Eggsquisitely Mythical #28: Philippines
- Dr. Fizza Younis
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Hello, fellow eggs and mythology lovers!
For our next Eggsquisitely Mythical issue, we are doing a deep dive on the legends of Philippines.
Background
Nestled in the western Pacific, the Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,600 islands where volcanic peaks, dense jungles, and teeming seas have long shaped the spiritual imagination of its people. That kind of landscape doesn’t produce a single tidy family of gods. For centuries, every island, every valley, pretty much every community had its own creator, its own heroes, its own spirits lurking in the trees and rivers, long before outsiders ever arrived.
Officially, the Republic of the Philippines, it is the twelfth most populated country of the world. It is bounded by the South China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south. It shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north, Japan to the northeast, Palau to the east and southeast, Indonesia to the south, Malaysia to the southwest, Vietnam to the west, and China to the northwest.
Within local cultures, you can still hear ancient Austronesian roots in names like Bathala, the supreme creator, but then the tales picked up Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic threads through centuries of trade and wandering. The Spanish arrived and called the local diwata demons, but people just folded the new faith into the old. Farmers kept whispering to the sun and moon even as they lit candles in church.
Gods & Goddesses
Bathala – Supreme creator god, ruler of the sky, often identified with the Maykapal (all-powerful being).
Amanikable – God of the sea and patron of fishermen; sometimes depicted as a fierce, ill-tempered deity of storms.
Idianale – Goddess of labor, good deeds, and agriculture; associated with fertility and the harvest.
Dumangan – God of good harvests and the ripening of grains; married to Idianale.
Anitun Tabu – Goddess of wind and rain; her name hints at her capricious, turbulent nature.
Mayari – Goddess of the moon, beauty, and combat; one-eyed after a quarrel with Apolaki, representing the waning moon.
Apolaki – God of the sun, war, and warriors; Mayari’s brother, often invoked for strength and protection.
Tala – Goddess of the morning and evening star; a guiding light for travelers and farmers.
Hanan – Goddess of the dawn; sister of Mayari and Tala.
Dian Masalanta – Goddess of lovers, childbirth, and peace; sometimes called the patron of elopements.
Lakapati – Gender-fluid/intersex deity of fertility, abundance, and cultivated fields; often paired with Bathala as a source of life.
Mapulon – God of the seasons and husband of Lakapati; associated with health and change.
Kaptan (Captan) – Supreme sky god who rules the upperworld. In some myths, he battles Maguayan.
Maguayan (Magwayan) – Primordial sea goddess who carries the dead to the underworld; sometimes depicted as a giant turtle or sea serpent.
Lihangin – God of the wind; son of Kaptan and Maguayan, father of the first humans in some stories.
Lidagat – Goddess of the sea, calm waters, and marine life, often paired with Lihangin.
Sidapa – God of death, war, and the afterlife. He lives on the slopes of Mount Madja-as, judging souls by their tattoos or deeds.
Maka-andog – God of the underworld and karma; punishes those who harm animals, especially dogs.
Dalikamata – All-seeing goddess with thousands of eyes. She is the weaver of the fabric of fate and conscience.
Kabunian (Ifugao/Cordillera) – Supreme deity of the Ifugao, living in the skyworld, associated with ancestors, rice terracing, and moral law.
Magbabaya (Bukidnon) – Supreme creator of the Bukidnon people, one of a trinity of gods watching over the world.
Laon (Visayan) – Ancient supreme goddess of Negros island. Often pictured as an old woman living on the volcanic Mount Kanlaon, which bears her name.
Gugurang (Bicolano) – Supreme god of the Bicol region, and keeper of sacred fire and punisher of sinners, contrasting with his brother Asuang.
Asuang (Bicolano) – God of evil, chaos, and dark magic. Also, Gugurang’s rival, constantly trying to steal the fire.
Mythical Creatures & Spirits
Vampiric & Flesh-Eating Beings
Aswang – An umbrella term for shapeshifting monsters that prey on humans, often pregnant women. By day they appear as ordinary villagers, by night they sprout wings and feast on organs.
Manananggal – A self-segmenting vampire that detaches its upper torso at the waist, leaving its lower half behind while it flies on bat-like wings to hunt sleeping victims with a long, needle-like tongue.
Tiyanak – A mischievous, vampiric creature that takes the form of a newborn baby. It lures travelers with its cries in the forest, then transforms into a sharp-clawed monster when picked up.
Forest & Earth Spirits
Diwata – Nature spirits (often female) who guard mountains, forests, springs, and trees. They can be benevolent or vengeful, and were later merged with the concept of engkantada.
Engkanto – A broad term for enchanted spirit beings living in the natural world, particularly in old trees, anthills, and rocky formations. They often mirror human form and are known to take a liking (or dislike) to mortals.
Nuno sa Punso – A dwarf-like earth spirit that lives in termite mounds (punso). Deeply territorial, it will curse with swelling, illness, or misfortune anyone who disturbs its home without asking permission.
Kapre – A giant, cigar-smoking tree demon dressed in bark and vines. Often spotted lounging high in old balete or acacia trees, it watches passersby and occasionally befriends humans—sometimes with unsettling affection.
