TIKBALANG

TIKBALANG

An untrusting skittishness is prevalent among the communites surrounding the mountainous regions of the King Filipinas archipelago. The skewed, furtive glances exchanged when family members ask to be accompanied somewhere are a habit formed from fear of the Tikbalang. Often eerily mimicking the appearance of victims' relatives, this forest spirit will lead lone people out to the heavily wooded depths of the mountain ranges, occasionally breaking the increasingly uncomfortable silence with short bursts of reassurement, and stilted gratitude for the assistance. The suddenly pungent aroma of tobacco and drunken swaying motion adopted by the false family member is noticed before their face blurs into something that resembles more that of a horse's than a human's. Delirious town folk who have stumbled their way into town after long absences tell of how this apparation pushed and slapped them, often knocking them over and not allowing them to right themselves; all the while shaking with nervous, childish giggling. People say that the cessation of resistance or protest will suddenly lead a victim to find themselves alone in the woods, plunged into darkness; the sun long set. The path home, recalled by the few who return after a disappearance, is hampered by a severe sense of disorientation and a forest that seems to curl in on itself repeatedly.

Some mythical creatures have their origin in tradition and tales from the distant past. However, each culture is associated with a multitude of interesting and odd creatures, many of these beings are humanoids. One of these legendary humanoids is the Tikbalang.

The Tikbalang (many different spellings are used - translates as 'demon horse') is a creature of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and forests of the Philippines. It is generally described as a tall, bony humanoid creature with disproportionately long limbs, to the point that its knees reach above its head when it squats down. It has the head and feet of an animal, most commonly a horse. It has been compared to the half-man, half-horse centaur from Greek mythology. It travels at night to rape female mortals who will then give birth to more Tikbalang. It is sometimes believed to be a transformation of an aborted fetus which has been sent to earth from limbo.

Tikbalangs are very playful with people, and they usually make a person imagine things that aren't real. Sometimes a Tikbalang will drive a person crazy. Legends say that when rain falls while the sun is shining, a pair of Tikbalangs are being wed. Since horses only arrived in the Philippine archipelago during the Spanish invasion, there is a theory that the image of a half-horse, half-man creature was propagated by the conquistadors to keep the natives afraid of the night. There are stories claiming that the Tikbalang are actually half-bird, half-man creatures, much like the Japanese Tengu.

A traveler who finds himself lost and suspects that a Tikbalang is leading him astray may counteract it by wearing his shirt inside out. Another countermeasure is to verbally ask permission to pass by, or to avoid making too much noise while in the woods so as not to offend or disturb the Tikbalang.

Folklore says that one can tame a Tikbalang and compel it to be one's servant by plucking three golden hairs from its mane. There are also stories where a Tikbalang asks its intended prey a riddle. Someone who manages to answer correctly will be rewarded with a pot of gold.

PUGOT O HEADLESS

PUGOT O HEADLESS

The Pugot ("decapitated one") is a mythical fiend that is found in the Ilocos region. It can assume various shapes such as hogs, dogs or even as humans. However, it usually appears as a black, gigantic headless being. The creature usually resides in dark places or deserted houses. However, they especially like living in trees such as the duhat (Eugenia cumini), santol (Sandoricum koetjape), and tamarind.

Aside from its shapeshifting abilities, the pugot can also move at great speeds, feeding on snakes and insects that it finds among the trees. It feeds by thrusting food through its neck stump.

Although terrifying, the pugot is relatively harmless. However, the creature is fond of women's underwear and steals them while they are being dried on a clothesline.

The pugot is also found in the Ifugao myth "Tulud Nimputul: The Self-Beheaded" where he appears to the human hero. He was fed by the hero with chopped chicken meat that was mixed with blood.

