,013 in 2016 to 1,472 in 2018, and as of June 30, 2019, 430 people have already inquired about putting up their own business, proving the stakeholders’ interest in investing in Bayambang because they already see the potential of the town.         

The computerization project headed by the Information and Communications Technology Office also makes it easier for the LGU to be transparent with stakeholders and to fast track processes when it comes to opening up businesses. The competency of the ICT Office was proven when it received awards from three different categories during the esteemed Digital Cities PH Awards 2018, specifically the Best in eGov Digital Finance Empowerment, Best in eGov Systems for Global Competitiveness and Best in eGov Customer Empowerment.

In addition, LGU Bayambang recently received a certificate of achievement from the Bureau of Local Government Finance after ranking fifth nationwide in revenue collection efficiency. Bayambang collected 111.02 million pesos in revenue, surpassing the 44.7 million peso target set by the BLGF by 248.2% thanks to the massive information campaign of the Treasury Office and Assessor’s Office and the cooperation of the taxpayers.

All our efforts and hard work were duly recognized as LGU Bayambang had a grand slam in the Seal of Good Local Governance, receiving the prestigious award from the DILG for three consecutive years under the Quiambao-Sabangan administration. This shows the convergence and unity among the departments, offices, and stakeholders as we aim for a better Bayambang.    

These are only the beginning.       

Soon, Bayambang will be home to a new SM Supermall, water and amusement park, a 3-4 star hotel, and a public-private tertiary hospital, giving it a great potential of becoming the economic hub of Northern Luzon.

Soon, Bayambang will have a booming economic industry brought about by massive infrastructure projects and by being one of the most business-friendly municipalities.

Isebel So... (Sara'y Alimaong): A compilation of local superstitious beliefs

ISEBEL SO..../SARAY ALIMAONG

(A Compilation of Local Superstitious Beliefs)

Old wives' tales or superstitious beliefs have been held by all cultures throughout the world and throughout history. They are a human response to the unknown and unknowable--the mysteries of life in this world. From a cultural or practical perspective, they give a glimpse into the deepest hopes and fears of residents of a given locality, and what is fear of the unknown if it is not universal?

Even though they run counter to, or are not sanctioned by, the religion of the majority of residents, these beliefs persist up to the present for some compelling reasons. This somewhat jibes with the fact that, most Filipinos, even indeed born and raised as Catholic and openly profess to be one, have strong tendency toward syncretism, the belief system that cherry-picks elements of otherwise contentious faiths and fuse them into an eclectic set of elements that somehow find themselves coexisting in seeming harmony.

For example, the indigenous practice of offering "atang" to the dearly departed is animistic. Karma is in everyday language, though it is Buddhist. Feng shui and the strong belief in "malas" and "suwerte" are strong Chinese influences. Belief in past lives and reincarnation may not be that prevalent, but these are not too foreign either, as are New Age influences that have crept up in the Filipino psyche.

According to a research by a local resident, Danny Sagun, these superstitious beliefs were created by old folks in order to frighten and impose their rules on the people around them, especially children. Nonethelless, these beliefs persist despite being contrary to facts and downright unscientific. They persist even despite the promise of high hilarity among modern-day non-believers -- a testament to the tenacity of the indigenous belief system they must have originally sprung from, such that no aspect of local life is left untouched by this belief system.

Listed here are some of the most commonly held superstitious beliefs in this town, most of which have endured up to this day, despite the lack of basis in fact or any scientific explanation, despite their history of imposition. We who compiled these were amazed at the encyclopedic number of beliefs we had to list down, and believe that we have just scratched the surface.

Good Luck/Bad Luck

· Don't sweep the floor at night. You will drive away good luck.

· Don't sell needles at night because it is bad luck.

· If you are about to leave home and accidentally break a glass, it's a bad omen. Don't leave. Or break another glass to dispel bad luck.

Seeing an owl, ground lizard, or black cat cross your path means bad luck.

· Don't accept cash payments at night, or you will always lose money.

· If you cup your palm on your chin and cheek, your life will be malas, filled with misfortune or full of burden.

