Objective Jerk
Army Veteran Asshole that is learning to love Jesus. I use my MIC / Platform as a form of "Therapy", no schedule, no script, just whatever is floating my boat at the moment.
Objective Jerk
LIVING WITH LOOKY-LOOS AND BLOOD RITUALS: Navigating Filipino Superstitions
Filipino cultural observations range from the amusing tendency of locals to stare at strangers to the fascinating urban legends surrounding landmark infrastructure projects like the San Juanico Bridge. This exploration of local superstitions reveals how ancient beliefs continue to shape modern Filipino life despite technological advances and religious influences.
• Filipinos demonstrate an intense curiosity about others, constantly looking into vehicles and observing strangers in a way that feels intrusive to foreigners
• Bridge construction techniques in the Philippines spark questions about engineering standards and corruption in infrastructure projects
• The San Juanico Bridge's urban legend involves children's blood mixed with concrete to strengthen the structure and ensure its longevity
• Traditional "padugo" blood rituals involving animal sacrifice for construction projects predate modern infrastructure techniques
• Common Filipino superstitions include flipping slippers to ward off spirits, wearing protective amulets, and avoiding sweeping at night
• These superstitions persist alongside Catholic practices, creating an interesting cultural blend that sometimes causes friction
Thanks for listening to this exploration of Filipino culture through the eyes of a foreigner. If you have your own experiences with strange superstitions or cultural quirks, I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
Again, thanks for hanging out with me!
Please feel free to comment or send an email to theobjectivejerk@gmail.com
What's going on. This is the Objective Jerk, where I talk about stupid shit that I feel like talking about and I am said jerk, what's up? Got tea today I already drank like a pot of coffee, but I've been up early. I got up early. I usually do get up early, but I've been up early. I got up early. I usually do get up early, but I've been kind of getting up later than I normally do.
Speaker 1:So went mountain biking, got a little solar flare going on, like, um, what's the dude that? Uh, directed the star trek? You know that movie, the remade ones, where there's just nothing but solar flares going on. Anyway, I got a solar flare in my podcast, all right, tart Whatchamacallit. So what did I talk about last time? I don't know why I'm in like a singing mood. Uh, let me check real quick. What did I talk about? Oh, it was the elections, yeah, so, oh, I gotta take the signs down too. We have our banners in front of our house. I gotta take them down.
Speaker 1:I keep forgetting, um, so what have I been doing? What have I been doing? Nothing much. Been going to the gym with my son, trying to go mountain biking, trying to stay active. Um, making plans to go to Manila Get some paperwork done. Um, we were gonna go Today, I, I think, originally, but we pushed it back a little bit. That's about it, man, living the dream, living the dream, but yeah. So that's kind of a crazy episode, I guess.
Speaker 1:But one thing about is another, complaining about Filipinos. I guess Filipinos are the luckiest Lou mother truckers there are. You know what lucky Lou's are, right like they cannot mind their business and they gotta look and see what's going on. You know, you got those people. They're everywhere and they're in America too. But man, filipinos, dude, they are the most looky-less, lookiest loos I've ever met. Like you, just drive around, you know, and people just sit there and they'll look. They have to look inside your vehicle, what? Maybe that's why everybody tents their windshields, I don't know. I mean, obviously it's because it's hot, but but I don't want to tent my windshield because I want to be able to see at nighttime, which is why a lot of these retards drive so damn slow at night, because they can't see shit. Because they can't see shit Because they got freaking limo tint on their windshield, you know.
Speaker 1:But it's like I notice, like you drive around and just people, man, everybody, just, it's just kind of strange. You know where I grew up. It's like you know you'll notice cars, you'll look, whatever this and that, but you don't sit there and look and see who's driving. If you happen to catch and be like, oh dang, she's good looking, then you might look or whatever, but they have to look at me. What, what I got to sit there and look and stare Like it's really kind of annoying. And then, like you know the tricycle drivers they're just putting along along whatever, and then they see something. They'll just sit there and look and I'm like, dude, are you not on the road on a vehicle right now? What are you doing? Look where you're going, like it's just, oh, it is insane. Looky lose. Filipinos are looky-loos like crazy.