Pugot are headless ghosts. They wander in places where they used to live or where they were decapitated. They haunt because they are searching for their heads and they need it to be joined with their body and have it blessed so they could go in peace. However, some of them have the intention of avenging themselves or harming people. They are believed to behead their victims. Pugot is believed to be a black, headless giant who stations itself in lonely roads or in balete trees, often carrying decapitated heads of its victims. The pugot may also manifest itself as a beheaded ghost.

PUGOT O HEADLESS

PUGOT O HEADLESS

The Pugot ("decapitated one") is a mythical fiend that is found in the Ilocos region. It can assume various shapes such as hogs, dogs or even as humans. However, it usually appears as a black, gigantic headless being. The creature usually resides in dark places or deserted houses. However, they especially like living in trees such as the duhat (Eugenia cumini), santol (Sandoricum koetjape), and tamarind.

Aside from its shapeshifting abilities, the pugot can also move at great speeds, feeding on snakes and insects that it finds among the trees. It feeds by thrusting food through its neck stump.

Although terrifying, the pugot is relatively harmless. However, the creature is fond of women's underwear and steals them while they are being dried on a clothesline.

The pugot is also found in the Ifugao myth "Tulud Nimputul: The Self-Beheaded" where he appears to the human hero. He was fed by the hero with chopped chicken meat that was mixed with blood.

Pugot are headless ghosts. They wander in places where they used to live or where they were decapitated. They haunt because they are searching for their heads and they need it to be joined with their body and have it blessed so they could go in peace. However, some of them have the intention of avenging themselves or harming people. They are believed to behead their victims. Pugot is believed to be a black, headless giant who stations itself in lonely roads or in balete trees, often carrying decapitated heads of its victims. The pugot may also manifest itself as a beheaded ghost.

PUGOT O HEADLESS

PUGOT O HEADLESS

The Pugot ("decapitated one") is a mythical fiend that is found in the Ilocos region. It can assume various shapes such as hogs, dogs or even as humans. However, it usually appears as a black, gigantic headless being. The creature usually resides in dark places or deserted houses. However, they especially like living in trees such as the duhat (Eugenia cumini), santol (Sandoricum koetjape), and tamarind.

Aside from its shapeshifting abilities, the pugot can also move at great speeds, feeding on snakes and insects that it finds among the trees. It feeds by thrusting food through its neck stump.

Although terrifying, the pugot is relatively harmless. However, the creature is fond of women's underwear and steals them while they are being dried on a clothesline.

The pugot is also found in the Ifugao myth "Tulud Nimputul: The Self-Beheaded" where he appears to the human hero. He was fed by the hero with chopped chicken meat that was mixed with blood.

Pugot are headless ghosts. They wander in places where they used to live or where they were decapitated. They haunt because they are searching for their heads and they need it to be joined with their body and have it blessed so they could go in peace. However, some of them have the intention of avenging themselves or harming people. They are believed to behead their victims. Pugot is believed to be a black, headless giant who stations itself in lonely roads or in balete trees, often carrying decapitated heads of its victims. The pugot may also manifest itself as a beheaded ghost.

TIKTIK

TIKTIK

Tiktik are sometimes compared to Aswangs because they devour human organs. They can jump and hop very high, and they can crawl along walls like cats and hang like bats. They prey on pregnant women's fetuses and month-old embryos. They attack at nighttime when they hop on top of the roof of the house of their victim. They then stretch their very long tongues and used it to rip open the womb of their victims, devour the fetus and leave the woman dead. They can be killed by cutting their tongues and letting them die of starvation.

The tiktik is commonly mistaken for the other types of aswang. The manananggal or the aswang are usually portrayed in local movies as individuals who lead double lives. In the morning, these individuals would interact with the society as openly and normally as any other, but on some nights, the manananggal would seek out human organs to devour on them.  The tiktik, on the other hand, is not human; it does not turn into a human being in the morning.

Seeing as the tiktik is already deceased and has no human form, the tiktik takes the form of a flying creature such as birds or bats. It cannot and does not take on a human form. The tiktik serves as a spirit guide to the aswang. The tiktik is a deceased aswang, that which died from old age. It continues to become a tormentor. The tiktik is underscored to have a particular liking for human hearts, while the aswang has a particular liking for human guts.