· Kapag mukhang malas ang katabi sa sugal, paalisin ito.

· Kapag nanaginip ng ngiping nabunot, ikagat ang ngipin sa unan pagkagising upang makontra ang kamalasan.

· Say pusan taloray kolor to, swerte.

· No walay oleg ya andeket ed abong, suwerte.

· No makasabat kay pusan adeket no walay laen mo, agka la untutuloy ta malas.

· No makanengneg kay basakay, kontram na "Pwera bwisit, pwera malas.

· Ikdan moy kuros na bulsa so pitakam pian suwerte.

· Huwag mo sasabihing mabigat ang pagkain o mga bilihing dala-dala o bitbit, dahil malas yun.

· Say pitaka dapat walay kuros na bulsa (token paper money or loose coins) to piyan suwerte.

· Huwag magkukuko sa gabi, dahil baka may mamatay sa pamilya.

Weather

· Pag sobrang maalinsangan o mainit ang panahon at walang kahangin-hangin, magtawag ng hangin sa pamamagitan ng pagpito gamit ang nguso (nang walang ginagamit na pito).

· Kapag masama ang panahon at may importanteng kaganapan, mag-alay ng mga itlog sa altar, magsampay ng pulang damit, magsampay/magsabit ng damit sa lugar, iwagayaway ang walis tingting sa ere, o magsunog ng balahibo ng manok.

· Pag kumikidlat, bawal magsuot ng pulang damit o magdala ng pulang payong.

Giving or Receiving Gifts

· No regaluan da kay panyo, bayaran moy piso piyan agka unakis.

· Alimaong so regaluay sapatos ta singa da ka gagatin-gatinan.

· Never give a handkerchief as a gift, or the receiver will weep a lot. If someone gives you one, buy it back with PhP1.

· Suwerte so orinola ya iregalo ed balon kasal.

Body/Body Positions

· No aketket to may dila to may too, pan iistoryaan da ka.

· No aketket mo'y dilam, wala'y akanunot ed sika.

· Say ak-akualen to'y duaran dakulap to, mangiras.

· No akasinkaling tan uwab lan uwab, mangiras.

· Makakaraeg no akabalaybay so twalyan baleg ed beklew mo anggano aga manames.

· No manparutpot so ugaw a melag (their lips making sound like a propeller), wala'y unsabin bagyo.

· No man-galaw ya palpaltugan iray ogogao, manpapaniring ira na unsabin giyera.

· No akaampat ka, mangiras ka. O no akaampat ka, bwisit o malas ed bilay. (This may be a Chinese influence.)

· No am-ampatot moy ulom ya akadukol, walay nagawan aliwa.

· No mangan kad paway na labi, napiwis so sungot mo.

· No mangan kay atang, napiwis so sungot mo.

· Ang buhok na ginupit ay dapat itapon sa kanal o lugar na basa upang mabilis tumubo o lumago ang buhok.

· Ang naalis na ngipin ay dapat na ihagis sa bubong, yung matunog, upang mabilis tumubo ang ngipin ng nabungi.

· When someone is having a hiccup, one should say, "Nantakew ka'y iknol?" (Did you steal an egg?) so the hiccup will stop.

· No say kakampuyo et walad silong na mata, manangibalo.

· No rapas ka, makapatey kay too. (If you have one straight line crossing your palm completely from end to end (instead of the usual two that run up to just after the middle of the palm), it's a sign that you'll kill a person someday.)

- Pregnancy

• Maglagay ng asin sa bintana upang hindi mahirapang magbuntis.

• Bawal tumayo o umupo sa may pintuan upang hindi mahirapang manganak.

• Bawal haplusin ng haplusin ang tiyan baka makatulog ang bata kung manganganak na.

• Kapag lumindol, kailangang maligo ang mga buntis ng suka para hindi sila makunan.

• “Aga nayari so unirong ed takayan no malukon ka.” (Don’t sit on the staircase if you are pregnant.)

Someone who often sat on the staircase while pregnant had a difficult labor as a result. It took time for her to give birth to her child.