Speaker 1:But here's another crazy thing. So there is some construction going on by my father-in-law's house, right, and there's been like this big crane sitting there taking up half the road, just jacking up everything. I mean, it's not like it's a major busy road or nothing but and there's like these massive concrete pillars over on the side there, you know, and my son he took a video of it like a week or so ago, and it's like they're driving in these concrete pillars and I'm just like dude, they're going to crumble apart, like how are you driving in concrete? Why isn't it like steel? You know that doesn't make sense to me, but anyway. So there's all these pillars and they're marked, like how deep they are.
Speaker 1:You know, and I'm just like so yesterday I mean, I don't drive on this road every single day, but pretty often, and I was just finally, it was like my wife was there and I'm like, what are they doing there? What are they building? And she's like, oh, they're doing a bridge, they're building a bridge. And I'm like what? I was like that's how they do a bridge, like they just I mean, you know it's at the very beginning of the process, but it's just weird, you know they, they pick this spot and they're just driving in these. You know 40 foot, 50, not 50 foot, that's too much, 30 foot probably concrete pylon things that they're driving in there, and then they're just gonna like build the bridge on it, or how is this gonna work?
Speaker 1:I'm kind of curious, um, because that just seems kind of crazy to me. Maybe that's just to kind of get, just to help, I don't know and then they'll build, they'll pour concrete around it. You know some footers and stuff, but that's what these are. These are like the footers, the bridge, so it's really strange. But the thing that's weird to me is like why isn't it just steel? Why aren't they just pounding in steel? Why is it concrete? Like that seems like that's kind of cheaper.
Speaker 1:Now, the Philippines is notorious I talked about it, I think, on my last podcast actually about the roads and everything and the government and how they just they pocket a lot of money and they do a little bit of embezzling and so they do stuff on the cheap side so they can make some money, right. But you can't really do that with bridges and the Philippines is notorious for having bridges collapse because of that. You know, just like that, the pylon that was supposed to stop that vehicle at the airport that just crumbled instead of stopping the vehicle. It's crap like that that the Philippines is famous for. So I just thought it was kind of weird and I was like why are they just driving in concrete? Should be steel, right? Is anybody an engineer out there?
Speaker 1:I mean, it just seems like like the way they're doing it is how I would picture, like kids in a sandbox building a bridge. You know they're they got some water and like we're gonna build a bridge and they're just like driving in some like wooden stakes to build the. You know what I mean. Like it just seems wooden stakes to build the place. You know what I mean. Like it just seems not good. You know what I mean. I mean it's not a very long bridge and it's probably not going to be very wide. Um, you know, and it's like, how long is it? 50 feet, maybe 60 feet, just the, the width of the little the river. 60 feet, just the, the width of the little the river, which is normally, which is dry most of the year well, maybe not most of the year, but it like right now it's dry. Um, but so I just was like that's weird.
Speaker 1:And then my wife is like, well, you know, what's even weirder is they used to use the blood of children to like christen or to sanctify the bridges that they built. You know as like a, you know a, you know like a offering kind of thing, very paganism kind of whatever. And I was like what? And she's like, yeah, they, you know that was like an urban legend or whatever they used to use the blood of children on the bridge or foundation or whatever. She didn't know like a whole lot about it. She's like look it up. And I was like I will, okay.
Speaker 1:So I thought maybe this would be good for the my little podcast here. So I did look it up, I googled or actually I didn't, I'm not on google, but I ducked up code, let's see. Um, what do you call it? It was children, wait blood of children used for building bridge or something in the Philippines, you know. And so apparently it's not. I thought it was like an old school thing that they used to do for the bridges, but this is actually pretty recent, but it's only one bridge though, too, it seems like or maybe not pretty recent, but within the last 40 years or something like that. So, you know, I'm thinking like back when Filipinos, everybody lived in bamboo and rode ox and you know, and had spears and they built bridges or something, and maybe they, but so it's basically just this one bridge. I guess the San Juanico Bridge Used to be the longest bridge in the Philippines. So let's see, I'm going to read this. I'm sure it's just like an urban legend kind of thing, but I get the idea that I'm getting that because it's lasted. It was actually well-made, that they're going to be like, oh, they used the blood of children. It's like no, they probably just built it right and didn't skim off the top.