The tiktik is named for its cry: a distinct shrill sound which could be heard even miles away. It sounds like tik-tik-tik-tik or a ticking. However, the distinctness of the cry lies in the fact that when it is far away the sound is louder, while it gets quieter the closer the tiktik is to its victims. This, I think, gives an eerie angle to the idea.

I have yet to see a tiktik in real life, I wonder these days whether the tiktik had really existed centuries before. I guess there will be very little chance for me to find out about this now, for now, here is to hoping that there are really no tiktiks in Cebu.

TIYANAK

TIYANAK

Tiyanak or impakto, another mythical creature in the Philippine Mythology, are babies who died before receiving baptism rites. After death, they go to a place known as Limbo, a chamber of Hell where unbaptized dead people fall into, and 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 between a demon and a human.

The tiyanak can also be the offspring of a woman and a demon. It can also be the aborted fetus, which comes to life to take revenge on its mother. Tiyanak are very vengeful creatures. Most Tiyanaks are said to live in forests. If they see a human, they transform into what looks like a normal baby. When the person notices the Tiyanak and comes near to take a look at it, that's when the Tiyanak changes back to its true form and eats its prey.

Tiyanak Origin
While there are many versions about how a Tiyanak looks like, it's ability to cry like a baby is its most powerful camouflage to attract victims. Some popular versions also say that a Tiyanak is a spirit of an unborn child whose mother died before giving birth. This mythical creature are also sometimes related to a Malaysian folkloric creature called Pontianak which is, according to Malay folklore, a woman who died during delivery or childbirth.

Tiyanak Countermeasures
Though this legendary creature is deceitful in attacking its prey, one can bewilder the creature and break loose from the enchantment of its cries by turning his clothes inside out. The legend has it that Tiyanaks find this method laughable and would just leave the victim.

Tiyanaks are monster that look like babies. They disguise themselves as innocent and adorable looking babies and once someone comes in contact with them, they turn into monsters and attack their victim. These monsters are believed to be aborted babies or babies who were dead upon birth and were not blessed.

NUNO SA PUNSO

NUNO SA PUNSO

A Nuno or Nuno sa Punso (Duwende) is a dwarf-like creature in Philippine mythology. It is believed to live in an anthill or termite mound, hence its name, literally 'Ancestor/Grandparent of the anthill'.

They are invisible and quiet creatures. If they get bothered by too much noise or careless movements causing them harm, they get mad and punish the people who trespass on their home. Most of their victims are children whose innocent play usually destroys their homes. Their victims get very ill and the only way to cure it is asking the help of an Albularyo. So every time you pass by a punso, you need to say "Excuse Me".

There is a common belief that if modern medicine is unable to cure a particular illness, the ailment may be due to a Nuno's curse. The victim is brought to an albularyo, a Philippine practitioner of traditional medicine. The albularyo will perform a ceremony known as tawas. During this process, a piece of a candle is melted and the molten wax poured onto a disc or spoon. The molten wax is in turn poured into water. The image formed on the water will then be interpreted by the albularyo. The image aids in determining the cause of the patient's illness and where the curse actually happened.
In order to be cured, the victim's family may be asked to provide an offering to the Nuno such as fruits or other food, drinks, or a material object. If the victim is still not healed after the offering, it may be necessary to personally ask the Nuno's forgiveness, which is believed to be a wise measure, in order to prevent the permanent possession of the victim by an evil spirit, which could later cause the victim to become insane.
It is also possible to kill the Nuno by catching it and crushing its head between a person's fingers. This will remove any spell cast by the Nuno. But this method is not often recommended because it could evoke the wrath of a Nuno's friends and relatives.
Legends also state that placing an obese or festively plump female on the side of a road after midnight will attract the Nuno out of hiding, thus allowing those afflicted to seek their revenge on the goblin. The Nuno has an odd affinity for large bodied mammals of the opposite sex.

