A. Namamana.
Namamana is the Filipino language translation of acquir- ing a
behavioral or disease trait from a parent. It is a belief that when a relative has the
condition, it is possible that he/she will pass on the trait to the younger generation.
Genetic conditions with accompanying physical deformities such as achondroplasia—
unano, maliit na tao, and pandak are the colloquial terms—are also explained by
namamana. But like in the case, individuals with achondroplasia may not seek medical
care to discuss clinical management issues since their short stature is not of concern
for the family. Studies had previously reported that cultural and lay beliefs pertaining to
genetic inheritance are not consistent with the scientific explanation based on Gregor
Mendel’s inheritance patterns. There is a notion that the presence of physical
resemblance in the offspring can be attributed to stronger genes. In some instances,
inheritance referred to the passing of traits by the mother who gave birth to the child
and in no instance that the father contributed to it.
B. Paglilihi. The period of lihi is accompanied by a number of beliefs. It is believed that
an offspring will take the features of the food that the mother has craved for while she
is in the lihi period. Like LC’s case, their family is known by their neighbors as the
“family of crabs” since the children have crab-like arms and legs. As mentioned, it is
believed that their condition was brought about by their grandmother’s craving or lihi
for crab. In the perspective of medical genetics, their physical features correspond to
ectrodactyly which is also known as split-hand/split- foot malformation. It is a genetic
congenital anomaly where all or part of one or more fingers is absent, and the hands
and feet of people with this condition are described as “claw-like”.
C. Pasma. The interaction of hot and cold elements is the basis of the pasma concept,
and this is evident in MP’s case example. Pasma is roughly defined as an “exposure
illness” which occurs when a condition considered to be “hot” is attacked by a “cold”
element and vice versa. An individual’s homeostasis is attained by a balance between
the hot and cold elements, and an illness is caused by a dominance of either hot or
cold. Specifically, childbirth and the process of delivering a baby are considered by the
Filipino folk belief as “dangerously hot” in nature. This means that a woman who
recently gave birth should not be exposed in hot environment and must not eat “hot”
foods because these would just aggravate her condition. Similarly, she should not be
exposed to extremely cold environment (e.g., taking a bath). It is a belief that childbirth
leaves the woman with open pores making the mother susceptible to the entrance of
“lamig” or “hangin” which are elements of cold.
D. Sumpa and gaba. Sumpa and gaba are beliefs in the Filipino culture pertaining to a
curse. In sumpa, the curse is inflicted by a human being. Like in AS’s case, she is seen
as a curse in the family and explains why they are poor. In contrast, gaba is a curse
inflicted by a divine being and it is usually God. This is inflicted to a person because
he/she committed a social sin. Like GV, the medical family history is noted to have
numerous cases of cancer because of the belief that their ancestors were not giving
back to the community. This means that their family is perceived to be “business
sharks” and exploits the less fortunate. Gaba is predominantly a belief of Filipinos in
the central islands of Visayas. The impact of sumpa and gaba is shared with the whole
family and extends to the next generation. To end its effect, the inflicted person and
family members may pursue ritualistic activities and wear amulets. Gaba and sumpa
are two interrelated concepts. As discussed earlier, gaba is a curse that is inflicted by a
higher being when one commits a social wrongdoing. Sumpa, on the other hand, is a
curse that is inflicted by another human being, i.e., when one does foul things to
another who is capable of inflicting a curse. The usual scenario is a person or a
member of a family is cursed because a wrongdoing was committed to the person who
inflicted the curse, which is used as a form of vengeance or retribution. Gaba is a
cultural belief that is quite similar with the concept of bad karma.
E. Namaligno. Beliefs in supernatural beings are widespread in the Philippines.
Specifically, namaligno is a Filipino belief that a disease is caused by an intervention of
a supernatural or a mystical being. A genetic condition which has been associated with
having a mystical etiology is Marfan syndrome. In an informal interview, the
respondents verbalized that a person with Marfan syndrome looked like a kapre, a
mythical tree giant of Philippine folklore. A kapre is a dark giant who likes to smoke
huge rolls of cigars and hide within and atop large trees such as an old acacia and
mango trees. A person with Marfan syndrome was said to be born of a mother who
was impregnated by a kapre. The kapre must have been in love with the mother and
sneaked into her bed when the father was out or asleep. Another theory was that the
kapre possessed the husband, thus impregnating the wife with his own physical
characteristics, such as long limbs and hands.
F. Kaloob ng Diyos. Kaloob ng Diyos means God’s will. When a Filipino individual
experiences an unexpected event in their life, whether negative or positive, it is
typically attributed to the grace of God. This concept helps families cope and accept
their life experiences. It provides access to personal empowerment and hope to
families. As a means for coping, this concept allows affected families to emotionally
move toward acceptance. It is common among Filipinos, especially those devout to
their religion, to surrender their problems to a higher being, usually God. This highlights
the Filipino value of religiosity and faith to a higher being, as someone who is all-
knowing and almighty. This, how- ever, should not be seen as a weakness on the part
of the patient but willingness to offer his/her predicament to God to attain a higher level
of enlightenment. This is quite similar to the Filipino attitude of bahala na. For both
kaloob ng Diyos and bahala na, what actually happens is that people do whatever they
can and then resign themselves to whatever will happen. This attitude recognizes the
limitations of the human being such that the intercession of a higher being is sought
when humanly skills are not enough to overcome a problem. God’s will or kaloob ng
Diyos is an almost universal explanation of disease causation. As a personal
observation, this belief in God’s will is actually even helpful in the acceptance of the
genetic condition. Some parents indicate that their child was “God-given” including
their genetic condition. This acceptance aids in the better understanding of genetics
concepts and eventually in the whole genetic counseling process.