Speaker 1:One thing I'll say before I start reading is Filipinos are superstitious as hell, like big time. Like it's kind of annoying how superstitious they are. I think it causes a little friction with me and like my wife's family members about certain things. I'm like oh my gosh, I don't know I can't think of something right now off the top of my head, but I mean like a lot of things they do when they're doing their wake and when a loved family member passes away and they do these things. It's just kind of strange. I went along with some of it, but some of it I'm just like dude, I'm not doing that Anyway. So I'm going to read this. I haven't read it yet because I wanted to keep it real for the podcast. Anyway, the San Juanico so it's Juan, and then I-C-O Juanico, it's got to be Juanico Bridge is a 2.16 kilometer seawater overpass that crosses the narrowest strait of the same name in the eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. So it's down south somewhere, I think. Actually, before I get too far, maybe I should look at that, if I'm not mistaken. Let's see, oh, come on Through this computer I got an iMac but it's seven years old, eight years old or something.
Speaker 1:I think it just sucks balls. And you know, I was like, I was just Sorry, while I'm looking this up I was, um, thinking about getting a pc and just doing that and blah, blah, blah, you know. But then I ended up getting a new iphone, so it's actually my phone phone now, because before I had like a Samsung phone and then I had my old iPhone as my like little computer and but I was kind of worried about losing some stuff and my that iPhone was just kind of getting worse and worse. So I was like man. So I decided just to get another iPhone so I could have everything transferred over. And it's crazy how much better the phone is, you know, because it's new. I mean, that's how it is. But you know that Apple they have programs that make your, that make your shit suck, so you'll buy another phone. It's fucking annoying. But so now I'm like I see how well the phone is working. So then I'm like, oh man, I need to get a new mac, okay.
Speaker 1:So this, this place, wow, is way south, way far from me. So it's, it's. It's pretty far away, like it's, it's not. Oh man, the cat's in here forgot no, go away. Um, yeah, it's, we're this, I don't know, it's kind of tough. The Philippines is a bunch of islands if you look at it as like one whole piece kind of this place is about halfway and I'm all the way up north, so pretty far away I will probably most likely never go there anyway.
Speaker 1:Alright, it used to hold the title of the being hold the title of being the longest bridge in the country, soon to be surpassed by other bridges still under construction. It is part of the Pan-Philippine Highway, also called the Maralika Highway, a network of roads, bridges and sea routes connecting Luag to Zambonga and traversing through the islands of Luzon, samar, leyete and Mindanao Mindanao, I can never say that, right. The bridge was initially called the Marcos Bridge because it was built under the administration of the infamous Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos, from 1969 to 1973, who dedicated it as a personal gift to his wife, imelda, thus dubbed the Bridge of Love. It's I don't know. Anyway, okay, I'm not going to talk about that, the controversies right From aerial views, the bridge design forms the letter L and S, because the primary areas connected by this bridge are the providences of Samara and Leyte.
Speaker 1:Others believe that the unusual design idea calls for a much bigger budget, which means a bigger kickback available for taking by corrupt parties. The total cost of its construction was $21.9 million, equivalent to $154 million, or $8 billion pesos in today's money from public funds siphoned through the controversial Japanese official development assistance loans that Filipino taxpayers paid. Upon its completion, economists and public works engineers tagged it a white elephant, a useless possession that is expensive to maintain and difficult to dispose of due to the low traffic in the area. That doesn't justify the building costs, and the entire length of the megastructure is way shorter compared to unfinished roads in Samar. I don't know whoever wrote. This is not the greatest.