• “Aga nayari so mangay dakel” (Don’t eat a lot if you are pregnant.)

Someone who ate a lot whatever and whenever she desired had a difficult labor and had a hard time giving birth due to complications.

• “Aga nayari ya mampuyat so malukon.” (Don’t sleep late at night if you are pregnant.)

Remecia C. Junio blames her habit of sleeping late at night for not going through labor and for having a one-week delay in her due date.

• “Aga nayari so unsilip ed inatey no malukon.” (Don’t glance at the dead if you are pregnant.)

Marde V. Dy said it’s forbidden to glance at the corpse of the dead because because there’s a possibility of experiencing a difficult birth.

• “Aga nayari so unnusok no malukon.” (Don’t bend your body if you are pregnant.)

Mrs. Marcelina's grandmother told her when she was pregnant not to bend her body because there’s a possibility that the child would someday grow without teeth.

• “Aga nayari so unsaklang ed motor no malukon.” (Don’t ride a motorcycle if you’re pregnant.)

Mrs. Rita remembers her mother telling her when she was pregnant not to ride on a motorcycle even if she was only 2-3 months pregnant because there’s a possibility that she would lose the child. 

 

Mappers: Andre-Yam Espiritu, Mickaella Agbuya, Jackie Lyn Balanag, Patricia Dy, Lee Diane Garcia, Kristine Ross Montil, Cindy Valdoz
 

• “Huwag kang kumain ng tirang pagkain ng buntis kung ayaw mong antukin."  (Don't eat a pregnant woman's leftover food, or you get sleepy.) 

· Huwag tanggihan ang buntis kapag ito ay humingi (halimbawa ng mangga, atbp.), dahil magtatampo ang sanggol sa sinapupunan at sasakit ang tiyan ng buntis.

- Menstruation

· Bawal kumain ng maasim dahil hihilab ang tiyan.

· Kung first time mong magregla, yung tubig na pinaghugasan ng panty ay ihilamos sa mukha para hindi magkapimple.

· Hindi puwedeng manungkit ng bunga ang babaeng may regla dahil mamamatay ang puno.

Children and Child Care

· After the christening/baptism rite at the church, parents should run to the door with their baby as fast as they can and be the first to get there, to ensure the baby will grow stronger than the rest.

· Don't give the baby a haircut until it turns one year old, and be sure to place inside a book the first sheaf of hair that was cut, to ensure the child will grow up intelligent.

· Wet with your saliva the new baby you just visited before leaving, or the baby (or you) will fall ill inexplicably. Or: · Ipakemkem so ogao ed sangkaili ta piyan aga naamlingan/nabaltikan. 

· When a baby is having a hiccup, take a thread from the hem of his or her clothes or from his/her balkes (cloth belt), and wet it, then ball it and place it on top of his/her forehead, so the hiccup will stop.

· No say ugaw pakaney bao'y baboy, umbaleg ya malabir.

· No siopa so unaan ya nankatliy buwek na ugaw, sikatoy natawir ton ugali.

· No amilos so ugaw, pakanen na baoy baboy piyan underetsoy tongtong to. Isabit ang pusod ng bagong panganak sa bintana para mataas ang marating ng bata at tingalain siya pagdating ng panahon.

· Ikdan moy pakemkem so sakey ugaw no nanengneng mo ed unaan ya panbisita to ta suwerte. (Bigyan mo ng pakimkim ang sanggol kapag makita mo ito sa unang pagkakataon para suwerte. Give a little cash gift (money) to a baby that you see for the first time, for good luck.)

· No say ugaw et walay duwaran alimpuros to, paweg o pilyo. (Ang batang may dalawang alimpuyo o puyo ay pilyo o pasaway o matigas ang ulo. A child with two hair whorls is naughty or hard-headed.)

· Nengneng moy tenger na ugaw ya kapananak piyan naaantaan mo no say unsublay ya agi to et bii o laki. No walay mautok, laki. (Check out the nape of the baby to determine the gender of the next child after him/her.)

