Philippine Mythology

~ A Collection of tales and superstitions

about magical creatures and entities.
Some Filipinos, even though heavily
Christianized, still believe in these tales.
The prevalence of belief in the figures of
Philippines mythology is strong in the
provinces.
Philippine Mythology

09 SUNDAYMAR 2014
POSTED BY THEFILIPINOWRITERPEN IN PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
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Philippine Mythology include a collection of tales and superstitions about magical
creatures and entities. Some Filipinos, even though heavily Christianized, still believe in
these tales. The prevalence of belief in the figures of Philippines mythology is strong in the
provinces.
Because the country has many islands and is inhabited by different ethnic groups, Philippine
mythology and superstitions are very diverse. However, certain similarities exist among
these groups, such as the belief in Heaven (kaluwalhatian, kalangitan, kamurawayan), Hell
(impiyerno, kasamaan), and the human soul (kaluluwa).

Philippine Pantheon
 09 SUNDAYMAR 2014

POSTED BY THEFILIPINOWRITERPEN IN PHILIPPINE LITERATURE, PHILIPPINE PANTHEON

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The stories of ancient Philippine mythology include deities, creation stories, mythical creatures, and beliefs. Ancient
Philippine mythology varies among the many indigenous tribes of the Philippines. Some groups during the pre-
Spanish conquest era believed in a single Supreme Being who created the world and everything in it, while others
chose to worship a multitude of tree and forest deities (diwatas). Diwatas came from the Sanskrit word devata which
means “deity“, one of the several significant Hindu influences in the Pre-Hispanic religion of the ancient Filipinos.
Below are some of the gods and goddesses of the ancient Philippines:
Deities of Philippine Mythology
The Deities of Philippine Mythology are the gods, goddesses and diwatas worshiped by ancient Filipinos before
the Christianization of the natives after the Spanish conquest of the Philippines. While not as widely known as
its European and Asian counterparts, they have similar elements and characteristics when compared to other
mythologies.
List of God and Goddesses
Ancient Philippine Mythology varies among the many indigenous tribes of the Philippines. During the pre-Spanish
era, some tribes believed in a single supreme being who created the world and everything in it, along with lesser
deities. Others chose to worship a multitude of trees as an act of animism. Today the Philippines have three
religions, animism in northern Luzon, Christianity in southern Luzon and in visayas, and Islam in mindanao. Below
are some of the gods and goddesses of the various ancient Philippine tribes:
Ancient Tagalog Deities
This section includes the deities of the Ancient Tagalogs from a certain pantheon story. The first part as shown
below were the residents of Kaluwalhatian (the Ancient Tagalog counterpart of Christian’s Heaven).
1. Bathala – The supreme god of being; creator of man and earth and addressed sometimes as
Bathalang Maykapal. He dwells in Kaluwalhatian together with the lesser gods and goddesses. Aside
from the lesser gods and goddesses, he sent his anitos in order to assist the daily lives of every
human. When most of the natives were converted to Christianity during the Spanish Era, he was
referred to the Christian God.
2. Amanikable – The ill-tempered god of the sea because among of the first generation gods (aside from
Bathala), he was never married after his love was spurned by a beautiful mortal maiden, Maganda. In
frustration, he swore vengeance against the humans by sending turbulent waves and horrible
tempests in order to wreck boats and to drown men.
3. Idiyanale – The goddess of labor and good deeds. Natives used to call for her guidance in order to
make their works successful. She married Dimangan and had two offspring.
 4. Dimangan – The god of good harvest. He was married to Idiyanale and had two offspring.
5. Lakapati – The goddess of fertility and the most understanding and kind of all the deities. Also known
as Ikapati, she was the giver of food and prosperity. Her best gift to mankind was agriculture
(cultivated fields). Through this, she was respected and loved by the people. Later, she was married
to Mapulon and had a daughter.
6. Mapulon – The god of seasons and husband of Lakapati of whom they had a daughter.
7. Mayari – The goddess of the moon and one of the three daughters of Bathala by a mortal woman.
She was the most charming of all the goddesses. She had two sisters, Tala and Hanan.
8. Tala – The goddess of the stars; sister of Mayari and Hanan and one of the three daughters of Bathala
by a mortal woman.
9. Hanan – The goddess of morning; sister of Mayari and Tala and one of the three daughters of Bathala
