Superstitious Beliefs in the Philippines

A part of the Philippines' beliefs originated from the different countries that colonized the country hundreds of years ago. These beliefs are continuously followed by some people especially the elderly. Some beliefs seem to be true, some will make you laugh and some will just leave you confused.

Here are few superstitious beliefs in the Philippines that can make you stop and think about their basis:

A bride-to-be should not fit her gown before her wedding
Many Filipinos believe that the wedding will not push through if the bride insists in fitting her wedding dress. Well, it is better to follow a belief like this, rather than experiencing the fear of such unfortunate event, right?

Newlyweds should not eat fried rice
The couple who just got married should not eat fried rice on the day of their wedding, or else their marriage will soon be toasted.

When transferring to a new house, things like rice, water, salt and a religious statue should be brought first inside
Rice symbolizes prosperity, water symbolizes peace, salt drives away bad spirits, and the statue is for divine protection. This is one belief that many prefer doing, and this, most probably, originated from the Spaniards.

Putting a coin under the shoe when joining competitions
This, according to old people, is for good luck. It is, likewise, to remove stage fright and nervousness.

Wearing something red or polka-dots during New Year's Day
This belief obviously came from the Chinese. Red colour means prosperity and polka-dots symbolize coins or money.

All of these beliefs may have rooted in some situations that were just coincidental and that were later put into practice. In this modern world, many don't believe in superstitions anymore. Filipinos, nowadays, are keener. Most of them already believe that they make their own destiny and that their future depends much on what they choose to do rather than on what they're told to do.