EXAMPLES OF ETHNIC HOUSES

The following are the early forms of dwelling used by the early Filipinos:

1. BADJAO/BADJAW

Environmental Situation: Coastal water of Tawi-Tawi, Sibutu and Semporna. Chief occupation
is fishing.

Plan:
- House on stilts above the shallow water
- Flooring made of bamboo
- Main room is a combination of sala and sleeping area while the adjacent area is
used as a kitchen.
- House made accessible to each other by means of bamboo planks laid out like
streets
- One characteristic item found in the sala is the mirror used for driving away evil
spirits

The Badjaos also build boathouses of various designs and sizes.

Parts of boathouses:
a. Djenging is used primarily for storage and sleeping
b. 12’ in length
c. Bamboo flooring nailed permanently to floor joist while some portion of the floor
is covered by loose wooden planks for the purpose of using the underneath
space as additional storage space.
d. Okir designs dominate the sides
e. Furnishing that are found in the cabin are the following: sail, fishing lamp,
suitcase, stove, pots and plates, water jug, small chest, mats and pillow.

Structural Elements:
- The interior space is enclosed by wooden walls nailed permanently for protection
against the elements.

Protective Elements:
- The roof is often covered with galvanized iron sheets.
- Headroom is limited to approximately 3’-0’’ which do not allow anyone to stand erect
when inside the cabin.
Circulatory Elements:
- Doors and windows are provided in the cabin to allow light and air inside.

2. BAHAY KUBO, NIPA HOUSE, NIPA HUT

Environmental Situation: Lowland all over the Philippines

Plan:
- Originally it is a one room dwelling structure with porch on all sides of the house
- It is graduated into a more sophisticated type of dwelling

Parts of bahay kubo:

a. Bulwagan – reserved for entertaining guests
b. Silid – a private room used for sleeping
c. Paglutuan or gilir – kitchen or cooking area
d. Silong – space found underneath the house as a storage space for the
farming and fishing implements and also for the animals. Often fenced off
with bamboo slats.

- The kitchen found at the rear of the house, usually with the following features:
a. Dapogan – table on top of which is the river stone shaped stove or kalan
b. Bangahan – later called bangguera or banggerahan, use as a place for
drying and storing pots and pans, drinking glasses, plates and other kitchen
utensils
c. Batalan – unroofed area where water jars (used for drinking, washing and
bathing) are kept

- The house stands on stilts 6‘ to 14‘high above the ground for reason of protection
against dampness and infestation of vermin and snakes.

Structural Elements:
- The first to be erected are the four main posts
- The posts are inserted into deep holes on the ground dug at 3‘-0” deep
- To provide more stability to the posts, rocks are inserted around the area where the
end of the post lies or made to rest on a flat stone slab
- Walls are made of nipa leaves or flattened split bamboo and are woven in
herringbone pattern forming the sawali sliding.
- Gililan – floors sills, are provided to support the walls
Two floor beams:
a. Yawi – used to define the area to be covered by the floor space
b. Patukuran – where floot joists ( soleras ) rest are constructed

3. BILAAN

Environmental Situations: Hilly area behind the west coast of Davao Gulf reaching north to
the Bagobo territory and west to the Davao-Cotabato water shed.

Plan:
- Designed with floors in varying levels of two to five with each level made few inches
above the other
- The floor is made of timber covered with broad strips of barks
- Platforms are placed outside the walls as drying area and as a place for their
dancalan

Dancalan – a wooden plate with handle used for chopping meat

- A large stove is used as a fireplace and cooking area

- Underneath the house is a cage for horses, pigs and dogs.

Structural Elements:
- Poles with the length of 20’-0’’ and made of hardwood material are used as uprights
to which side beams and cross beams were attached by lashings.

Protective Elements:
- The roof is single pitch made of flattened bamboo and has overhanging eaves of
approximately 1’-0’’ from the walls.
- The roof framing is built with the king post place at the center of the end beams

Circulatory Elements:
- A stair made a long, wooden log with notches
- Doors are provided while windows are few and small

4. BONTOC/BONTOK
Environmental Situations: Mountain area of the Cordillera

- Also known as Fayu is square in plan and is designed to facilitate various activities.
- The four corner post and side walls of the ground floor, leaning slightly outwards at
the top to the horizontal beam, are built as supports to the roof.
- The front and side walls are made of wood connected to the posts while the rear wall
is made of stone and mud (because of the fire place at the rear)
- Roof covering are made of grass shingles to the rafters

5. CATICUGAN

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Dumaguete

Plan:
- Elevated from 1’-0’’ on bamboo post
- The house consist of following areas:
a. Sala – also used as dining room and sleeping area, considered the main room of
the house, provided with altar.
b. Sleeping room – also use as storage room, families sleep directly on the floor
using mats, beds are not provided.
c. Kitchen – usually built after the construction of the main house is completed

