30+ Famous Mythical Creatures from the Philippines

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Urban legends expert Sydney Bermudez goes over popular monsters and spirits from Filipino mythology
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The Philippines is home to many unique folk religions, each with its own fascinating mythology. Many legends describe terrifying creatures that can be found lurking in different parts of the country. In this article, we partnered with an urban legends expert to compile a list of some of the most popular (and scary) Filipino mythical creatures. Let’s dive in!

Famous Filipino Mythical Creatures

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An illustration of popular Filipino mythical creatures.

Urban legends expert Sydney Bermudez says some of the most famous Filipino creatures include the aswang (a vampire-like creature), kapre (a tree-dwelling spirit), manananggal (a winged creature that separates its body), and tikbalang (a humanoid horse creature). Other creatures include the dwende, sirena, and anito.

1

Aswang

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  1. An aswang is a shapeshifting monster.
    Bermudez explains that the aswang is a vampire-like, shapeshifting creature that feeds on humans.[1] Specifically, it eats human flesh, blood, and unborn fetuses. Aswangs appear as ordinary humans during the day and transform into beasts at night.[2]
    • Aswang is often used as an umbrella term for many malevolent creatures, including vampires, ghouls, and witches.

    Meet the wikiHow Expert

    Sydney Bermudez is an urban legends expert who shares paranormal cases, internet mysteries, and psychological horror stories to her over 400k followers.

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2

Kapre

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  1. The kapre is a large, tree-dwelling humanoid.
    According to Bermudez, the kapre is a giant tree-dwelling spirit that’s often depicted smoking a large cigar while perched in a massive tree.[3] It closely resembles a gorilla with dark hair and skin and glowing eyes. The kapre guards large trees and may become dangerous if its tree is disturbed. They cause people to get lost in the woods, and in order to escape, you must turn all your clothes inside out.[4]
    • The kapre are also said to have a strong body odor.
3

Anito

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  1. The anito are ancestral spirits and nature spirits.
    These spirits are believed to reside in nature, and believers may invoke them for protection, health, and prosperity. They’re often represented by carved wooden, stone, or ivory figures known as taotao. Some ethnic groups also consider deities to be anito.[5]
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4

Tikbalang

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  1. Tikbalangs are bipedal horse monsters.
    They are tall, humanoid creatures with the heads and hooves of a horse that are believed to lead travelers astray in forests, says Bermudez.[6] They’re also said to lurk in the mountains and rainforests of the Philippines.[7] According to traditional Tagalog belief, they are the protectors of elemental realms.
    • Some stories also state that tikbalangs are the transformation of aborted fetuses sent to earth from limbo.
    • Check out our mythical horses article for even more horse-like creatures.
5

Tiyanak

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  1. The tiyanak is a vampiric, shapeshifting creature.
    It disguises itself as an innocent baby to lure in its victims. When someone picks it up, it quickly reveals its true form and kills the victim with its fangs and claws. It’s also known to lead people astray, kidnap children, and drain blood. Some believe the tiyanak is the spirit of an unbaptized, aborted, or stillborn child.[8]
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6

Sirena

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  1. Sirenas are the Filipino version of mermaids.
    They have the head and torso of a human woman and the tail of a fish. Like the Greek siren, they have beautiful voices that hypnotize sailors and fishermen, causing them to wreck their ships or drown. Some legends say the sirenas carry their victims under the sea to sacrifice to water deities. Sirenas are also known as Magindaras in parts of the Philippines.[9]
7

Diwata

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  1. A diwata is a friendly nature spirit.
    Also known as Encantada, these dryad-like creatures live in giant trees and serve as nature’s guardians. They bestow blessings to those who are kind to nature, bring them health, prosperity, and crop growth. They also curse those who bring harm to the woods and mountains, bringing sickness or disaster.[10]
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8

Nuno

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  1. The nuno is a dwarf-like nature spirit.
    It lives in an anthill or termite mound and becomes easily enraged if someone attacks its home. The nuno may cause the attacker’s body to swell, make them vomit blood, urinate black liquid, or grow excessive hair on their back. Many people say “Tabi tabi po” (“please move aside”) when approaching nuno-inhabited areas so the creature knows they mean no harm.[11]
9

