Nine underrated Filipino mythological creatures to know 

You’ve likely never heard of these beings

October has crept in once more, and with it comes Filipinos’ fascination with dread. They watch horror films, listen to spine-tingling podcasts, read scary stories, and speak of beings that haunt the night.

Yet the subjects are often too familiar and, at times, too Western. Even with the renewed interest in local folklore, the likes of the oversimplified aswang or the weary white lady still take the stage.

Philippine mythology has so much more to offer. Fortunately, Edgar Samar, the Janus Silang and Trilohiya ng mga Bilang author who won the 2024 Southeast Asian Writers Award from the Kingdom of Thailand, has already gathered many forgotten, if not underrated, beings in Mga Nilalang na Kagila-gilalas (Adarna House).

Malakas na nilalang

The book is an encyclopedia of sorts that provides an exhaustive list of Filipino mythological creatures, both menacing and beguiling. First published in 2015 as 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang, it was reprinted in 2019 with new entries and stunning illustrations from Leo Kempis Ang, Sergio Bumatay III, Mico Dimagiba, JC Galag, Kat Matias, Jap Mikel, Harry Monzon, Stephen Prestado, Conrad Raquel, Cat S., and Borg Sinaban.

It’s divided into seven sections: lamanlupa, halimaw, aswang, bayani, anito, diwata, and bathala. This piece will spotlight the first three, as these creatures dwell in the darker side of our mythology and are perfectly suited for the season of dread.

Samar differentiates them based on how people perceive them.

Lamanlupa, as their name suggests, live underground, in mounds (punso), or in trees such as the balete. They are usually small, though some grow immense. Humans can’t see them, for they exist as spirits or elementals. People typically address one of the most familiar kinds, the nuno sa punso, with a respectful “tabi po.” Lamanlupa are also known as kaibaan in Pangasinan and tamyaw in Waray.

Halimaw are animal or animal-like beings that are fierce, untamed, and grotesque. Their presence brings misfortune to humans or even destruction to the world itself. Among the most prominent is the tikbalang. People also know Halimaw as aliwas in Hiligaynon and amamaliw or mangtas in Sebwano.

Aswang are shapeshifters. By day, they appear as meek, solitary humans and by night, they transform into hunters of flesh, feasting on human innards and drinking blood. The manananggal is the most well-known form. Aswang are also referred to as asbang in ancient Tagalog.

Now that you can tell the three apart, meet these nine nilalang—three each from the lamanlupa, halimaw, and aswang—that prove our folklore is far richer, and perhaps even scarier, than the rest of the world’s.

Lamanlupa

Ansisit

The ansisit, which lives in mounds, huge rocks, or old trees in the backyard, can be the size of a finger to an armspan. It gets enraged by dust being swept at home. People who don’t say “kayu-kayu, umadayu kayu” (“kayo-kayo, lumayo kayo”/”excuse us, let us through”) to it when passing by its home will have swollen eyes, lips, or limbs.

The victim can recover by apologizing to the ansisit at 6 p.m. and dabbing their swelling with cotton soaked into the water inside a clam’s shell every night.

Other kids, meanwhile, befriend the ansisit and ask for its help in finding lost objects like brooms or pets.

Daligmata

The daligmata is an animal-like being with multiple, glowing eyes. It can only be seen at night. On one hand, it can help find lost objects and assist in healing rituals. On the other hand, it can steal the souls of a dreaming person through singing.

Tamawo

The tamawo has no canal in between its nose and mouth. Living in trees like lonok or nunuk, it can turn invisible and only shows itself to a select few. It can take the shape of an animal like a dog or carabao but can be easily identified through its rounder eyes and longer limbs and claws.

One may communicate with it by playing tulali, a flute made of bamboo with six holes.

While not inherently evil, it’s typically mischievous, kidnapping children or attractive women and offering them food. If their hostages eat the food, they’d appear like the tamawo. Otherwise, it safely returns its hostage after three or four days.

Halimaw

Ikugan

It’s a giant, ape-like being with an exceptionally long tail. It lives in the forest, sitting in a tall tree. It snatches people using its tail before strangling and dropping them to the ground.

Sigbin

The sigbin is the pet of an aswang that visits the house of a person who’s about to die. Usually taking the form of a locust or frog, it drinks its victim’s blood through their shadow before stealing their body and eating it with their master.

But the sigbin typically looks like a hornless goat with long hind legs like a grasshopper’s and short front legs like a kangaroo’s. It also has a long tail that it uses to strike victims with.

Usually appearing during the month’s last full moon, it can vanish and appear instantly, as well as bend its back so that its head reaches its feet. It walks backward, and has a fatal bite.

When an aswang gives birth, so does the sigbin.

The sigbin is afraid of sharp objects like a knife. When killed, its entire body must be burned. If even a strand of its fur remains, an aswang can resurrect it.

Bungisngis

Bungisngis is a one-eyed giant that laughs a lot. Its upper lip is so huge that it takes up most of its face. It dwells in the forest and has a huge appetite, so much so that it steals the food of others. Carabaos are its favorite meal.

It’s also known for its immense strength, lifting any animal or human within its reach. 

But Bungisngis can get easily startled and confused with what’s happening around it.

Aswang

Mandurugo

The mandurugo usually pretends to be a fair maiden and marries men it intends to victimize. It secretly drains their blood each night until they die—before moving on to its next victim.

Others say the mandurugo abducts children and uses their blood to strengthen bridges or buildings and apply to their jewels planted to the ground.

It can be killed with a sharpened bamboo stake.

Hukluban

The hukluban is a witch that can kill a human by simply raising its fingers. It looks like a old woman with wrinkles, but it’s also capable of shapeshifting at will.

By the same token, it can easily heal anyone, as its name is derived from the ancient Tagalog “huklob” or engkanto. The hukluban is said to be the slave of Sitan, the ruler of the underworld called Kasanaan.

Kiwig

The kiwig appears to be a human by day but turns into a beast—often a dog, wild boar, or a huge cat—at night. It usually pretends to be a street peddler to find its mark and scouts their houses.

Kiwig preys on its victims at their homes, usually children who don’t stop crying and pregnant women who walk outside. It bites their necks before eating them.

The kiwig fears garlic, salt, vinegar, ashes, and most of all, a stingray’s tail, which leaves marks that persist on its human form.

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