In Filipino superstition, pagpag is the practice of stopping somewhere before going home after attending a wake.
The custom is based on the belief that visitors may bring the spirit of the dead home with them if they travel directly from a wake to their house. A person may therefore stop at a shop, restaurant, or another location before returning home. The Filipino word “pagpag” means shaking or brushing off, reflecting the idea of leaving spiritual attachment behind.
Pagpag is a folk belief rather than a medical or scientific practice. It is especially associated with wakes and funerals, which have many regional customs in the Philippines.
The term is sometimes confused with other Filipino supernatural concepts. “Usog,” for example, concerns illness or misfortune allegedly caused by another person’s presence or greeting, while “tiktik” refers to a folklore creature associated with a manananggal.