Whether this image of an old-school kitchen sink and dish rack evokes memories of your childhood or your dread of washing dishes, you would not believe the cultural influence of this architectural feature. In one study, proponents noted how some residents living in low-cost medium rise housing projects still converted a portion of their house to accommodate the area for washing and drying dishes. In Philippine theater set designs, the banggera was a well-known indicator of simplicity, if not poverty.
A banggera is a slatted wooden dish rack attached to a dining room or a kitchen window. It is used for air-drying newly washed tableware and kitchen utensils before they are kept in the platera (sideboard) or pamingganan (plate cabinet).
After the dishes are washed, they are placed here to be air dried. The inverted cups are placed on the ends of the wooden sticks and the plates are placed between or above the slats. On the far left is a tapayan/banga, an earthenware jar that stores water and keeps it cool.
According to some research on the classical portions of the Filipino house, practices in Philippine cuisine demanded that a portion of the house include an area where dishes could both be washed and air dried. The air-dry/drip feature of the banggera is also reminiscent of the days before indoor plumbing and outdoor drainage.
Reference:
Martinez, Glenn. 2018. “Here’s A Complete List Of The 46 Parts of A Filipino House.” /www.realliving.com.ph. May 26, 2020. https://www.realliving.com.ph/lifestyle/arts-culture/here-s-a-complete-list-of-the-46-parts-of-a-filipino-house-a1618-20180821-lfrm?utm_source=Facebook-RealLiving&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20200524-fbnp-lifestyle-here-s-a-complete-list-of-the-46-parts-of-a-filipino-house-a1618-20180821-lfrm-fbprom&fbclid=IwAR2ae4ArZhIQrx-iCkvFT4KM_WRYM7-vNXAHQoaITl5eiIOqW81Z5PhwUfM.
“Banggera” or Paminggalan”. Philippine History and Architecture. Facebook. September 6, 2018. https://www.facebook.com/111131982293260/photos/a.522253511181103/2196984247041346/?type=1&theater
Ramos ,Grace C. “The Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992 A Philippine Housing Framework”. July, 7, 2020. http://www.lth.se/fileadmin/hdm/alumni/papers/ad2000/ad2000-12.pdf
Gavieta, Rommel C. 1991. “Mass housing based on traditional design and indigenous materials for passive cooling in the tropical urban climate of the Philippines.”Energy and Buildings
Volume 16, Issues 3–4, 1991, Pages 925-932.
Fajardo, Brenda V. 2010. “The Aesthetics of Poverty: A Rationale in Designing for Philippine People’s Theater 1973-1986.” Kritika Kultura,, 179-194. https://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/kk/article/view/1452/1477