Usog is a similar concept to a evil eye hex which usually affects a child who is greeted/praised by a visitor or stranger. According to our elders once affected by usog the baby/child gets sick or would just become restless and would cry for hours. To prevent this visitors are requested to (“lawayan ang bata” ) put his saliva in a finger and rub this on either the baby’s tummy, forehead or feet and say “pwera usog” before leaving. I just find it utterly disgusting to mark a baby with saliva! Whenever someone did this though I would secretly (didn’t want to offend the elders)  wipe the area with antiseptic wipes. Another practice is to let the newborn where a red bracelet (some a mix of red & black) called corales (beads are made from corals).  The beads is believed to catch/block away the usog and would draw the visitors attention to the bracelet first before the baby. When Auntie Bing found out that baby #2 is a girl she suggested to let the baby wear a corales bracelet, I requested a gold corales but …