Witches and witchcraft, many believe of the existence of such beings from which they can do miraculous deeds and even perform voodoo on certain peoples.
Animism is still practiced by some rice farmers offering their harvested rice to forgotten anitos. The rice ritual in Leyte and Samar is byfar more manifold and rich.
In one barrio of Tacloban-San Jose-the unique practiceof stripping before the first planting is widespread. It isthe belief that planting in the nude makes the skin of thecamote thin. In addition, the planters put babies on theirbacks in the hope that the camote will grow tubers in bunches.Since the camote has many colors, like yellow, violet, orange,and white, the babies are dressed in the color that one wishesthe camote to be. At the actual planting, the dresses aretaken off from the babies and placed near a bobon. Thispractice, however, is not common throughout the barrios ofTacloban; it is the exception, and the writer could not findany other place in Leyte and Samar where it prevails.
According to the old people, their belief about the origin of the world was that God, created the land and seaand the people were the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. All plants and animals were thrown by God.When there is an earthquake, too, they believed that a big pig is running underground so that people kept onshouting Boa, Boa - if there is an earthquake.When there is an eclipse, pregnant mothers must not look at it or else their child will be cross-eyed. Theybelieved in witches, that a person who has this power should be entertained and given what she like so she willnot exercise her magic power.