Tikbalang – A tall, bony humanoid with the head and hooves of a horse. It is said to lead travelers in circles deep in the forest, releasing them only if they turn their shirt inside out or ask politely.
Water Dwellers
Sirena – The classic mermaid, but distinctly dangerous in Philippine lore. She surfaces to enchant fishermen with song and beauty, often pulling them to a watery grave.
Siyokoy – A grotesque merfolk creature, more monstrous than the sirena. Covered in scales with gill-slits and tentacle-like limbs, it lurks in deep waters and drowns unsuspecting swimmers.
Kataw – The male counterpart of the sirena, an upper-class mer-person often associated with royalty of the sea. Sometimes portrayed as a guardian rather than a predator.
Harbingers & Nocturnal Omens
Wak Wak – A nocturnal bird-like creature whose loud wing flaps (“wak-wak”) grow fainter as it approaches. Its cry signals the arrival of an aswang, and silence means it’s already above your roof.
Kikik – Similar to the wak wak but distinguished by its high-pitched call. It’s often believed to be the pet or familiar of an aswang, hunting alongside it.
Supernatural Beings of the Home & Sky
Tikbi – A vampire-like being that enters houses at night to feed on sleeping children. It’s said to have long, prehensile tongue that reaches through windows and roofs.
Santelmo (St. Elmo’s Fire) – The glowing ball of fire that floats in swamps and fields. Folk tradition sees it as a wandering spirit or a sign of a hidden treasure, not just a weather phenomenon.
Duende – Little earth-dwelling spirits, often borrowed from Spanish folklore. They live in rocks or tree roots and play tricks on people who fail to say “tabi-tabi po” (excuse me) when passing their dwellings.
Guardians & Tricksters
Berberoka (Apung Berberoka) – A freshwater ogre or giant that sucks water from lakes and ponds to lure fish—and then people—into its trap, drowning them by releasing the water all at once.
Pugot – A headless black spirit that wanders graveyards and abandoned houses. Despite having no head, it often produces terrifying, echoing laughter.
Key Myths & Legendary Heroes
Creation & Origin Myths
Malakas at Maganda (Tagalog) – A bird pecks open a bamboo stalk, and out step the first man (“Strong”) and first woman (“Beautiful”), who become the parents of humanity.
The Visayan Bamboo Myth – Sky god Kaptan and sea goddess Maguayan produce the first humans, Sicalac and Sicavay, who also emerge from a split bamboo after a divine quarrel.
Bakunawa and the Eclipses – The serpent Bakunawa rises from the sea to swallow the moon. People make noise with pots and pans to frighten it away—a living practice tied to the myth.
Origin of Sun, Moon, and Stars – After a fierce fight between siblings Apolaki (sun) and Mayari (moon), Mayari loses an eye, explaining the moon’s dimmer light. Tala scatters her jewels to become stars.
Epic Heroes
Lam-ang (Ilocano) – The hero of Biag ni Lam-ang, born with extraordinary powers. He avenges his father’s death, wins the hand of Ines Kannoyan through impressive feats, and is resurrected by his loyal animal companions.
Labaw Donggon (Visayan) – A demigod from the Hinilawod epic with a thirst for adventure and multiple wives. He’s trapped by a monster and later rescued by his own sons, who continue his heroics.
Humadapnon (Visayan) – Brother of Labaw Donggon in the Hinilawod. A romantic hero who journeys through enchanted realms to win the love of celestial maidens, battling sorcerers and supernatural obstacles.
Prince Bantugan (Maranao) – The handsome, peerless prince of Bumbaran from the Darangen epic. He dies of envy-induced illness, his spirit wanders, and he’s revived by a magical parrot to reclaim his throne.
Indarapatra and Sulayman (Maranao/Maguindanao) – Two brother-heroes who rid Mindanao of terrible monsters. Sulayman is killed in battle and later resurrected by Indarapatra, who restores peace and becomes a wise ruler.
Aliguyon (Ifugao) – Central figure of the Hudhud chants, a warrior so skilled that his long duel with rival Pumbakhayon ends in a draw. They exchange peace rituals and eventually intermarry their clans.
Tuwaang (Bagobo) – The hero of the Bagobo epic, who wears magical garments and wields a thunderbolt. He rescues a maiden from the clutches of a sky giant and proves his superiority in contests of strength and wit.
Legendary Figures & Folk Heroes
Bernardo Carpio – A supernaturally strong giant trapped between two mountains in Montalban. His attempts to free himself are said to cause earthquakes, and he’s often interpreted as a symbol of resistance against oppression.
Maria Makiling – The guardian diwata of Mount Makiling in Laguna. A benevolent spirit who aids the poor and protects the forest, but punishes those who abuse her kindness with misfortune.
The Legend of the Pineapple (Pinya) – A lazy girl named Pina, who always fails to find things for her mother, is cursed to become a fruit with many “eyes” so she’ll never have to search again—a popular moral tale.
That concludes today's discussion about Filipino legends. We hope you enjoyed learning about them!
Check out these other articles written by former team members:
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