Speaker 1:San Juanico Bridge has endured and successfully survived countless natural disasters, such as earthquakes and typhoon-prone waters of eastern Visayas, though it was slightly damaged during Typhoon Heian something in 2013, which devastated many provinces, especially Tacloban I can't say any of these so Tacloban City in Leyte, it was quickly repaired and reopened within a month. For some Filipinos, particularly the very outspoken Marcos supporters, the bridge's longevity and resilience are a true testament that the bridge was utilized for its intended purpose. Others, however, believe that a sinister and mystical practice was performed during its erection to assist in the bridge's strength, additionally protecting it from harm. So here we go. So I mean, yeah, it's. I mean, maybe it wasn't really needed, but it seems like they did a good job. You know wasn't really needed, but it seems like they did a good job. You know the urban legend.
Speaker 1:There are two major versions of the urban legend surrounding the construction of san juanico bridge. Both versions involve blood, children's blood, reinforced the structure. It is said that Samar and Leyte locals noticed a lot of mysterious disappearances. That happened while the bridge was being constructed and it coincidentally halted after it was completed, probably because there was a bunch of workers there who were there temporarily during the bridge. A lot of them were probably, you know, rapists and murderers and stuff. So that's probably why this led to the supposition that the workers abducted young vagrants, beggars and street children, slit their throats and mixed their blood into the concrete for the San Juanico Bridge's foundations. Alternatively, they also believe that the poor victims' bodies were dumped into the water or buried along in its supporting pillars.
Speaker 1:In another version of the story, an initially unnamed woman was appointed as the person in charge to oversee the establishment of the project. She consulted with an expert quote-unquote Some say a spiritist, fortune teller or shaman who told her that the bridge could not be completed unless blood is offered to the nature spirits of the area. She was then revealed to be the ex-First Lady what Imelda Marcos, who allegedly trusted the advice given to her so much that she ordered street children to be kidnapped, since their families are unlikely to look for them. A local Dewada, mythical nature spirit serving as a protector of those waters, saw the plight of the children and took pity. According to this urban legend, de Wada cursed Miss Marcos to grow fish scales on her legs and that she would always stink like a fish.
Speaker 1:The rumor's popularity. The rumors popularity. Outlandish as it may sound, this story served as an explanation of why the fashionable first lady, who popularized wearing turno dress, always wore long gowns and dresses that doesn't show her legs and was believed to be the real reason for the luxurious fascination with designer perfumes. All right in the media. The urban legend of the sacrificed children of San Juanico Bridge also became the basis for the sixth installment of the Filipino horror anthology film Shake, rattle and Roll, released in 1997. What was the real deal. These stories were labeled urban legends because Mel DeMarco's supposed curse is not true and the disappearance of street children were largely unproven. However, it doesn't mean that the rumors formed out of thin air.
Speaker 1:The Padugo, the blood ritual Mixing the blood and the reinforcement of infrastructure is a pre-existing old belief in the construction industry in the Philippines. It is called padu go ritual, or blood spilling, where in the blood of a sacrificed animal, usually a chicken or a pig, is sprinkled on the construction site and functions as an offering meant to appease spirits residing in the land to prevent the spilling of human blood, such as through accidents during the construction or misfortunes, to the subsequent would-be residents. The butchered animal is then cooked in a feast and shared by the community. Some historians even believe that the famous Filipino lechon roasted pork originated from this practice. See, now this sounds logical. You know what I mean. Blood rituals often involve a symbolic death and rebirth. As literal bodily birth, it involves bleeding, both seen as very potent or unclean. It is considered by many practitioners of prayer ritual, magic and spellcasting to intensify the power of such activities. Although it is widely considered primitive and brutal by modern sensibilities, it is one of the most popular superstitious traditions in the Philippines dating back to our pre-colonial animistic spiritual belief system.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so, okay, that's kind of what I was when my wife first told me about it. That's what I was kind of picturing in my mind's eye Old school, whatever, killing of Alright, I think that's a pretty long article. Where am I at time-wise? Oh man, I'm already at 22 minutes. Damn, I read slow, don't I? Alright, I was going to read some other ones and see if maybe what kind of other stuff. So it looks like a decent bridge. Santa Juan Bridge is part of the we already said this A gift for the First Lady. We know that, the myth behind the bridge, so it's the same thing. Okay, so I'm not going to. But See, that's the thing that's kind of like I don't know.