Banggerahan – place for drying and storing pots and pans, drinking glasses, plates
and other kitchen utensils

d. Two porches – located in front and at the rear of the house made as integral
parts of the house

Structural Elements:
- Bamboo posts erected a top stone foundation for the purpose of preventing early
decay of the material
- The main floor beams are attached to the posts together with the transverse and
longitudinal beams by means of rattan lashings
- Exterior walls are made of nipa, coconut leaves, buri palms, cogon grass, wood and
bamboo
- Interior partitions 5’-6’ high usually made of sawali.
- Wall framing of bamboo.

Protective Elements:
- Hip roof types or a gable roof type covered with nipa, cogon grass or flattened
bamboo in shingles
- Roof framing is made up of ridge pole supported by king post resting on traverse
beams.
- Bamboo purlins upon which nipa shingles are attached by means of sewing with a
sharpened split midrib of the buri frond rattan for lashing onto the purling
Circulatory Elements:
- Entrance to the house is through the stairs made of two upright bamboo with
horizontal slats inserted between them
- The door is made of fenensa rattan hinges attached to wooden jambs
- Window are awning type
- Either buri or nipa is used for the window panels

6. CAVE

- The largest and oldest cave dwelling is found in Tabon located southwest of
Palawan.
- Covers an area approximately 41.00m in to the interior and has an 8.00m high and
16.00m wide opening.
- Basic amenities found in the cave are the paga which is is a sleeping board and
hearth used for cooking and for providing warmth in the interior during cold days.

7. COASTAL BAGOBO

Environmental Situations: Hills east and south of Mt. Apo and the coastal town of Daliao, Sta.
Cruz and Digos behind the Davao Gulf.

Plan:
- Datu house is designed to accommodate large gathering of people
- Used as defense center and ceremonial house of community
- Single room built on stilts, there are sleeping platform for guest and warriors and
quarters for the Datu and their wives
- A separate ceremonial chamber for the celebration of social and religious activities
by the datu is provided
- Sleeping platform is also use for the display of gongs and old jars which is
considered as symbols of wealth and hanging spirits altars and decorated poles for
deities of warfare.

Structural Elements:
- Piles are used to support the house

Protective Elements:
- Gabled roof is made of bamboo with thatch covering

8. GADDANG

Environmental Situation: Forested areas along the hilltops of the Cordilleras

Plan:
- Built on upright posts of about 1.00 - 2.00 m above the ground with split bamboos as
its flooring material
- Furniture are absent since eating, sleeping and any mode of living are done on the
floor
- The only furniture in the house is one or two trunks used for storing valuables.

Structural Elements:
- Upright tree trunks are used as main support of the house while walls are made of
either split, plaited or upright bamboo covered with grass

Protective Elements:
- From a central horizontal beam acting as ridge pole, cogon thatching arches all the
way downward to the level of the floor
9. HILIGAYNON

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Western Visayas

Plan:
- Square in plan
- Built on stilts 4’-5’ high
- Space underneath is used both a shelter for the carabaos, goats, pigs and chicken
- Kitchen in one corner and cooking apparatus on an elevated earthen platform, three
big stones in triangular arrangement form as the stove
- Kitchen also contains bamboo water containers and jars, and the tools for tuba
making
- Bamboo slats for flooring in order to have shiny finish, they apply oil on the
smoothened surface
- Dining table is not provided since eating is done on the floor, if ever there is one, it is
used only for visitors and on certain occasions
- In living room, one will find a wooden bench together with some few pieces of chairs
or a wooden sala set containing of a sofa, two side chairs and a center table often
decorated with a flower vase

Structural Elements:
- Agoho timber for the main posts and dried bamboos trunks for the minor posts are
used as main support to the house and to the roof
- Walls that separate the kitchen from the living room are made of woven bamboo
splints
- Exterior walls are made of amkan or flattened bamboo nodes, woven bamboo slats
or nipa shingles

Protective Elements:
- Framing for the gable roof is first assembled on the ground and is raised above only
after beams have been fastened to the posts
- Dried bamboo trunks are used as roof beams
- After the roof framing has been secured, nipa, cogon or coconut leaves are laid out
as protective covering

Circulatory Elements:
- Main stairs always in odd numbers for they believed to bring good luck, is raised
leading to the main room
- One or two windows and the main door are made to face the east also to affect a
good fortune