Pugot

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  1. The pugot is a headless, shapeshifting creature.
    While it generally appears as a large, dark, headless creature, it can also take the form of dogs, hogs, and people. It typically lives in gloomy, abandoned areas and is usually harmless, despite its terrifying appearance. However, it is fond of women’s underwear and snatches them when they’re drying on a clothesline.[12]
    • The Pugot eats by inserting food into its neck stump. It typically preys on snakes and insects it finds in the treetops.
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10

Manananggal

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  1. The manananggal is a creature that separates its torso from its lower body.
    According to Bermudez, the manananggal is a terrifying creature that separates its upper body and flies at night with bat-like wings.[13] It typically preys on sleeping pregnant women and consumes their unborn children. It finds a secluded area to hide its lower body while hunting.[14]
    • The manananggal resembles a beautiful, elderly lady with giant, bat-like wings.
    • The manananggal’s tongue is a long, hollow tube it uses to pierce the sleeping woman’s womb and suck out the fetus.
    • If the creature’s body is still divided when the sun rises, it will die.
    • Looking for other creatures as scary as the manananggal? Check out our “Scary Mythical Creatures” article!
11

Tambal

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  1. The tambal is the Filipino equivalent of the doppelganger.
    It is a monster capable of shapeshifting to look exactly like its victim. Tambals can make their victims go missing and assume their identity. In some versions of the legend, it kills its victims before assuming their place.[15]
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12

Mangkukulam

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  1. A mangkukulam is a Filipino witch or sorcerer.
    Mangkukulams practice kulam, or dark magic, to inflict pain, illness, and other misfortune on their victims. They’re typically found in rural areas and often use voodoo dolls to perform spells on people they want to enact revenge on.[16]
13

Dwende

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  1. A dwende is a dwarf-like creature.
    Dwendes resemble little elderly men with long beards. They can be good or bad; evil dwendes are red, and good dwendes are white. Green dwendes enjoy being around small children, but they can be unpleasant and mischievous at times. Dwendes typically live in the woods, in anthills, or in ancient dwellings in distant regions.
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14

Amalanhig

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  1. Amalanghig are flightless, vampiric aswang.
    Originating in Visayan mythology, their name literally translates to “stiff one.” They’re believed to be flightless aswang who are resurrected after death because they failed to pass on their aswang powers before dying. They emerge from their grave and bite people’s necks. They have inflexible bodies and can only walk in a straight line.[17]
    • In some versions of the myth, the amalanhig tickle their victims until they die of laughter and horror.
15

Berbalang

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  1. Berbalangs are ghouls that feed on human flesh.
    They’re said to have wings and cat-like pupils, and they dig open graves and feast on the entrails of corpses. They can also astral project, leaving their physical bodies behind, to enter people’s homes and consume their flesh. Berbalangs make moaning sounds, which can alert people to their presence.
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16

Bungisngis

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  1. The bungisngis is a one-eyed giant.
    It’s said to live in Meluz, Orion, Bataan, and it is always laughing (its name is derived from the Tagalog word ngisi, meaning “to giggle”). It has large teeth that are always visible, and its top lip hides its face when flung back. The bungisngis has a single eye located in the center of its forehead.[18]
17

Busaw

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  1. The busaw is a ghoul that steals corpses.
    It looks and acts like a normal human during the day, but at night, it shows its true form, with pointed teeth, hooked nails, and a long tongue. Busaws live near cemeteries and steal bodies from graves. Some say it first transforms the stolen body into a pig and even tries to feed it to its human neighbors.[19]
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18

Sigbin

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  1. The sigbin is a goat-like creature that drinks blood.
    It resembles a hornless goat with huge ears and a long, flexible tail that can be used as a whip. In some accounts, it walks backwards because its feet are facing the wrong way.[20] During Holy Week, the sigbin emerges from its burrow to slaughter children for their hearts, which it molds into amulets. Some believe it is the pet of witches or aswang.
19

