MONSTERS AND MYTHICAL

CREATURES IN THE
PHILIPPINES
FANTASTIC STORIES
ASWANG
Aswang is a generic term applying to group of
creature types such as witches, vampires,
manananggals, shapeshifters, therianthropes
and monsters. The original definition is an eater
of the dead and is also know under different
names the bal-bal (maninilong in Catanauan,
Quezon. Stories recount aswangs as female
shapeshifters living among regular
townspeople, they are quiet, shy and elusive
and At night, they transform into creatures
from cat, pig, bird and the most common a dog.
MANANANGGAL

Manananggal is described as being a hideous,

scary vampire-like creature (as opposed to an
aswang), capable of severing its upper torso in
order to fly into the night with huge bat-like
wings to prey on unsuspecting, pregnant
women in their homes; using an elongated
proboscis-like tongue, it sucks the hearts of
fetuses or the blood of an unsuspecting,
sleeping victim.
MANGKUKULAM

Mangkukulam is a Witch or sorcerers

who cast evil spells to inflict pain or
illness. The difference between a
mambabarang and a mangkukulam is
that the mambabarang uses magical
insects to bring harm to his victims.
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. 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.
TIYANAK OR IMPAKTO
Tiyanak or impakto are babies who died before
receiving baptism rites. After death, they go to
a place known as Limbo, a chamber of Hell
which unbaptized dead people fall into, and are
transformed into evil spirits. These phantasms
return into the mortal realm in the form of
goblins to eat living victims. The tiyanak can
also be the offspring of a woman and a demon.
 TIKBALANG
Tikbalang or Tigbalang (demon horse) is a half-
man and half-horse creature. It has a horse’s
head, the body of a human but with the feet of
the horse. It travels at night to rape female
mortals. The raped women will then give birth
to more tikbalang. They are also believed to
cause travelers to lose their way particularly in
mountainous or forest areas. Tikbalangs are
very playful with people, and they usually make
a person imagine things that aren’t real.
 KAPRE
Kapre is a filthy, dark giant 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. If
you’re stuck in a place and you keep going
around in circles, you’re said to be played
around by a Kapre. To escape its control, you
must remove your t-shirt, and wear it inside-
out.
BAL BAL

Bal-Bal is a monster that steals corpses whether

it is in a funeral or grave and feeds on them. It
has a strong sense of smell for dead human
bodies. It also has claws and teeth sharp
enough to rip the clothing of the dead. Since it
eats nothing but corpses, it has a foul breath.
Once this monster has spotted and eaten the
corpse, it will leave the trunk of a banana tree
in the coffin creating an illusion of the stolen
body to trick people.
BATIBAT OR BANGUNGOT

The Batibat or Bangungot is a vengeful demon

found in Ilocano folklore. These demons were
blamed as the cause of the fatal nocturnal
disease called bangungot. A batibat takes the
form of a huge, old, fat woman that resides in
trees. They usually come in contact with
humans when the tree that they reside in is
felled and made into a support post for a
house.
BUNGISNGIS

Bungisngis is described as a giant humanoid

with one eyed who is always laughing. It has
large teeth which are always showing, and its
upper lip covers its face when it is thrown back.
Two long tusks project from the side of its
mouth. The giant only has one eye, which is
found in the middle of its forehead,but this is
compensated by its strong sense of hearing.
BAKUNAWA
Tales about the Bakunawa say that it is the
cause of eclipses. During ancient times,
Filipinos believe that there are seven moons
created by Bathala to light up the sky. The
Bakunawa, amazed by their beauty, would rise
from the ocean and swallow the moons whole,
angering Bathala and causing them to be
mortal enemies.To keep the Bakunawa moons
from completely being swallowed, ancient
Filipinos would go out of their homes with pans
and pots, and would make noise in order to
scare the Bakonawa into spitting out the moon
back into the sky.
KIBAAN
The Kibaan are fair-skinned, their mouths
gleam with gold teeth, heels point forward and
toes behind. They have long hair that reaches
their feet, but are only as big as a two-year old
child. They can be found in the Bangar tree, in
bushes and small trees frequented by
“alitaptap” or fireflies at night. By its
frustration, it is kept in a mortal’s yard. It keeps
the ground under its tree home well swept. It
has a kitchen where a spicy odor emanates
from after sunset. It sings in small groups on
vines in groves while strumming tiny guitars.
SANTILMO

A ball of fire. Santelmo in tagalog or St.

Elmo's fire.

It is believed that santelmo is a lost spirit

in a form of a ball of fire. This kind of
stories is famous in rural areas in the
provinces of the Philippines. Since
Filipino believed in the power of
unknown, this is just one of them.
SIGBIN
Sigbin is a creature of Philippine
mythology said to come out at night to
suck the blood of victims from their
shadows. The creature walks backward
with its head lowered between its hind
legs. It resembles a hornless goat, emits a
very nauseating smell and possess a pair
of very large ears which are capable of
clapping like a pair of hands. It is also
claimed to issue forth from its lair during
Holy Week, looking for children that it will
kill for the heart, which is made into an
amulet.