10. IBALOY

Environmental Situation: Mountains of Benguet

Plan:
- House for the poor folks are built directly on the ground, covered with cogon grass
thatching and are provided with very small door opening in order to contain the heat
within
- For well-to-do families, dema houses containing a bedroom, dining room, kitchen, a
discussion room and a storage room are built above the ground. In order to keep the
house warm, wooden planks are used for the flooring
- Ibaloy of Takdian built one-room houses. It has enclosed kamparan used or
pounding rice and for cooking. This enclosure stands directly on the ground which
contains two stoves used separately for preparing the family’s food and that of the
pigs
- The house is devoid of furniture
- House corners usually contains weapon, blankets, bakong clothes container, saraw
jar and working implements of the household head
- Pieces or furniture are generally absent in the Takdian’s house. Stool made from
blocks of wood
- Built-in bed of 2’ wide and elevated 6” from the floor is permanently nailed in the
corner of the house

Structural Elements:
- Pine wood, numbering four to six or more is used as posts for the structure
- The floor is elevated about less than a meter above the ground by posts made of
mature pine or tribangdal fern wood

Protective Elements:
- Ceilingless, the Takdian roof is made of dema

Circulatory Elements:
- Stair is provided while doors and windows is provided for circulation
- Takdian house is windowless. A door which generally faces east or the north is
provided

11. IBANAG

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Isabela

Plan:
- The house is built elevated about a meter or more from the ground
- Living room is converted into a bedroom at night
- Houses with an altar room
- Storage room for rice, corn and tobacco
- Batalag or porches located at the front is used by the family for relaxation and at
rear is used as an open-air bathroom and as washing and laundry area

Structural Elements:
- The house is supported by posts of sturdy wood
- The wall is made of split bamboo

Protective Elements:
- Roof covering is usually made of cogon or nipa
- The batalag porches are not roofed

12. IFUGAO

- The Apalis-Mondiguing is a typical Ifugao house

Environment Situations: Mountain of Cordillera

- Four tree trunks as column (Amugawan tree)

- Wooden planks on solid floor joist (over hanged), floor girders for flooring
- Ambubulan figure formed placed on of roof for protection against evil spirits,
lightning and as a sign of asking of favor from the God Kabunyan
- Buried in to the hole ½ m in to the ground and secured by the stones placed on each
holes
- Floor girders are carved with mortises on both ends to firm in the pointed upper end
of the post which acts as the tendons. These girders support solid floor joists section
with wooden flooring attached by wooden pegs.
- Roof made of reeds and grass (pyramidal shape roof)
- Detachable ladder for security and protection

13. ILOKANO

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Ilocos

Plan:
Ilokano House:
a. Pinagong
b. Tinubang
c. Kalapaw

Pinagong and Tinubang houses:

- Generally rectangular in plan
- Akin to the architectural form of the Tagalong house
pinagong and tinubang house

- Consist of the following:

a. Main room – sala or living room
b. Silid – sleeping room which is separated from the main room by means of
partitions
c. Kitchen – cooking area ; usually has an unroofed annex made of unsplit bamboo
laid out with spaces in the between and whose floor level is lower than the
klitchen porper. The annex is used for storing large water jars, for cleaning pots
and pans and rice and vegetables and for bathing and urinating. It is also used
as drying place for their rice meat and fish under the sun.
d. Batalan – this connects the kitchen to the main house and serves as the dining
room

- Types of flooring:
a. Datar – made of small and thin strips of bamboo tied together with almost no
spacing in between them.
b. Basar – made of large strips of bamboo tied together with large spacing in
between the laths and woven bamboo is placed over it.

- Kalapaw:
- A small and low hut consists of the following :
a. Porch – used as an ante room and sleeping area during siesta hours
especially during summer months
b. Main room – largest areas, it is use for entertaining guests, sleeping
area for the household members and storage space for family treasures
and personal belongings

- A curtain hanging from a wire is drawn during the night to separate the
sleeping area of the women from the men.
a. Dining room – by the house members only. A low table called dulang is
provided where the family eats. No chairs are needed in as much as the
members of the family squat while eating. It is also used for storing
various utensils, condiments and the earthen jar containing the drinking
water.
b. Kitchen – 4“ to 6” lower than the dining room, this is used for cooking
food and for washing dishes and pots
c. Sirok (silong) – used as storage space, often fenced by bamboo slats
with nipa or cogon sheathing

- The main room is furnished with a bamboo bench and usually with an antique
cabinet, a family heirloom which is the centerpiece of the room

Structural Elements:
- The main posts are buried into the ground and are attached to the tie
- Beams through the mortise and tenon system of construction
- Supplementary used as braces to prevent the house from leaning
- Split bamboos are used for walling