To avoid the wrath of a Nuno sa Punso, children are reminded not to play outside between noon and three o'clock in the afternoon. They are also asked by their parents to come home before six o'clock in the evening. Children are also instructed avoid being noisy at places where Nuno are believed to dwell. Children are also warned to ask permission or give fair notice before passing by such places inhabited by the Nuno, which is done by saying "tabi tabi po"(literally "please be on the side" or "please move aside", that is, you tell the nuno to stand aside), or "please let me pass by" or "I mean no harm as I pass through your territory, Old Man of the Mound".

MAMBABARANG

MAMBABARANG

Mambabarangs are ordinary human beings with black magic who torture and later kill their victims by infesting their bodies with insects. They are different from Mangkukulams - the latter only inflict pain or illness. Mambabarangs use a strand of hair from their chosen victim and tie it to the bugs or worms which they will use as a medium. When they prick the bug, the victim immediately experiences the intended effect.

Barang is a noun used to describe malign sorcery or familiar spirit. Other synonymous words used in the island of Siquijor in the Philippines include haplit, paktol and anyaw.

Mambabarang (noun) is a practitioner of this specific type of sorcery or witchcraft. Binarang (noun) is the target of the sorcery or witchcraft. Nabarang (adjective) means someone or something experiencing the effects of the curse or hex.

The Mambabarang is the Filipino version of a sorcerer; the witch is a Mamalarang. The name is derived from the word barang. Other synonymous terms include the Hiligaynon word manog hiwit, which is also synonymous to kulam. The verb barangon or hiwitan means "to place a hex"; a curse in Filipino is a sumpa.

The mambabarang keeps his beetles in a bottle or a section of bamboo, carefully feeding them ginger root. When the practitioner decides to employ his dark art, he performs a prayer ritual wherein he whispers instructions and identifies the victim to the beetles. The insects are then set free and to seek out the victim and gain entry into the body via any bodily orifice: the nose, mouth, ears, anus or dermal breaks such as open wounds. The victim will then feel the effects of the invasion through manifestations depending on the area of entry; hemorrhoids if through the anus, ear ache if through the ears and other similar cases. The resulting illness is resistant to conventional medical treatment and only reveals its true nature when the victim succumbs and flying insects issue forth from bodily cavities.

Superstitious folks still attribute certain illnesses or diseases to barang. This most often happens in the provinces, where an herbal doctor, albularyo or a faith healer, a mananambal or sorhuana (female) / sorhuano (male) treats such diseases. In some rural provincial areas, people completely rely on the albularyo and mananambal for treatment.

SIRENA OR MERMAID

SIRENA OR MERMAID

SIRENA OR MERMAID is a marine creatures whose upper body is human and the lower half is a tail of a fish. A Sirena has a beautiful face and voice. These qualities lure fishermen to her so she could drown them.

A mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe, and Asia. The first stories appeared in ancient Assyria, in which the goddess Atargatis transforms herself into a mermaid out of shame for accidentally killing her human lover. Mermaids are sometimes depicted as perilous creatures associated with floods, storms, shipwrecks, and drowning. In other folk traditions (or sometimes within the same tradition) they can be benevolent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans.
Mermaids are associated with the Sirens of Greek mythology and with the Sirenia, a biological order which comprises dugongs and manatees. Historical sightings by sailors may have been the result of misunderstood encounters with these aquatic mammals. Christopher Columbus reported seeing mermaids while exploring the Caribbean, and sightings have been reported in the 20th and 21st centuries in Canada, Israel, and Zimbabwe. The US National Ocean Service stated in 2012 that no evidence of mermaids has ever been found.
Mermaids have been a popular subject of art and literature in recent centuries. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen wrote his popular fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" in 1836. They have subsequently been depicted in opera, paintings, books, films, and comics.