· No say alimpuros na ugaw et walad beneg na ulo to, dudukulan toy kuwarta. (If the hair whorl of the child is found right at the back of his/her head, he/she is lying on money.)

· No walay lungaw na tenger to, masiblet. (Kapag may butas ang batok, madamot. When the nape has a hole, he/she is stingy.)

· Kapag nagpabinyag, ang kukuning ninong o ninang ay iyung matalino para maging matalino ang bata.

· Ang unang gugupit sa buhok ng bata ay dapat matalino, at dapat ay iipit sa libor ang ginupit na buhok, upang maging matalino ang bata.

· Naming children-No masakit (o lanang ya mansasakit) so sakey ugaw, salatay ngaran to, tan saliwen may daan ya ngaran na piso o binting. Variation: Say ugaw ya masanting so ngaran to, masakit, katon salatan so ngaran to na pangit.

Eating and Cooking

· No niparukan ka habang mangakan ka, walay akanunot ed sika.

· No naplag so kutsara, say bisita yo bii; no tinidor, laki.

· No manluluto ka, agka kiwal lan kiwal ta naelew so mangan.

· Itelek so plato no walay umpikal habang mamangakan kayo ta piyan iwas risgo (disgrasya o anto ka man ya mauges).

· If you leave home after finishing your meal while the rest of the family are still eating, they should rotate all their plates so you will avoid meeting an accident along the way.

· During meals, the serving spoon or rice ladle should never point at you, or people will falsely accuse you of theft.

· When washing the dishes, do not scrape the ladle with a spoon, or family members will end up in a serious quarrel.

· Never let the rice dispenser run out of rice, or the family would run out of it for a very long time.

· Don't eat in a dark place. If you don't share your food with the unseen spirits, they will harm you.

· Don't jump after eating, or you might have appendicitis.

· Don't eat atang (food offering for the spirits), or you will become kabaw (forgetful).

· When cooking ampalaya (bitter gourd), smile, and avoid talking, so the dish won't be bitter.

· No mangan kay keran panangan na malukon, makakaugip ka. (Kapag kumain ka ng tira ng buntis, aantukin ka. If you eat a pregnant woman's leftover food, you will feel sleepy.)

· No wala kad arapay dalikan, agka mankakansyon ta balo so naasawam.

· Ipaliis moy ikol na balaok no akaturo ed sika piyan agda ka pan palpalsaen ed aray nababalang.

· No ikaway moy balaok ed toon unalis ed abong ya misugal ed paway balbaleg so tiyansa ton natalo.

· Kapag may nakalunok ng tinik, tawagin lang ang pangalan ng isang kakilala sa ipinanganak na suhi (suni), o magpahilot dito ng leeg upang matanggal ang tinik.

·No laki ka... Agka mangakan na balikuleng ta naiyar ka. (For boys: Don't eat chicken gizzard or you'll catch jock itch.)

·Kung iinom ng alak (alcohol), magtapon ng kaunti sa lupa para sa mga hindi nakikita o para hindi malasing. 

· Huwag palipat-lipat  ng upuan kapag kakain, dahil balang araw, papalit-palit ka ng asawa.

 

Local beliefs and practices when cooking for feasts

Huwag magsisigarilyo para di mahulugan ng upos yung niluluto at baka mapanis.

Huwag tapik-tapikin ng itak ang karne upang di madaling mapanis ang ulam.

The one to serve the food should be someone who si makaaklo -- someone who can feed a lot of people.

Put ice in bagisen or dinuguan to tenderize the meat. 

Doing Grocery

When carrying groceries, particulary food, never say they are ambelat or heavy because that would be malas. A counter-spell would be to say, "Pwera bwisit!"

Ghosts

· Agka untutuktok no labi ta say unebat anyani.

· No mantagloong la ray aso, amot ka la ta makakanengneng iray añani kono.

· No mayamaya o tayaketek ed oras na mansirunget, unsisirum iray kakamarerwa o añani.

Friday Taboos

· No mannailcutter kay biyernes, nabalusiksikan ka

· Don't clip your nails on a Friday, or you'll get the skin on that area below the nails peeling and curling up?