Protective Elements:
- Bamboos called balatbat are used for purlins
- A single roof covers the whole house including the batalan and the kitchen, but in
some instances, the kitchen and the batalan have separate roofs
- Thatching is made of by placing bamboo laths covered with layers of nipa and cogon
placed on top of the rafters
- The roof ridge is placed over the main room which allows a spacious ceiling height
and the slopes towards the sides which provides a low ceiling height to the rest of
the house slopes towards the sides which provides a low ceiling height to the rest of
the house

Circulatory Elements:
- The main door and stairs of the pinagong house are located in such a way that one
can enter either the kitchen or the house proper.
- The bamboo door and windows of the Ilokano house slide by means of a horizontal
bamboo placed above them
- The sliding window may also be propped up by using bamboo placed above them
- The sliding window may also be propped up by using a bamboo pole cut into a
desired length and placed in a slanting position with one end resting on the window
sill and the other end supporting the lower edge of the window frame
- The kalapaw has a single door opening located at main room
- The porch provided with low ladder opens to the entry
- Windows are provided only at the main room and are two types
a. Sliding sashes
b. Awning types

14. ILONGOT

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Isabela

Plan:
- Communal type of house allows several families within the structure but partitions
are not provided to separate each family
- Its flooring made of rattan strips usually elevated 5’ from the ground
- At the center of the floor is a 25sq.ft to 225sq.ft floor space sunk 6” below the floor
line. On one side of this sunken area are apportioned spaces for sleeping for each
family. The elevated remaining spaces of 4’-5’ wide are used as fireplaces and
storage spaces per family
- The underneath portion is used to house pigs and chicken
- Skulls of animals are used as decorations

Structural Elements:
- Wooden posts are used as structural supports
- Walls may be built either low and open at the upper part or high and entirely closed
above

Protective Elements:
- Roof made of thatched roof is of sloping pyramidal type on top of which is a short
ridge
- At both ends of the ridge are projecting wood which curve upward simulating a pair
of horns

Circulatory Elements:
- Stairs is a single notched pole leading to a single main door
- The clerestory above the low wall provides ventilation to the house
15. ISNEG OR APAYAO

Environmental Situation: Mountain of Apayao at the Northern end of the Cordillera

Plan:
- Elevated at 1.5m above the ground
- Binuron
– A single-room rectangular structure designed with three levels
– The lowest level called datag or xassaran is located at the center of the
room
– Tamuyon is the immediate level platforms that occupy three sides of the floor
proper
– Tarakip – the highest level located on the remaining side of the house
– At the rear corner of the datag is the hearth with a stove consisting of three
stones. Hanging from the rafters above the hearth is a three-shelf sideboard

- House flooring is a removable reed mat made of solid rattan stems or bamboo grass
tied together with rattan strips placed atop the floor joists which in turn are supported
by girders
- Ornaments are ancestral weapons, porcelain jars and plates belonging to the Ming
or Sung dynasty

Structural Elements:
- Fifteen post of heavy hardwood are used as supports to the house. The posts are
distributed in the following manner:
a. Sinit posts – six of these support the datag and two support the tarakip
b. Adixi posts – six of these support the roof
c. Atobtobo – a single post supporting the ridgepole
- Walls slanting outwards toward the top made of wooden panel boards that are
rabetted to the upper and lower wall beams

Protective Elements:
- Gable roof, which covers the main house and the lean-to roof, which covers the
tarakip is made of bamboo and cogon grass thatching
- Roof framing which is a separate framework from the floor, consists of six posts
rising from the ground but placed outside the floor posts
- Arched rafters which allow the roof to look like an ogival arch outside
- Purlins made of closely knit canes to which layers of cogon grass are attached

Circulatory Elements:
- Approach to the house is through a wooden stair, usually located on one end of the
side wall, which leads to a door
- No fixed window openings since wall construction system allow occupants to remove
few wallboards in case air is needed for the interior

16. IVATAN HOUSE

Environmental Situation: Slope of cliffs and villages built along the sides and tops of rocky
hills of Batanes Island. Batanes is the location of ancient known as Ijang.

Plan:
- Stand directly on the ground to withstand strong winds or typoons
- The dwelling is made up of two houses:
a. The rakuh (big house) consist of the living room and sleeping quarters
b. The kusina (kitchen)

Structural Elements:
a. Walls made of lime and stone, are sometimes embedded with wooden reinforcement
in order to resist the effect of strong earthquake.
b. Reinforcement run from the base up to the roof frame

Circulatory Elements:
a. Doors and windows are provided in the rakuh house but the wall facing the direction
of the strongest winds and left solidly closed.
17. KALINGA

Environmental Situation: Steep mountain slope of the Cordillera

Plan:
- Either rectangular or octagonal
- Octagonal form is called binayon or finaryon
- Attic as granary
- Elevated fireplace is found at the left rear side of the house
- Working space at ground level near the entrance
- Floor rising at about 1.50m above the ground
- Dattagon – a central area with slightly elevated floor on all sides called sipi