Kataw

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  1. Kataws are a type of merfolk who rule the sea.
    They’re said to be the highest-ranked merpeople in Visayas. Kataws often disguise themselves as fishermen who need help, and when humans approach, they drag them into the water.[21] According to legend, they can manipulate and control water, including tides, waves, and bubbles.
    • Unlike the sirena and other merpeople, kataws are said to have feet instead of tails. They also have gills and fins all over their bodies.
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20

Bakunawa

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  1. The bakunawa is a serpent-like dragon.
    In Visayan mythology, the bakunawa is believed to cause eclipses, earthquakes, and storms by attempting to swallow the 7 moons created by the god Bathala. It’s typically assumed to be a sea snake, though in some stories, it inhabits the sky or the underworld. It’s a large dragon with a mouth the size of a lake.[22]
21

Amomongo

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  1. The Amomongo is the Filipino version of Bigfoot.
    It’s a hairy, man-sized ape with long claws, said to inhabit caves near Mount Kanlaon in Negros Occidental. The Amomongo gained notoriety in 2008, when it supposedly attacked two people and disemboweled numerous goats and chickens in the area.​​[23]
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22

Bal-Bal

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  1. The bal-bal is an undead creature that eats corpses.
    It uses its strong sense of smell to locate dead bodies and its sharp claws and teeth to rip the bodies open. Once it has eaten the corpse, it leaves the trunk of a banana tree in the coffin to trick people into thinking a body is still there.[24] According to legend, bal-bals look human until they stand under the light of the full moon, at which point they transform into a deformed ghoul.
23

Dalaketnon

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  1. The Dalaketnons are a race of malevolent elf-like beings.
    According to Visayan mythology, they are beautiful creatures who resemble the nobles and monarchs of pre-Hispanic Philippines. They live in Dalakit trees, which appear as grand mansions. They’re said to abduct people and compel them to eat Black Rice, which puts their victims under their spell and makes them their captives.[25]
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24

Berberoka

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  1. The berberoka is a malevolent, swamp-dwelling ogre.
    Some accounts say the berberoka disguises itself with vegetation and rock-like skin so it can hide from its victims. It sucks up all the water in a pond or river to trap its victims. When the human starts to run, it releases all the water, catching the human in a raging wave.[26]
25

Manaul

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  1. Manaul is a giant eagle that helped create the Philippine islands.
    According to Mangyan and Negrito folklore, Manaul was originally a wrathful king who was imprisoned by King Tubluck Lawi. When Manaul escaped, he revolted against the gods and spirits, and Kaptan punished him by throwing rocks at him. The rocks missed and created the islands, where Manaul rested and lived in peace.[27]
    • In Tagalog folklore, Bathala sent a bird named Manaul to peck on the bamboo. When he did, the bamboo opened in half and released the first man, Malakas, and the first woman, Maganda.
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26

Batibat

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  1. The batibat is a vengeful demon from Ilocano folklore.
    In Tagalog folklore, it is known as the bangungot. These demons were responsible for spreading the deadly nighttime illness known as bangungot. They reside in trees and come in contact with humans when those trees are chopped down and made into posts for a house. The batibat then inhabit the posts and forbid humans from sleeping near it. If they do, the batibat transforms into its true form and suffocates the human in their sleep.[28]
27

Minokawa

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  1. The Minokawa is a giant, dragon-like bird from Bagobo mythology.
    It is described as having metallic feathers, steel talons, and mirror-like eyes, and according to legend, it causes solar and lunar eclipses by swallowing the sun or moon. Some stories say the Minokawa is the size of an island.[29]
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28

Multo

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  1. A multo is a ghost or spirit.
    According to legend, multos are simply the ghosts of deceased humans or animals. They haunt the living, often appearing as shadowy or translucent figures. They typically have unfinished business or died a tragic death.[30]
29

White Lady

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  1. The White Lady is a famous multo.
    She is described as a long-haired woman in a white dress. According to legend, she appears on the side of the road in Quezon City. She looks beautiful when cab drivers pick her up, but when they look at her in the rear-view mirror, all they see is a bloody, bruised face. The White Lady is assumed to have experienced a tragic death or suffered great trauma in life.[31]
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30

