The Bahay Kubo or Nipa Hut is one of the most illustrative and recognized emblem of the Philippines. It is a type of stilt house that is used as shelter in lowland cultures. Made of homegrown materials like bamboo and nipa, specifically constructed to perfectly adapt the tropical climate of the Philippines. Its name is actually based on the Spanish phrase Cubo, meaning cube because of the Bahay Kubo’s rectangular or cubic shape. 

The Bahay Kubo represents the characters: simplicity and contentment of the Filipinos. They can live with it by all means. Its structure typically goes with bamboos which serves as the poles stripped by tree strings with coconut dried leaves. Walls are made of nipa leaves or others called it bamboo slats and their floor is made of spilt resilient bamboo. Windows are very well ventilated and “Hagdan” is one of the main feature of it. It’s very unlikely if you don’t see any of it in the structure. Well, the set-up comes in many forms depending on the area that the people are situated. It’s for safety purposes, from natural disaster or for wild animals. 

Every Filipino is proud to have this kind of icon, it’s more than just an indigenous house. It is masterpiece that is nationally recognized around the country. It reflects the Filipino identity as a whole.