Structural Elements:
- 12 posts used as supports to the binayon house
- Lower part of the wall is made of plaited bamboo or sawali

Protective Elements:
- Hipped roof and thatched with reeds
- Four tall posts carry two crossbeams which support the queen post
- Rafters maybe arched to produce a vaulted interior
- The ridge is covered by bubong thatch

Circulatory Elements:
- Approach to the house is through ladder
- Doors are provided at the front and at the rear
18. KANKANAY

Environmental Situation: Bakun mountain in the north central area of Benguet

Plan:
- Traditional kankanay house is called binangiyan
- Single-room dwelling elevated at 1.5m from the ground
- Interior space is used for sleeping, cooking, eating and storage of utensils and
valuables
- Underneath the roof and above the hearth is an attic which serves as a granary
- Space underneath the house is not enclosed, it used for activities like basket
weaving, kitchen utensils making, sewing cloth or cutting firewood. Space also used
for entertaining guests and as family room. Pigs and chickens may be kept in a
corner
- Flooring is made of hardwood like narra rests on three floor joists
- Underneath the overhanging eaves, jaw bones and skulls of butchered pigs are
displayed for the visitors to see

Structural Elements:
- The house is supported by four or more wooden posts to which the floor framing is
attached
- Walls made of hardwood, slant outwards at the top
- Wall boards are rabetted to the transverse beam above

Protective Elements:
- Pyramidal in form, is mortised to the four corners of the slanting walls
- High and pointed, it is thatched with runo, pudong and cogon grass
- Eaves of the roof extends downward to about 1.20m above the ground, as a result,
the roof covers or conceals the house walls

Circulatory Elements:
- Detachable bamboo stair placed at the entrance is used to access to the house
- When Kankanay leaves the house, the stair is removed and placed crosswise
against the closed sliding door
- Windows are not provided except for a small opening above the door which serves
as an outlet for the smoke coming from the hearth

19. LEAN-TO
(Used by the negritoes also known as ati, ata, aeta, agta.)

Two variations of lean-to dwelling:

a. Wind shield or one shaded lean-to with or without flooring
b. Single pitched roof supported by rafters. The ridge rest on horizontal lintel which is
supported by tree trunks. The other end rest directly on the ground.
- This may be built with or without walls.
- Usually knee-high elevated flooring on even 4’-0’’ high floorings were provided to
keep the occupants dry especially during the rainy seasons.
- Materials used for the walls, roof and floor framing are rattan and bamboo.
- For sheathing, material use is nipa, palm leaves, banana leaves, coconut fronds or
grass.

20. LUSARAN VALLEY HOUSE

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Cebu

Plan:
- Elevated approximately 3‘ from the ground, designed in various shapes of
rectangular, L- shape, square shapes and T – shapes.
- T- shape has a variation called double T where two wings are added perpendicularly
to the axis of main house
- The kitchen contains the hearth made of earth supported by wooden and bamboo
frame
- The hearth is partly made open to allow smoke to go out of the kitchen area
- A partially open shelf is provided for the water jug and other utensils
- Adjacent to kitchen is an open platform made of bamboo which is used for dish
washing, pounding the grain and where family members may also brush their teeth
and wash their feet
- There is an inner room used for keeping a wooden chest, clothes, pillows and shoes.
- Furnishings of a long bench and a table permanently attached to a wall can be found
in a corner of the living room

Structural Elements:
- Posts are either made of trunks which are buried 3’ into the ground or of bamboo

Protective Elements:
- The roof either hipped or gabled or combination of both, covered with cogon grass
- Butterly roof is used over the kitchen which is designed to lead the smoke outside
the kitchen
- Roof framing is made either of bamboo or branches of hamabawud

21. MAGAHAT

Environmental Situation: steep hillsides, on top of hills or along creeks and rivers in deep
valley of southern negros island.

Plan:
- The plan is either square or rectangular
- Space within can be used as a receiving room, a kitchen, dining and as bedroom
- Floor lies at 2.50 above the ground and made of bark of trees, bamboo splits or split
trunks of palm trees
- Furniture are not provided so that people eat, sit and sleep on the floor
- Ceilings are filled with trophies of jawbones of a wild pig or deer antler, hornbill
heads or legs of wild chicken.