by a mortal woman.
10. Dumakulem – The strong, agile guardian of mountains and the son of Idiyanale and Dimangan. His
sister was Anitun Tabu. He later married Anagolay.
11. Anion Tabu – The fickle-minded goddess of wind and rain. She was the daughter of Idiyanale and
Dimangan and the sister of Dumakulem.
12. Anagolay – The goddess of lost things and the only offspring of Lakapati and Mapulon. She was
married to Dumakulem.
13. Apolaki – The god of sun and the chief patron of warriors. He was the son of Anagolay and
Dumakulem.
14. Mapolan Masalanta – The goddess of love, conception and childbirth and the protector of lovers. She
was the daughter of Anagolay and Dumakulem and youngest of all the deities. After the conversion of
the natives to Christianity during the Spanish Era, she was then referred as Maria Makiling.
Other Definitions
 In Some Sources: Bathala is the father of Apolaki, aside from Mayari and Tala Hence Excluding Hanan.
 In Some Sources: Amanikable Is Referred As A Sea Deity of the Manobo Tribe.
 In Some Sources: Idiyanale Is Identified As The Goddess Of Agriculture.
 In Some Sources:  Aside From Being A Goddess Of Agriculture, Idiyanale Is Also Identified as the
goddess of animal husbandry.
 In Some Sources: Lakapati Is Identified As A Hermaphrodite.
 In Some Sources: Mayari Is The Sister Of Apolaki
 In Some Sources: Mayari Is Identified As An One-Eyed Goddess.
 In Some Sources: Tala Is The Sister Of Mayari, Apolaki And The Daughter of Bathala.
 In Some Sources: Apolaki Is The Brother Of Mayari And The Son Of Bathala.
The list includes the god/goddess-like, residents of Kasamaan (Ancient Tagalog counterpart of Hell). They were the
evil entities all opposed to Bathala and the rest of his deities.
 1. Sitan – The guardian of Kasamaan and the keeper of all souls therein, the counterpart of Satan. He
had four agents whose task was to lead man to sin and destruction.
2. Manggagaway – She was the first agent of Sitan and was primarily blamed as the cause of diseases.
Sometimes, she would change herself into a human form, appearing as a false healer. If she wished to
kill someone, she employed a magic wand.
3. Manisilat – The second agent of Sitan, she was tasked to destroy and break every happy and united
family that she could find.
4. Mangkukulam – The only male agent of Sitan, he was to emit fire at night and when there was bad
weather. Like his fellow agents, he could change his form to that of a healer and then induce fire at
his victim’s house. If the fire were extinguished immediately, the victim would eventually die. His
name remains today as witch.
5. Hukluban – The last agent of Sitan could change herself into any form she desired. She could kill
someone by simply raising her hand and could heal without any difficulty as she wished. Her name
literally means “crone” or “hag.
Other Tagalog Deities
The list includes the gods and goddesses who don’t have a unified pantheon within the Tagalog deities mentioned in
one.
1. Amansinaya – god of the fishermen.
2. Galang Kaluluwa (Wandering Spirit) – The winged god present in some creation myths who loves to
travel. He is identified as a close friend of Bathala.
3. Ulilang Kaluluwa (Orphaned Spirit) – It is a serpent god present in some creation myths that was
killed by Bathala after an ensuing rival.
4. Haik – god of the sea.
5. Lakambakod – The protector of the growing crops.
6. Lakambini – Spanish called him as “Abogado de la Garganta” (The Throat Advocate). He is referred as
the god of gluttony, food and eating.
7. Lingga – a phallic god.
Ancient Bikolano Deities
The list includes the deities of Ancient Bikolanos living in Ibalon (present Bicol Region).
1. Gugurang – The supreme god who dwells inside of Mount Mayon where he guards and protects the
sacred fire in which Aswang, his brother was trying to steal. Whenever people disobey his orders,
wishes and commit numerous sins, he would cause Mount Mayon to burst lava as a sign of warning
for people to mend their crooked ways. Ancient Bikolanos had a rite performed for him called Atang.
2. Aswang – The evil god who always try to steal the sacred fire of Mount Mayon from his brother,
Gugurang. Addressed sometimes as Asuang, he dwells mainly inside Mount Malinao. As an evil god,
he would cause the people to suffer misfortunes and commit sins.
 3. Haliya – The masked goddess of the moon and the arch-enemy of Bakunawa. Her cult is composed
primarily of women. There is also a ritual dance named after her as it is performed to be a counter-
measure against Bakunawa.
4. Bakunawa – A gigantic sea serpent deity who is often considered as the cause of eclipses. As the
devourer of the sun and the moon, this serpent became an adversary of Haliya.
Ancient Visayan Deities

This section includes the deities of the Visayans from a certain pantheon story.