Good Friday, Easter Sunday

· It's bad to take a bath during Good Friday.

· If you get wounded on Good Friday, the wound will never heal.

· On the morning of Easter Sunday, jump as high as you can, so you will be as tall. (As told to young kids)

Birthdays and Weddings

· During birthdays, serve rice noodles for long life.

New Year's Day

· Kailangan say utang mo, nabayaran mon amin balo man-Balon Taon, ta piyano agka nalener ed utang ed untumbok ya taon.

· Agka manhahanday manok ed Balon Taon ta piyan agka mankakaykay ed irap na bilay diad untumbok ya sakey taon.

· On New Year's Eve, prepare 12 round fruits to attract good luck the whole year through.

· Wear red or polka dots for the same reason.

· Mansibuwag kay sinsilyo ed abong piyan suwerte. (Throw coins around the house for the same reason.)

· Hang a bunch of 12 pieces of grapes by the door, etc. for year-long prosperity.

· Para media noche, dapat dakel so handa piyan masanting? so panagbilay ed sakey taon. Manhanda ka ray arom ni ran tibukel: sakey bigaon tikoy, latik, etc.

· Dapat walay ansakket piyan malet so aroa'y pamilya.

· Dapat wala'y pancit piyan andukey so bilay.

· Kasabi'y alas dose ed pegley labi na Balon Taon, onlukso kay atagtaragey piyan: no ugaw ni, untagey tan aga napandak; no matakken la, piyan maksil so laman to ya sakey taon.

· Kailangan sa'y belasan nakno, piyan aga naerasan ya sakey taon.

· Iwasan moy mangaway anto ka man ya trabaho ya ampano sakey taon mo met ya gawaen.

· Mangawa kay ingal piyan unarawi ray mauuges ya ispiritu.

· Tangtang mo ray batya tan palanggana. Mantorotot ka. Patugtog moy radyo, iswitch moy TV ya makmaksil. Manpapaputok ka. Paandar moy motor, tricycle, kotse ya mapalakapak.

· Mangawa ka'y bongbong (bamboo cannon) ta paputok mo.

· Bukasan mo ra'y amin ya puwerta tan bintana piyan unloob so suwerte.

· Manselsel na lusis. Isilew mon amin ya silew. I-on mo met iray amin ya appliances piyano suwerte.

Clothes

· Don't mend your clothes while you're wearing it, or you might get stitched too (undergo operation).

· Don't cut anything on your clothes while wearing them, or you might get operated on.

Animals

· No say kuwago tinmoon ed krus na kapilyay sementerio walay unsabin sakit o epidemic.

· Say kolayot buwisit.

· No initdan da ka na pusan kuting salatan moy dagum piyan masebeg ya manerel na otot

· Don't refer to an otot (daga, mouse or rat) as an "otot," or don't use swear words when referring to it, or it will wreak havoc on your things. Call it "mabait" (kind) instead.

· No narengel yoy tiki ed dalem na abong yo ya mankik-kik, walay bisita ya unsabi.

· No say pusa et mandidilamos ya aka arap ed pertay abong, sakey ya miyembro na pamilya so manbiyahe ed arawi.

· No say pusa mandidilamos ya akabeneg ed pwertay abong, walay unsabin bisita. No gabay yon nasura piyan aga natuloy so isabi to, idepak yoy daiset piyan napigar.

· No walay sinmabin kumpapey or ___ (moth) ya siber-siber, walay inatey na binmisita. (When a strange butterfly or a butterfly or moth comes flying around for no reason, it is the soul of the dead visiting.)

Taking Exams

· No man-exam ka, mangibulsa kay pison baleg tan agat, iyan mod supot na ice candy ta piyan pampasuwerte.

House

· If you open an umbrella inside the house, a centipede will fall off and land on your head.

· Place a thorny plant by your door/garden to drive away witches or prevent them from harming you.

· No akaibong kay asin, buntokan moy asin met so kawigin takeb mo piyan nabulag may demonyod kawigim.