Speaker 1:There are people that I'm sure I know there are people that believe that because they're superstitious as hell here, right, and it's not a bridge that lasts a long time and doesn't crumble and doesn't whatever. It's not due to you know good engineering and hard work and no skimming off the top and using cheap, you know materials. It's sacrificing something. So there's probably people that believe that. You know what I mean. So like they're like. Well, it doesn't matter if we, you know, take a little money, use, use cheaper rebar or whatever. As long as we, you know, as long as we get a good sacrifice, we'll be good.
Speaker 1:You know, I'm sure that's how a lot of people think I don't know, because they, yeah, the I don't know what are some of the other, like, there's a lot of little superstitious things. I mean, you know, I grew up there was some superstitious stuff. There's a whole stepping on a line, you know, or a crack stupid thing. Or the black cat walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, opening an umbrella inside the house, things like that. But, dude, here in the Philippines it's a whole nother level Filipino. But dude, here in the Philippines it's a whole nother level Filipino. Gosh, superstitions, let's see. Let's see what's. Excuse me, 35 outrageous Filipino superstitions, or 22 superstitions, or 22 superstitions that shaped the lives? Yeah, maybe that one, just because I'm already at my time. All right, let's see, here we go.
Speaker 1:One thing to know about the Philippines is that Filipinos are deep into folklore, centuries-old beliefs are passed down from generation to generation, that they seamlessly interwine with life, even until today. And what's crazy is those a lot of them are. You know, you'll have Catholic people and they're still giving in to these like superstitions, and that's kind of you know not. You know as a Christian, as a true Catholic, that's almost like idol worship, you know adult or however you say it. I forget that, but you know what I mean. It's like worshipping a different idol, the superstition I don't know. From whispered cautions to amusing jokes, the country is brimming with a tapestry of superstitions that bring out a sense of curiosity in us. If you want to find out more, then take a seat. Here are 22 Filipino superstitions that have shaped Filipino lives from the past to the present. Alright, let's see how many of these I know.
Speaker 1:Or experience Taking off a friend's ring breaks friendship. I'm not going to read it. I never heard that one. Dreams are harbingers of truth. I mean, that's kind of everybody, kind of somewhat okay, that's not.
Speaker 1:Slippers by the door, ward off unwelcome spirits. That's why they do it. That's just they didn't want to get dirt in the floor. When you visit an Asian household, you're bound to notice the rows of shoes and slippers placed by the door. We don't do that, though, because our dogs will chew them up, so we have a bunch of slippers just inside the door. I mean there's some like we have like a little sliding gate kind of thing that keeps the dogs so like if we want to have the door open and let just you know air flow, then we have that gate and it keeps the dogs from getting in the house. So inside that area we will, but sometimes the dogs will even get in there and get and chew on stuff. We don't really abide by this one. Practically speaking, this makes sense if you're someone who likes to keep the floor clean.
Speaker 1:While not all Filipinos practice this, there are some who believe that slippers act as guardians against unwelcome spirits. What you do is flip your slippers upside down and place them near the entrance so that they ward off malevolent entities seeking to infiltrate your home, using agma, ating-ting and Gayuma for protection. What the hell is that? Growing up, you may have seen your grandparents, and sometimes even babies, wearing odd-looking pendants. Oh, okay, yeah, I see that a lot with little kids. They're either worn as a necklace or pinned on a baby's clothing. I have seen that. To be explained below is the following item Well, these pendants don't come as it is. Elders refer to them as agimat, an amulet or talisman that can protect you against evil forces. While wearing it as a necklace is the most common thing to do, some would tuck an agimat discreetly inside their pocket for protection. Alright, let's see what else.
