Philippine mythical creatures

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Main article: Philippine mythology


List of Philippine Mythical Creatures[edit]


Bakunawa is a dragon in Philippine mythology that is often represented as a gigantic sea serpent. It is believed to be the cause of eclipses. It is believed that he or she was just turned into a dragon as punishment. Bakunawa was a beautiful diwata in the sea; some say she was a naga, and was the most powerful. One night, she saw the seven moons and was captivated by their beauty and longed to possess them. One of the embodiment of the moon descended to the sea to swim with the mermaids. It was Bulan, the adolescent aspect of the moon. The boy moon did not notice Bakunawa. Thinking the boy had ignored her beauty to play with the mermaids enraged her. The following night, she transformed herself into a dragon and devoured the moons. When she had swallowed the last moon, Bathala intervened, so she spit out the moon...


Main article: Bungisngis



Main article: Aswang

Aswangs are shapeshifters. They are human-like by day but transform into different monstrous forms to harass and eat awake humans at night or day, especially pregnant women who are about to give birth.[1] Aswangs can change from a human to an animal form, usually as a big black bird with a long tongue (tiktik), as a half-bodied monster (manananggal) as a bat, a cat, a pig or a black dog. Some aswangs can change form at will, others through the use of foul oils concocted by good magicians (albularyo,manggagaway,manghihilot). Aswangs appear at night (rarely during the day) to prey upon unwary travelers or sleeping people. It is said that they have a peculiar liking for the taste of human liver. The myth of the Aswang is popular in the Visayas, especially in provinces such as Aklan, Capiz, Antique, and Ilo-Ilo. Aswangs (mostly, tiktiks) also have a peculiar liking for the fetus of pregnant women and are said to find their quarry by the scent of the mother, which to the aswang smells like ripe jackfruit. Upon finding the house of the pregnant mother, the tiktik alights on the roof from where it stretches its tongue until it is as thin as a thread and uses it to enter the womb and feast on the fetus. The only way to prevent this creature is to put your soft brooms or brooms stick upside down, to put a "badiawan twig" all over your windows, or to put a blessed or a magic dagger in any parts of the house.


Main article: Bathala



Main article: Berberoka

Berberoka ensnares its victims by drinking enough water in the pond until a number of fish appear into the surface. When the potential victims get attracted to the school of fish, the Berberoka drowns them by hosing water and swallowing them afterwards.


Main article: Diwata



Main article: Duende (mythology)

Duwende are goblins, hobgoblins, elves or dwarfs (Spanish: duende "goblin, elf, charm" < "duen de (casa)", owner of the house). They are little creatures who can provide good fortune or bad fate to humans.[1] In the pre-colonial Philippines they were called mangalo and were believed to cause the death of children by eating their bowels. Also in pre-colonial philippines mainly Visayas people believed that this race of creatures served and raised the goddess Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan. In modern day beliefs duwendes frequently live in houses, in trees, underground, termite like mound or hill, and in rural areas. They are known to be either good or mischievous, depending on how homeowners treat them. They usually come out at 12 noon for an hour and during the night. Filipinos always mutter words ("tabi-tabi po" or "bari-bari apo ma ka ilabas kami apo") asking them to excuse themselves for bothering the Duwendes. Filipinos would leave food on the floor, so that the duwende residing (or guarding) the house would not be angry with them. They also take your things,and laugh at you when you try to find it. They give it back when they feel like it,or when you tell them to please give it.


Ekek are creatures who are bird-like humans. "Wakwak" in the common Filipino term. They are winged-humans who at night search for victims. They hunger for flesh and blood. It is like a Harpy.


A male diwata is coined as enkanto, but they are a totally different race. They are believed to be malevolent and physically attractive, having light colored hair and fangs. It resides primarily near the sea or any body of water. It is customary for Filipino fishermen to offer meat and other delicacies to the enkanto by throwing them into the sea, after a day's bountiful catch.


Garuda is a large bird-like creature, or humanoid bird muscular upper body of a man but the face and large wings of the great eagle who is believed to eat men


Main article: Kapre

Kapre is a filthy giant[1] who likes to smoke huge rolls of cigars, and hide within, and atop large trees, particularly the balete and old acacia or mango trees. A Filipino bigfoot, it scares away little children who play at night.[4] If you're stuck in a place and you keep going around in circles, you said to be played around with by a Kapre. To escape its control, you must remove your shirt/clothing, and wear it inside-out.