Structural Elements:
- Log, posts, used as columns are buried at .50m below the ground. Additional posts
are placed under the floor beams to provide further strength
- Walls are usually made of split bamboo, bark or rattan leaf thatches

Protective Elements:
- Gable roof framing is supported by log beams attached to the main posts
- To prevent rain from entering the house, bark of trees or split bamboos are placed
over the ridge poles

Circulatory Elements:
- A 4” diameter log with notches on one side is used as the main stair. It can be
removed during the night or hidden in the bushes when the magahat leaves his
house
- The main door, 1.00 wide is oriented to the east for prosperity
22. MANDAYA

Environmental Situation: Edges of cliffs of Davao

Plan:
Tree houses which are of two kinds:
a. rests directly on the limbs of trees whose size and shape are dedicated by the
direction to which the supporting branches grows
b. built on top of trees stumps of 4.50 – 6.0m high
- Typical house planned with living room, enclosed bedrooms, small porch adjacent to
the living room and an earth- covered hearth found at the rear of the house
- Suspended from the rafters are the swing made of bamboo and reserved especially
for an honoured guests or for mother who rocks her baby o sleep.

Structural Elements:
- Two to three foundation posts are extended upwards to support the roof.
- Walls are made either flattened bamboo strips or nipa poles covered by nipa palms.

Protective Elements:
- Gable roof with bamboo frame a nipa palm
- Roof ridge supported by king posts

Circulatory Elements:
- Stair leads to the entry porch made from bamboo poles
- An open space between the roof slope and the top of the wall provides an opening to
the house
- If windows are provided they usually small
23. MANGYAN

Environmental Situation: Mountain side or hillside of Mindoro

Plan:
- A communal house
- A one-room structure elevated from the ground measures 6.00x10.00 and
rectangular in plan
- Palaganan – a passageway leading from the main door
Visitors may sleep along the palaganan but most of the time as an extra
storage space.
- Flooring made of large logs with rattan lashing
- Individual families are not separated from one another by partition, rather, their
space allotment is defined by a mat spread on the floor and they have individual
fireplace.

Structural Elements:
- Walls are made of bark of trees constructed a meter or less above the floor

Protective Elements:
- Gabled roof with cogon grass thatching
- Roof eaves project 1.00m beyond the wall

Circulatory Elements:
- Ladder of four steps leads to a narrow door which in turn leads to the palanan.
- No windows, openings are provided through space between the flooring and the
underneath surface of the wall.
24. MANOBO

Environmental Situation: Lowland of Agusan, Bukidnon, Davao, Misamis Oriental, Cotabato

Plan:
- The house proper is usually 6 & ½’ – 7’ above the ground
- Kitchen, the first one to be built, has its flooring 12” to 15” lower than the house
proper.
- Little or no decorations because Manobos stay outdoors most of the time.

Structural Elements:
- Four or more corner posts are used as main supports to the house
- Rules for the number of posts:
a. House measures 12’ x 12’ – 4 posts extending to the roof
b. if an area goes beyond the limit, more posts and more poles of about 20-50 are
provided

Protective Elements:
- Sun-dried cogon grass gabled roof shaped like inverted v.
- Roof for kitchen is considerably lower than that of the main roof

Circulatory Elements:
- The only entrance of the house is located at the kitchen area
- The ladder is made of the trunk of the tree
- Window openings are uniform in 2’ width since they are made to follow the size of
the wall panel.

25. MARANAW/MARANAO

Environmental Situation: Hills along the river or land of Mindanao. The ranggar, the small
Islamic prayer house, would be located proximate to the community.
Three major typologies of the Maranao house:
a. Lawig - small houses
b. Mala-a-walai - large houses
c. Torogan - ancestral home of the upper class Maranaos, who in the past kept
their young daughters hidden like a jewel in some secret lamin and who had
the exclusive right to the art of the colourful okir.

- Torogan means Maranao royal house, ancestral house for Datu and his family
- Central beam that supports the roof and king post are heavily carved and
polychromed
- Floor beams protruded from the wall with its ends curving upward in the form of a
boats prow.
- Elevated from the ground by nine to twelve huge posts of bamboo or timbers
- These end beams are called panalong and are ornately carved with piako (fern-like)
or naga (dragon-like) motifs
- Wall made of gisuk wooden panels curved with ornate okir designs
Okir/okirr - floral
- Steeped pitched roofs and shapes in the form of a carabao’s horns.
- Windows are stilts, richly framed in wooden panels with okir located in front of the
house
- Datu’s panggao or ceremonial bed located in a place of honor away from the
entrance of the houe
- Torogan is also used for a variety of socio-religious activities such as weddings,
funeral wakes, conferences and even court proceedings.

26. SAMAL HOUSE

Environmental Situation: Coastal water of Jolo

- In Eastern Sulu, are built partially above the ground and water in wooden post
- In Western Sulu, individual houses, built on stilts above tidal mud flats, are
connected to one another by catwalks made of timber and bamboo.
- Floorings are made of bamboo

Structural Elements:
- Stilts usually made of bamboo poles
- Walls made of wooden boards or sawali
Protective elements:
- On both sides of gable roof project underneath it lower lean-to roofs
- Roof thatching is held securely by placing flattened bamboo spaced far apart over
it.