Speaker 1:Gaiuma Love potion. Gaiuma is another cultural belief that has a darker background, as the help of a witch is needed, gaiuma is a potion that can get a person to do your bidding. In the olden days, women would resort to Gaiuma to get a man of their choosing to fall in love with them, and that's just a part of the entire ritual. Aside from the potion, the ritual involves black magic and candles. And oh, cool, okay. Even if it has been passed through generations, harnessing supernatural forces to influence love and fate is uncharted territory. Blah, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 1:This is where you must trust elders when they say that practicing the rich crowd is wrong. I thought they were going to talk about how it's used today. All right, here's another thing. They pin like a little pillow on a kid. Okay, I've seen that too. Borrowing salt at night summons unwanted spirits. Borrowing salt at night summons unwanted spirits. Borrowing salt at night I haven't heard that one. Planting trees near your home to bring good luck it brings shade, what, okay, okay, raining while the sun is out signifies mythical creatures. I think that's kind of a little bit of everybody right. Woman C Raining while the sun is out signifies mythical creatures. I think that's kind of a little bit of everybody right.
Speaker 1:Womancy and divination practices for healing. For time, it's safe to assume that Filipino belief has revolved around spiritual practices for different purposes. Even now there are some places, especially provinces, that have a local I can't say it but folk healer or witch doctor who people turn to for unexplainable instances happening, from illness to exorcism. I haven't heard anything about that around here. I think that Catholicism is somewhat strong around here, or even just Christianity. There's a few different, you know. There's a Mormon church, there's the what's the one Seventh-day Advent, you know all the different stuff. So Christianity is a little so you don't see too many of these. Oh, I've seen that in some movies. Cracking an egg, okay.
Speaker 1:Sweeping at night Sweeps away good luck. Oh, that's why everybody sweeps in the morning, though, dude, in the morning If you get up early and everywhere you go, everybody's sweeping. They're sweeping around their patio and doing all this kind of stuff, and I guess that's why. Because Sweeping at night, good luck. But well, I don't know. See some of these. I think people just made it for people to just create good habits. You know Sweep in the morning and then you have a clean house the rest of the day. I don't know.
Speaker 1:Having itchy palms foretells money matters Like all. We're in class. We're going to strive for financial stability, so if there's anything they can do to achieve that, they'll probably consider doing it. If your palm starts to itch, belief suggests that there will be wealth coming to you soon. Well, that's probably why I'm like, because I have like eczema or I don't know. I get like I'll get like something. It just itches and it becomes kind of like a little blister and then I don't know, it's kind of weird. I get a, so I should be rich, right?
Speaker 1:Okay, whistling at night attracts spirits. I know they do. Whistling will bring like a breeze and a wind. I've heard that around here. Opening umbrellas and doors attracts misfortune, so that's All right. Hanging up rosary and garlic to protect from evil, that's just a good idea anyway. Right, I mean garlic, I don't know, but I got rosary all over the place, not because I don't know. Can't hurt. Alright, let's see.
Speaker 1:Offering food to the spirits to keep them out of your home Well, that's why they do it. There's a lot of offerings for, but I thought it was more of a sentimental kind of thing not to keep them out of the home. Well, that's why they do it. I mean my, you know there's a lot of offerings for, but I thought it was more of like a sentimental kind of thing not to keep them out of the home. Putting money in your shoes for wealth I've heard of that, but not here.
Speaker 1:Trimming nails at night will cause accidents. Huh, a lot of Filipinos that have long fingernails turning your plate when someone leaves the table to ensure safety. I haven't heard that one. I know there's a thing with utensils. I was thinking maybe I was going to talk about that. Tapo, to stay safe from mythical creatures. Tabo, is that cleaning?
Speaker 1:Back then there was a pass, same with confirming blah, blah, blah, blah. Oh, no, okay, never mind. Twin siblings for undivided luck. Okay, man, they got a bunch. Man, respecting elements is a must, but then again that goes against Christianity. Suddenly missing things because of dwarves? No, it's because your brain is going Dude. I misplace things all the time, but anyway. So that's kind of it All right, so not quite as crazy as I was thinking, but yeah it's. You know, some of my wife's her aunts are very superstitious with things and I'm just like I don't care. I'm sorry, I mean, I'm not going to be like, oh, it's bullshit. I just, you know, sign the cross, thank Jesus and you know, move on. Thank Jesus and you know, move on. But, um, alright, I've been talking for 35 minutes, so that's it for me. Um, I appreciate you guys hanging out. Let me know what you think about, um, the bloody bridge, and, uh, I will See you guys next time, alright, thanks, god bless.
