For many Filipinos, spiritual traditions are not just personal journeys but also cultural experiences we adapt into our own. One example is the Chinese observance of Ghost Month, which has long crossed into Filipino consciousness, especially Filipino-Chinese communities.
This year, the festival falls from Aug. 23 to Sept. 21, 2025, the seventh month of the lunar calendar, a time when it is believed that the underworld opens and spirits freely roam the human realm.
Often called the Hungry Ghost Festival, this period is rooted in Taoist and Buddhist practices where families honor their departed loved ones through offerings of food, incense and rituals. These wandering spirits, described as restless and unsatisfied, are said to crave not only nourishment but also attention from the living. To ignore them, or worse, to disrespect them, might invite misfortune.
What to avoid
Here are some of the longstanding practices noted in various online articles that elders caution against:
Big events like weddings, moving into a new home, or starting major projects are often postponed, as milestones are thought to attract bad luck when the spirits are closest to the living. Picking up red envelopes or offerings left on the street is also discouraged since these are meant for the departed. Even small habits, like whistling or singing at night, are frowned upon for fear of calling in unwanted company. And stepping on hell money, those symbolic notes burned for the dead, is considered a grave sign of disrespect.
Traveling at night is also approached with care. Superstitions warn against taking the last ride of the day, fishing or swimming in dark waters, or snapping photos after sundown, acts believed to put one in the path of restless spirits. Even how one dresses is tied to the season: wearing all black, all white, or all red is said to draw in bad luck, while overly revealing clothing or even a wedding dress is discouraged as they symbolically invite misfortune.
Though deeply rooted in ancient Chinese beliefs, Ghost Month has found resonance among Filipinos who see in it a reminder to tread carefully, respect the unseen, and honor those who came before us. Whether one follows the taboos strictly or simply observes with curiosity, the season serves as a pause to reflect on life, death and the space in between.