9 Obscure Mythical Beings in Philippine Folklore
Philippine folklore features many strange tales and shadowy figures, revealing the fears, faith, and imagination of early Filipinos. Beyond the well-known aswang and kapre, there are numerous obscure mythical beings whose legends are deeply connected to the land and people they originated from. Here are some examples!
1. Berberoka
Hailing from Abra, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, this freshwater ogre drains ponds to trap fishermen before drowning them. Yet for some reason, it fears crabs despite its strength.
2. Gawigawen
This six-headed giant is another one of the obscure mythical beings from the North. Its origins hail from the Tingguian story Gawigawen of Adasen: it guards a tree that bears knife-shaped fruit and is defeated by a hero’s son seeking vengeance for his father.
3. Sarangay
This Ibanag creature is a half-man, half-bull being adorned with jeweled earrings. Similar to the minotaur, it fiercely guards its treasures and brutally punishes any thieves who dare to covet them, a legend consistent across different etymologies.
4. Ani-Ani
This creature is believed to be a hybrid of a kapre and an aswang. However, instead of sucking blood, it just blocks travelers’ paths and is often seen smoking on treetops.
5. Bal-Bal
Also known as maninilong in Catanauan, Quezon, this creature steals and consumes corpses from funeral sites. To avoid suspicion, it replaces the deceased with banana trunks.
6. Bungisngis
This one-eyed monster, thought to be from Orion, Bataan, is known for its incredible strength and booming laughter. Interestingly, its name comes from ngisi (to giggle), leading some folktales to depict it as a good-natured, if somewhat dim-witted, creature.
7. Bakunawa
In Hiligaynon folklore, this sea serpent causes eclipses by swallowing moons. However, it was disturbed by the townsfolk, who, at the request of Bathhala, banged on pots and pans. This caused it to spit out the moons and never return.
8. Sigbin
This mysterious creature, described as a hornless goat with big ears, glowing eyes, a whip-like tail, and the ability to walk backward, is believed by some to be an urban legend. However, eyewitness accounts exist, and experts theorize it may be a cat-fox species from Borneo.
9. Amomongo
Said to attack livestock near Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Occidental, this white, ape-like creature remains shrouded in mystery. Despite alleged eyewitness accounts, its existence, much like Bigfoot’s, is unconfirmed.
READ: PH Mythical Creatures Origins: The Aswang, Tikbalang, and Other Pinoy Legends
These obscure mythical beings reveal how we shape our own monsters. So by revisiting these forgotten legends, we keep alive the mysteries that once defined how our ancestors understood the unseen world.
