In Manila, there are many traditions, but some of the more prominent ones are:
The use of the word "Po" or "Opo" means "Yes" in a very polite manner. It is usually said by a young person to an elder.
Kissing the hand of an elder means a sign of respect to the elder.
It is also a tradition to hold a family reunion to celebrate a birthday in the family, for Christmas or New Year's Celebration.
Once a year, every November 1, the Filipinos honor their "dead" by going to cemeteries. Those who are not able to go may choose to light up candles and pray for the souls of their dead relatives.
Most Filipinos believe that eating Pancit (Philippines-style fried noodles) on their birthday will enable them to live longer.
Filipinos make their children jump from several steps above the stairs or on any tabletop down to the floor as according to them they believe this will make the children grow up fast and tall.
New Year Customs and Traditions
In Manila, it is important to make sure you have plenty of coins when New Year comes at twelve midnight on 1st of January. Filipinos think that this will ensure that you will have abundant money the whole year round next year.
Children are not allowed to spend money or buy something from the store on first day of New Year if not, they will not be able to save and will always be without money for the rest of the year.
Filipinos has a lot of New Year traditions related to creating abundance in the family. Such as wearing clothes with Polka dot designs as round shapes on the clothing will attract and represents money, put thirteen kind of fruits, round ones only on the dinner table, not sweeping the floors on New Year Day so you will not sweep away your fortune.
Filipinos would make any kind of noise at every corner of the house when the clock strikes twelve on the eve of New Year Day so as to remove any or all bad luck that may have harbored in the house for the past year.
As New Year comes in, windows will be wide open as this will ensure letting into your household all the blessings, good fortune that are brought by the New Year.
Finally, when all the banging, the singings, the noise-makings in welcoming the New Year have settled down, close all the windows and do not open them up until in the morning when the sun is up. People believe those glad tidings of the New Year need to settle down in the house and do not let them go through any open windows of the house.
Metropolitan Manila
Wedding traditions
Metro Manila might be a civilized suburban district but Manileños and Manileñas are still following Philippine wedding traditions. Some of which are the proper attire of barong tagalogs or tuxedos on their weddings, avoiding two siblings being married on the same year especially women (sukob) because it would cause bad luck, money is being pinned on the couple during their dance on the reception, and many other Filipino wedding traditions. Manila weddings are generally held on churches followed by a reception to a restaurant, an out-of-town venue, or just a home reception.
Manila Environs
Arts and Crafts
Embroidery done on bleached pina (cloth made from pineapple fibers) is a tradition of the provinces near Laguma de Bay. This detailed needlework distinguishes the barong Tagalog (traditional Filipino man’s dress shirt).
In Paete, wood carving and papier-mache is a tradition. A long wood carving tradition is evident on the façade of Santiago de Apostol Church. Tradition of papier-mache making is being used as a decoration.
Pakil is also known for its delicate filigree wood shaving art. The delicate toothpicks topped by fanned peacock’s tails, butterflies or spiralling trees found in Manila’s hotels come from Pakil.
Thursday, December 9, 2010, 10:33 PM