· Agmo ititilak so anto ka man ya makdem (katli, kutsilyo, etc.) ya akaturo ed sika piyan ag ka napalsaan. (Huwag mong iiwang nakaturo sa iyo ang kahit na anong matalim para di ka mapagbintangan. Don't leave anything sharp to be pointing at you so you won't be false accused.)

· No walay laen mon importante agka umpapawil-pawil ed nanlapuan mo ta agmo nasabi so pegdat mo.

· Masama o malas ang nababasagan ng salamin. (Joey Ferrer)

· "Termites (anay) will not enter the house if the bottoms of all wooden posts are first charred."

- Using Something for the First Time

(This one seems peculiar to Pangasinenses.)

· When someone uses something (like any gadget for the house) for the first time, make sure a strong male uses it first so that the object will surely last long or be sturdy.

- Night-time Taboos

· Bawal so mandait na labi, ta ampano walay naoperahan ed pamilya.

· Bawal so manpaway na kuwartay labi (bilang bayar o pautang) ta malas.

· Bawal so man-nail cutter no labi.

· Agka manasaliw na dagum na labi piyan aga milalati.

· Don't sweep the floor at night. You will drive away good luck.

· Don't sell needles at night because it is bad luck.

Little Panagsura Rituals to Avert an Impending Rain

Rain is a blessing, but it is also a curse when it falls on the chosen date of any big event, such as wedding, christening, or anything that requires a major gathering of relatives, friends, and the community.

If a big event is threatened by an impending rain, locals resort to these simple counter-spell strategies (panagsura rituals) on the day before the major activity:

Hang outside the shirt that you will be wearing to the occasion, or

Wave a broom or broomstick at the sky, and/or

Offer raw eggs to saints on the altar.

Another panagsura ritual to forestall the bad weather (such as an impending thunderstorm) is performed on the big day itself:

Burn cloth (any used cloth, for example) and shake the burning cloth under the floor of the house.

Yet another ritual that residents in Hermoza routinely do to dissuade, as it were, the impending rain from falling on their parade is as follows:

Once it rains while everyone is inside the house, draw a sun on a piece of paper, have it colored, and show the drawing to the sky.

6. But before it rains, draw a picture of the sun right on the soil.
Draw

Other Beliefs and Practices Related to Rain, Thunder, and Lightning

When there is thunder, do not wear red, or lightning might strike you.

Kung kumikidlat, magwilig ng suka sa mga bintana at pinto.

Maglagay ng palaspas sa pintuan o bintana para pangontra sa kidlat.

Pag kumukulog, huwag maingay dahil naglalaro ng bowling si San Pedro.

Manames ka ed perprimiron oran na Mayo pian arawi kad sakit. (Maligo sa pinakaunang ulan sa Mayo upang malayo ka sa sakit.)

If the day is hot or humid and you want it to rain, give your cat a bath.

Huwag gumamit ng payong na kulay pula o may patusok na bakal sa tuktok baka makidlatan.

Takpan ang mga salamin pag kumukulog at/o kumikidlat dahil tinatamaan ng kidlat ang salamin.

Make the sign of the cross and say, "Jesus, Maria, Joseph," whenever there's heavy rain, lightning and thunder as protection.

Business Enterprise

Gumamit ng orinola na lalagyan ng mga bayad ng mga bumibili sa tindahan para swerte.

Sources: Joey Ferrer, Melchor Orpilla, Danny Sagun, Resty Odon, Valentine Garcia, Vernaliza M. Ferrer, Luz B. Cayabyab, Bernabe I. Mercado, Dennis Flores, Sharlene Gravidez-Gonzales, Clarita F. Tagab, Macario Garcia III, John Marc Flores, Perfecto Beltran, Carmencita Pacis

Notes:

A separate article expounds on local beliefs and rituals surrounding death.

Another article discusses the belief called "salachado" (salatsado?), a belief regarding birth order of one's children. It seems peculiar to Pangasinenses.

 

Reference:

 

Filipino Building Beliefs by Architect Ernesto R. Zarate url: https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-the-arts-sca/architecture-and-allied-arts-2/filipino-building-beliefs/