Circulatory Elements:
- Stairs are not provided in each individual house since catwalks serve as an approach
to each house
- Doors and windows with sliding sashes can be found

27. SUBANUN

Environmental Situation: Mountainous interior of Zamboanga

Plan:
- Rarely exceeding an area of 20.00 sq.m. is built above the ground
- One-room structure with areas on slightly different levels consisting of the living
room, dining area and cooking area, sometimes an entry porch is provided.

Structural Elements:
- Posts may be wooden material or bamboo poles
- Walls with bamboo framing with layers of nipa palms

Protective Elements:
- Gable type covered with nipa palm

Circulatory Elements:
- Stair is made of a single log and bamboo railings
- Windows are absent in the house walls
28. TAUSUG

Environmental Situation: Coastal water of Tapul, Siasi, Basilan, Malaysia, Borneo, Tawi-Tawi,
Zamboanga del Sur, Cotabato

Plan:
- Traditional tausug house is called bay-sinug
- Consists of the following:
a. Porch or salas – may be built in front, on the sides or all around the house with
or without roofs. Maybe used as passageway to the kitchen; if walled may be
used as sleeping area; resting and conversation area. If found near the kitchen
as an open extended platform, it is called pantan used as a family area.
b. Sleeping quarters
c. Kitchen – a separate area linked to the main house by a bridge made of bamboo
or wooden planks. It has a stove and iron stand containing the pots and pans.

- Tajuk Pusung – found at the roof top. A wood carving in the form of the manuk-
manuk bird showing a stylized head and neck of a rooster or a stylized design of a
naga dragon.

Structural Elements:
- Posts are made of heavy timber or bamboo
- Main house has nine posts corresponding to the parts of the human body; 2 hips, 2
shoulders, left and right ribs, neck and the groin. Except for the center post, all posts
raise up ot the roof.
- Hanglad – wooden floor beams attached to the posts
- Walls made of split bamboo woven coconut palms

Protective Elements:
- Hip roof is supported by eight posts rising directly from the ground
- Pauid or sani – type of palm leaves as roofing material
- Sungan – roof has four sloping sides but with only two sides meeting to form the
apex
- Libut – roof square in shape, has four sloping sides with its top open resulting in a
square in shape hole which allows free circulation of air in the house interior.

Circulatory Elements:
- Wall is pierced with small, rectangular windows
29. T’BOLI

Environmental Situation: Hilltops and mountaintops in the Lake Sebu area in Cotabato

Plan:
- House built 6’ high stilts
- Designed in various levels with each level having different functions
- House contains the following:
a. Lowa – central space used as sleeping area for overnight guests.
b. Blaba – side area used as working and conversational space
c. Desyung – regarded as the area of honor because here the head of the house
entertain guests and performs rites under a curtained canopy
d. Dofil – this is the sleeping quarters for the wives and children of the headman
e. Bukdol – this is the entrance to the house
f. Kohu- the hearth made of beaten – earth floor. It has a shelf where pots and
pans, baskets and other utensils are kept.
g. Dol- an area used for the kohu and stair landing.
h. Fato Hu – located at the rearmost part of the house, it is the utility area
i. Kotel – a detached structure located some few feet away from the house which
functions as a toilet
- Upper portion of the curtained canopy of the desyung is richly ornamented with
appliqués (cut-out fabric decoration) and tassels (hanging ornament made of a
bunch of cords fastened at one end.
- On the posts and walls are jaw bones of wild boars, hunting weapons and fishing
tools

Structural Elements:
- Bamboo for housposts
- Walls made of sawali or woven bamboo strips

Protective Elements:
- The roof slope 30 degrees extending downwards 3’ beyond the wall totally
concealing the wall surface
- Roof covered with cogon or dried grass
- Its apex standing at 17’ high
Circulatory Elements:
- Stair is made of single bamboo pole
- The door designed similarly to the door of a chest which can be lowered and closed

30. TINGGIAN

Environmental Situation: Mountain of Abra and Apayao district of Cagayan

Plan:
- House is elevated from the ground with floors made of wooden boards
- Wall boards are ornamented with carvings of eyes, noses and mouths to form figures
of human faces

Structural Elements:
- Posts and walls are made of wood
- Walls are usually with peepholes to allow house occupants to see people or things
outside without them being seen

Protective Elements:
- Roofs is made of several layers of runo grass(found in the innermost): Thatch;
facing each other and placed one over the other and well packed thatch (found in the
outermost)

31. TIRURAY

Environmental Situation: hillsides or steep slopes of Cotabato

Plan:
- Rectangular in shapes built on posts 4‘ to 6‘ high above the ground
- House is used not only for sleeping but also for meeting sessions
- Located right near the main door is the hearth where cooking is done
- Bamboo for flooring

Structural Elements:
- Wooden posts are used as support to the house while bamboo is used for walls

Protective Elements:
- Gabled type of roofing covered with nipa or cogon thatch is used

Circulatory Elements:
- Stairs are usually made of notched poles which can be removed during nighttime for
security and protection
32. TREE-HOUSE

- Built in forked branches of 20’ to 60’ high trees or a top 15’ to 20’ high stumps which
serve as a foundation.
- Bamboo is often used for framing as well as for the flooring and walls.

