VERNACULAR HOUSES AND THE CORRESPONDING

ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUPS THEY BELONG.

1) BATANES
LOCATED IN THE NORTHERNMOST PART OF THE PHILIPPINES, BATANES IS KNOWN FOR
ITS STONE HOUSES CALLED “VAKUL” OR “IVATAN.” THE IVATAN HOUSE IS TYPICAL FOR THE
BATANES ISLANDS. THE HARSH CONDITIONS OF THE AREA HAVE INFLUENCED THE DESIGN.
HOUSES ARE BUILT WITH THICK LIMESTONE WALLS AND REED OR COGON ROOFS AND ROOF
NETS AS A PROTECTION FROM THE WIND. THE IVATAN PEOPLE ARE AN AUSTRONESIAN
ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUP NATIVE TO THE BATANES AND BABUYAN ISLANDS OF THE
NORTHERNMOST PHILIPPINES.

2) IFUGAO
IN RURAL AREAS OF THE MOUNTAINOUS PROVINCE OF IFUGAO, YOU CAN FIND THE
FAMOUS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE RICE TERRACES. THE IFUGAO FILIPINO PEOPLE ARE
KNOWN FOR THEIR STILT HOUSES CALLED “NOJA,” MADE OF WOOD AND THATCH, WITH
DISTINCTIVE SLOPING ROOFS. THE IFUGAO HOUSES WERE USUALLY SIMILAR IN
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS BUT THEY DIFFER IN DECORATIVE DETAILS DEPENDING ON THE
TRIBES. THEIR HOUSES WERE HARMONIOUSLY LOCATED WITH THE CONTOUR OF THE RICE
TERRACES. THE ONE-ROOM HOUSE OF THE IFUGAO COMMONLY KNOW TO THEM AS FALE.

3) CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

THIS REGION IN NORTHERN LUZON IS HOME TO SEVERAL INDIGENOUS TRIBES,
INCLUDING THE IGOROTS. THE TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF THE IGOROTS COMMUNITY,
KNOWN AS “BALE,” ARE CONSTRUCTED USING BAMBOO, COGON GRASS, AND WOODEN
STILTS.
4) BOHOL
BOHOLANO PEOPLE, ALSO CALLED BOL-ANON, REFERS TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN
THE ISLAND PROVINCE OF BOHOL. THE PROVINCE OF BOHOL IS FAMOUS FOR ITS “NIPA HUTS”
OR “BAHAY KUBO.” THESE TRADITIONAL HUTS ARE MADE OF BAMBOO AND NIPA PALM
THATCH, WITH ELEVATED FLOORS AND A STEEPLY PITCHED ROOF.

5) MARANAO REGION
IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE PHILIPPINES, PARTICULARLY IN THE MARANAO
REGION, YOU CAN FIND THE DISTINCT “TOROGAN” HOUSES OF THE MARANAO PEOPLE.
THESE HOUSES FEATURE ELABORATE CARVINGS, COLORFUL DECORATIONS, MANY WALLS,
AND DISTINCTIVE ROOF SHAPES.

6) SULU ARCHIPELAGO
THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO IS HOME TO THE TAUSUG PEOPLE, WHO HAVE THEIR OWN
UNIQUE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE. THE TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF THE TAUSUG CULTURE,
CALLED “YAKAN,” ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR ORNATE CARVINGS, VIBRANT COLORS, AND
LAYERED ROOF DESIGNS.
7) VIGAN
THE HISTORIC VIGAN CITY OF THE ILOKANOS IS RENOWNED FOR ITS WELL-
PRESERVED SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE. THE “BAHAY NA BATO” OR “STONE HOUSES”
ARE PROMINENT IN VIGAN, FEATURING A MIX OF SPANISH AND FILIPINO ARCHITECTURAL
DESIGN AND ELEMENTS, SUCH AS CAPIZ SHELL WINDOWS AND WOODEN LATTICEWORK.

8) ZAMBOANGA CITY
IN ZAMBOANGA CITY, YOU CAN FIND TRADITIONAL HOUSES INFLUENCED BY SPANISH,
MALAY, AND INDIGENOUS STYLES. THE “BADJAO” HOUSES, BUILT ON STILTS OVER THE
WATER, ARE PARTICULARLY UNIQUE AND REFLECT THE SEAFARING LIFESTYLE OF THE
BADJAO PEOPLE.

9) PALAWAN
TAGBANUA, PALAW'AN, TAU'T BATO AND THE BATAKS IN PALAWAN, PARTICULARLY
AMONG THE INDIGENOUS PALAWAN COMMUNITIES, YOU CAN FIND TRADITIONAL HOUSES
CALLED “BATALAY” OR “BAHAY KUBO.” THESE HOUSES ARE ELEVATED ON STILTS, WITH
BAMBOO WALLS AND THATCHED ROOFS, BLENDING WITH THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS.
10) MINDANAO
MINDANAO IS HOME TO VARIOUS INDIGENOUS GROUPS, EACH WITH ITS OWN STYLE
OF PHILIPPINE ARCHITECTURE. THE TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF THE MANDAYA, T’BOLI, AND
MANOBO TRIBES, AMONG OTHERS, EXHIBIT UNIQUE HOUSE DESIGNS AND MATERIALS,
SHOWCASING THE CULTURAL DIVERSITY OF THE REGION.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE CAN BE DEFINED AS A TYPE OF LOCAL OR REGIONAL

CONSTRUCTION, USING TRADITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES FROM THE AREA WHERE
THE BUILDING IS LOCATED. CONSEQUENTLY, THIS ARCHITECTURE IS CLOSELY RELATED TO
ITS CONTEXT AND IS AWARE OF THE SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES AND CULTURAL
ASPECTS OF ITS SURROUNDINGS, BEING STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY THEM. FOR THIS
REASON, THEY ARE UNIQUE TO DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE WORLD, BECOMING EVEN A
MEANS OF REAFFIRMING AN IDENTITY.

https://www.bria.com.ph/articles/philippine-vernacular-architecture-honoring-heritage-embracing-diversity-in-
design/