Main article: Kinnara

Kinara are described as gentle creatures, loyal and subservient, and are depicted of having a beautiful face and the upper body of a slender woman or boy with wings, or can transform its hands and limbs into feathered wings for flight and the lower body of a bird description varies. Kinaras are skilled dancers and musicians performing solely for their lover.

The Kinara or Kinari the devoted lover with the beautiful face and body of a woman (sometimes a boy) with feathered wings and claws who will love and devotedly serve the mortal they have fallen in love with and when their hearts get broken they turn into winged monsters that feed on blood called Mandurugo In pre-colonial Philippines Kinnara or Kinarri are symbol of androgynous beauty and of a lover's devotion a symbol of ethereal beauty and undying devotion towards a lover. Pre-colonial gold have been found depicting such otherworldly beauty. In Philippine epics and folklore kinara or kinari usually guards a jar of treasure but is actually guarding the remains of his human lover, since pre-colonial Philippines people bury their deceased in jars along with their gold and precious stones.


Naga's other names are Marindaga, Marinaga, Maginaga. They are a type of fresh water mermaids, but instead of having fish tails they have eels and/or water snakes for tails and the upper body of a human female having alluring face, curvaceous body and long flowing hair.




Malakas and Maganda[edit]

Malakas and Maganda.





A manananggal.
Main article: Manananggal






Main article: Mangkukulam



Maria Makiling[edit]

Maria Makiling.
Main article: Maria Makiling




Nuno sa punso[edit]

Main article: Nuno sa punso

Nuno sa punso (literally, goblin of the mound) are goblins or elves who live within mysterious lumps of soil (ant hills). They can provide a person who steps on their shelter with good luck or misfortune.[1] Superstitious Filipinos, when passing by a mound, will ask the resident nuno's permission to let them pass with the phrase, "Tabi-tabi po". Strange and sudden illnesses that befall a person are sometimes attributed to nunos. It is also said that nunos don't like being pointed at, and could cause you to break your finger.




Main article: St. Elmo's Fire

The mangalyo or santilmu appears in the form of a ball of fire. Pre-colonial islanders believed it is a living entity It is presently known asSantelmo, or Santo Elmo, is a fireball seen by dozens of Filipinos, especially those living in the Sierra Madre Mountains. It was scientifically explained as electric fields which have diverged from the lines. However, the sightings were reported since the Spanish era (16th-19th centuries). (See also Shinen and Will-o-Wisps) There were also sightings in the Alps and Himalayas.




The Sarimanok.
Main article: Sarimanok



Dyesebel, a Philippine mermaid.

Sirena is a mermaid, a sea creature with a human upper body and a fish tail instead of lower extremities. beautiful but vicious they were called Magindara and were guardians of the waters of "asin-palan(Pangasinan)" guarding it from the tattooed raiders from the Visayas. In Pre-colonial Philippines it is believed that in the full moon or in the Dayaw or Kadayawan one of the embodiment of the moon who is Bulan descended from the heavens to swim with the mermaids and that the mermaids protected the boy moon from sea monsters. They attract fishermen and lure them to their deaths but sometimes they fall in love.[1] Sirenas are reportedly often seen ashore by fishermen, especially in the towns bordering the Pacific Ocean.


Siyokoy are mermen, sea creatures that have a human form and scaled bodies. The Siyokoy is the male counterpart of the Sirena. The lower extremities of a Philippine merman can either be a fishtail or scaled legs and webbed feet. They could also have long, green tentacles. They drown mortals who trespass into their territory. Siyokoys have gill slits, are colored brown or green, and have scaly skin, comparable to that of a fish.


Tamawo or Tamao are mythogical creatures believed to be handsome having very fair to white skin with fangs and claws of gold. Believed to be clad in gold and wears putong and bahag like the nobles of pre-colonial Visayas. The tamawo were known by its different names: the bumalabag, male fairy who viewed and visited places; the manupongtupong, a male fairy who dresses like an ordinary man; the manla-awla-aw who looked out from behind an anthill; manilag-nilag, a female fairy who attended social gatherings and festivities; and the manbukay, a female fairy who dwelt in shallow wells.


Main article: Tikbalang
A Tikbalang.



Main article: Tiyanak



Main article: Wakwak







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