Alan

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  1. The alan are winged, humanoid forest spirits.
    They’re described as having backwards-facing feet and long fingers. They live in houses of gold near springs or streams, where they raise human children that they’ve kidnapped or created from menstrual waste. They care very deeply for their children, and while they’re normally benevolent, they can be vengeful.[32]
31

Anggitay

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  1. The anggitay is the Filipino version of a female centaur.
    It has the upper body of a human woman with the lower body and legs of a horse. Sometimes, they’re depicted with a single horn in the middle of their forehead, like a unicorn. The anggitay are said to be attracted to precious gemstones and jewelry, and they’re believed to be the female counterpart to the tikbalang.[33]
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References

  1. ↑ Sydney Bermudez. Urban Legends Expert. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://folklore.usc.edu/tag/filipino-mythical-creatures/
  3. ↑ Sydney Bermudez. Urban Legends Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ https://balikbayanmagazine.com/arts-culture/creatures-of-shadow-and-light-a-guide-to-filipino-mythological-beings/
  5. ↑ https://www.csueastbay.edu/museum/virtual-museum/the-philippines/info-center/religion.html
  6. ↑ Sydney Bermudez. Urban Legends Expert. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://mythlok.com/blogs/philippines-mythical-creatures/
  8. ↑ https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/philippine-mythical-creatures/
  9. ↑ https://balikbayanmagazine.com/arts-culture/creatures-of-shadow-and-light-a-guide-to-filipino-mythological-beings/
  1. ↑ https://mythlok.com/blogs/philippines-mythical-creatures/
  2. ↑ https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/philippine-mythical-creatures/
  3. ↑ https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Pugot
  4. ↑ Sydney Bermudez. Urban Legends Expert. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://balikbayanmagazine.com/arts-culture/creatures-of-shadow-and-light-a-guide-to-filipino-mythological-beings/
  6. ↑ https://primer.com.ph/tips-guides/2019/10/19/guide-to-filipino-mythical-creatures/
  7. ↑ https://www.mangkukulam.com/folklore/351/Mangkukulam
  8. ↑ https://mythlok.com/amalanhig/
  9. ↑ https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Bungisngis
  10. ↑ https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Busaw
  11. ↑ https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/philippine-mythical-creatures/
  12. ↑ https://balikbayanmagazine.com/arts-culture/creatures-of-shadow-and-light-a-guide-to-filipino-mythological-beings/
  13. ↑ https://abookofcreatures.com/2017/04/07/bakunawa/
  14. ↑ https://sasquatchchronicles.com/the-amomongo/
  15. ↑ https://abookofcreatures.com/2017/02/24/balbal/
  16. ↑ https://www.monstropedia.org/index.php/Dalaketnon
  17. ↑ https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Berberoka
  18. ↑ https://mythlok.com/manaul/
  19. ↑ https://balikbayanmagazine.com/arts-culture/creatures-of-shadow-and-light-a-guide-to-filipino-mythological-beings/
  20. ↑ https://abookofcreatures.com/2021/03/15/minokawa/
  21. ↑ https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/philippine-mythical-creatures/
  22. ↑ https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/philippine-mythical-creatures/
  23. ↑ https://offbeat.fandom.com/wiki/Alan
  24. ↑ https://mythlok.com/anggitay/

About This Article

Sydney Bermudez
Co-authored by:
Sydney Bermudez
Urban Legends Expert
This article was co-authored by Sydney Bermudez and by wikiHow staff writer, Raven Minyard, BA. Sydney Bermudez is a horror content creator and Mexican folklore and urban legends expert. Sydney is a storyteller, who crafts engaging narratives that explore paranormal cases, internet mysteries, and psychological horror. She shares content on TikTok and Instagram to over 400k followers. Sydney specializes in horror storytelling, Mexican folklore, creepy pastas and urban legends, and is interested in how horror intersects with pop culture, social media trends, and modern myth-making. Her videos have received over 12 million likes on TikTok, with some videos reaching over 10 million views.
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Updated: March 25, 2026
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