This type of dwelling was use by:

a. The Gadang and Kalinga in Luzon
b. The Manobo and Mandaya of Mindanao
c. The Moros of Lake Lanao
d. Negritoes in Bukidnon of North-central Mindanao
e. Bagobo of the Gulf of Davao

33. UPLAND BAGOBO

Environmental Situation: Upper stretch of the Pulangi and Davao River

Plan:
- Built on stilts, has its floors on different levels
- The flooring is made of strips of palma brava
- Elevated floor is used as sleeping area for other member of the family
- Special sleeping place is provided for the unmarried daughter/s while sleeping area
for the unmarried sons are located on boards placed underneath the roof
- The spaces below the rafters are used as storage space
- The hearth is located near the main door
Hearth – floor of the fireplace
- Over the stove is an open shelf for the native jars and bamboo water holder
- Bamboo rack is also found nearby containing Chinese plates and coconut shells
near the stove stands the rice mortar

Structural Elements:
- Walls are made of the bark of the tree
- The walls of sleeping are usually 6’ high are made of flattened bamboo.

Protective Elements:
- Steep gabled roof made of bamboo, grass or bark
- Main support of the roof ridge is high poles located at the center of the house which
project from 8’-0’’ to 9’-0’’ beyond the cross beam.
- Side beams also support after which run up to the central ridge
- Rafters are held in place by tying there ends to horizontal poles that run around the
roof perimeter below

Circulatory Elements:
- Window generally absent
- Small holes cut through the walls allow the occupants to observe people outside
- Provide small amount of light to enter the interior to allow women to spin, dye, weave
to decorate their clothing.

34. TAGBANUA

Environmental Situation: Coastal and near-Coastal plains and valleys of Central Palawan

Plan:
- Elevated on stilts about 8‘ high
- Usually made of eight levels, each corresponds to certain function such as entrance,
cooking or hearth, dining, sleeping and various levels for storage.
- The highest level usually contains storage space for pillows and blankets
Structural Elements:
- Since there are various floor levels partitions are unnecessary

Circulatory Elements:
- Entire house do not have windows

35. YAKAN

Environmental Situation: Mountainous interior of Basilan

Plan:
- House is elevated on piles about 2.00 to 3.00 above the ground
- Single room in rectangular plan approximately 50 to 100 sqm floor area
- House does not have partitions
- It has main room with a door leading to the kitchen and another door to a roofed
porch running the length of the house
- Kitchen is used as family’s dining area. It contains stove which bamboo ladles,
coconut shells and fish driers are hung, also pots and pans and long bamboo
containers for water
- Underneath the house is the rice mortar
- Porch is used for entertaining guests and as resting place for the household
- Flooring is made of thick wooden planks on floor joists or split bamboo
- In living room, one will find a cloth weaving loom located near the door which leads
to the porch outside
- There are wooden or bamboo boxes for palay which may also be used as benches
for visitors, clothes chests, brass metal containers, brass food trays and bronze
boxes for betel and mats.

Structural Elements:
- Posts are made of sturdy wood onto which floor beam are attached
- Walls are made of sawali or horizontal wooden boards or bamboo poles attached to
one another by rattan lashings

Protective Elements:
- Steep ridges roof covered with cogon thatch
- Roof slopes downward and breaks into a slight angle upward its lower side
- The roof eaves overhang the wall at .50 m

Circulatory Elements:
- Ladder steps in odd numbers leads to the and another is provided for the kitchen
- Doors oriented towards the east for prosperity
- Few and small windows are provided because of the belief that bad spirits cannot
pass through the small openings quite easily
- Small window is often provided at the end wall opposite the kitchen

Definition of terms:
Lumah – traditional house of yakan, elevated on timber posts about 2m above the ground
Pantan – porch is the main entry to the house which may be open of roofed
Dagtung – large bamboo crafted as water containers
Langgal – local prayer house
Sapiaw – roof is steeply pitch with cogon on bamboo or timber frames
Sawali – walls are woven bamboo strips
Calarian – presently know as yakan weaving village