1. Kaptan – The supreme god who dwells in the sky. He is the Ancient Visayan counterpart of Bathala.
Of all the supreme deities in the Visayas, he is the most worshiped by the natives. He had a son
named Lihangin.
2. Maguayan – The god of the sea. He had a daughter named Lidagat.
3. Lihangin – The god of the wind and the son of Kaptan. He later married Lidagat and had four children.
4. Lidagat – The goddess of the sea, daughter of Maguayan. She later married Lihangin and had four
children.
5. Likabutan – The god of the world and the eldest children of Lihangin and Lidagat.
6. Liadlaw – The god of the sun and the second children of Lihangin ang Lidagat.
7. Libulan – The god of the moon and the third children of Lihangin and Lidagat.
8. Lisuga – The goddess of the stars. She was the youngest children of Lihangin and Lidagat. The deity in
which Silalak and Sibabay came from.
Other Visayan Deities
The list includes the gods and goddesses who haven’t have a unified pantheon within the Visayan deities mentioned
in five.
1. Adlaw – God of the sun.
2. Alunsina – She was the virgin goddess of the eastern skies.
3. Bangun Bangun – God of time and cosmic movements.
4. Barangaw – He is the god of the rainbow.
5. Bulalakaw – Bird god, causer of illness.
6. Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan – Goddess of greediness.
7. Dalikamata – The many-eyed goddess, cures eye illnesses.
8. Inaginid and Malandok – God invoked for success in battle and plunder.
9. Kan – Laon – The supreme god worshiped by the Ancient Visayans who lived in the Negros Island that
dwells in Mount Kanlaon. As well as Kaptan, he is the Ancient Visayans counterpart of Bathala).and he
is the god of time.
10. Kasaraysarayan sa Silgan – God of rivers.
 11. Lalahon – She is the goddess of fire, volcanoes and harvest.In ancient times, Ancient Visayans blamed
her for sending armies of locusts to destroy their harvests. In response, natives will offer her gifts in
order to please her and prevent her from doing that.
12. Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokan – Goddess of the night breeze.
13. Luyong Baybay – Goddess of the tides.
14. Magdang Diriinin – God of the lakes.
15. Maklium sa Tiwan – God of the valleys and plains.
16. Maklium sa Tubig – God of the sea.
17. Magwayen –  Soul ferry who is believed to take the souls of the dead in Sulad (Ancient
Visayan counterpart of Hell).
18. Munsad Buralakaw – God of politics and affairs of men.
 

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Philippine Folk Literature

09 SUNDAYMAR 2014

POSTED BY THEFILIPINOWRITERPEN IN PHILIPPINE FOLK LITERATURE, PHILIPPINE LITERATURE

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Philippine mythology is derived from Philippine folk literature, which is the traditional oral literature of the Filipino
people. This refers to a wide range of material due to the ethnic mix of the Philippines. Each unique ethnic group has
its own stories and myths to tell.
While the oral and thus changeable aspect of folk literature is an important defining characteristic, much of this oral
tradition had been written into a print format. To point out that folklore in a written form can still be considered
folklore, Utely pointed out that folklore “may appear in print, but must not freeze into print. “It should be pointed out
that all the examples of folk literature cited in this article are taken from print, rather than oral sources.
University of the Philippines Professor, Damiana Eugenio, classified Philippines Folk Literature into three major
groups: folk narratives, folk speech, and folk songs. Folk narratives can either be in prose: the myth,
the alamat (legend), and the kuwentong bayan (folktale), or in verse, as in the case of the folk epic. Folk speech
includes the bugtong (riddle) and the salawikain (proverbs). Folk songs that can be sub-classified into those that tell
a story (folk ballads) are a relative rarity in Philippine folk literature. These form the bulk of the Philippines’ rich
heritage of folk songs.