The word mermaid is a compound of the Old English mere (sea), and maid (a girl or young woman). The equivalent term in Old English was merewif. They are conventionally depicted as beautiful with long flowing hair. They are sometimes equated with the Sirens of Greek mythology (especially the Odyssey), half-bird femme fatales whose enchanting voices drew sailors onto the rocks of their island, shipwrecking them.

Sirenia

Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. Sirenians, including manatees and the dugong, have major aquatic adaptations: arms used for steering, a paddle used for propulsion, hind limbs (legs) as two small bones floating deep in the muscle. They appear fat, but are fusiform, hydrodynamic, and highly muscular. Before the mid 19th century, mariners called these animals mermaids.

Sirenomelia

Sirenomelia, also called "mermaid syndrome", is a rare congenital disorder in which a child is born with his or her legs fused together and reduced genitalia. This condition is about as rare as conjoined twins, affecting one out of every 100,000 live births and is usually fatal within a day or two of birth because of kidney and bladder complications. Four survivors were known as of July 2003.

MANANANGGAL

MANANANGGAL 

The manananggal comes in different names in some parts of the Philippines namely; Iki for the Batangueños and Lupa-lupa for the Waray. The manananggal is commonly described as a half-bodied woman with monstrous appearance, entangled hair and has bat's wings on her back. She seduces men during the day by disguising herself as a very beautiful lady. She turns into a monster at night, flies to her victim and usually eats the heart of her victims. The best way to kill a manananggal is to put salt or ashes on the lower half of her body that she leaves somewhere when she is in monster form. When this happens, she will no longer be able to return to her human form and till the sun shines on her and destroys her.

The manananggal (sometimes confused with the Wak Wak) is a mythical creature of the Philippines. It resembles a Western vampire, as an evil, man-eating monster or witch. The myth of the manananggal is popular in the Visayan region of the Philippines, especially in the western provinces of Capiz, Iloilo, and Antique. There are varying accounts of the features of a manananggal. Like vampires, Visayan folklore creatures, and aswangs, manananggals are also said to abhor garlic and salt.They were also known to avoid daggers, light, vinegar, spices and the tail of a stingray, which can be fashioned as a whip. Folklore of similar creatures can be found in the neighbouring nations of Indonesia and Malaysia.

LAMBANA OR DIWATA

LAMBANA OR DIWATA

Lambanas are fairy-like creatures dwelling in woods. They act as nature's guardian spirits. They also give grace to people who take care of the nature and bring bad luck to people who threaten it. Lambana is another term for Diwata. Diwata (origin Sanskrit Devata), also known as Encantada, is a dryad and are benevolent or neutral and invoked ritually for positive crop growth, health, and fortune; they may also incur illness or misfortune if not given proper respect. They are said to reside in large trees, such as acacia and balete and are the guardian spirits of nature, casting blessings or curses upon those who bring benefits or harm to the forests and mountains. They have their origin in the Devata beings included in Hinduism andBuddhism. The Laguna Copperplate dated 900 AD also makes mention of a Chief of Medang in Java, Indonesia referred as representative of the Chief of Diwata in Butuan, Mindanao island.

The term "diwata" has taken on various levels of meaning since its concept's being assimilated into the mythology of the pre-colonial Filipinos. It is sometimes loosely used to refer to a generic type of beings much like "elf" or "fairy," or very specific ones as mentioned above. It has been noted that the term "diwata" is synonymous to "anito," and that the usage of the word "diwata" is more prevalent in the Southern Philippines, while "anito" takes its place in the Northern areas.

ASWANG

ASWANG

An Aswang (or Asuwang) is a mythical creature in Filipino folklore. The aswang is an inherently evil vampire-like creature and is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories. Spanish colonists noted that the Aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century.

The myth of the aswang is well known throughout the Philippines, except in the Ilocos region, which is the only region that does not have an equivalent myth. Other regional names for the aswang include "tik-tik", "wak-wak" and "soc-soc".


Aswangs are famous in Capiz, Iloilo, and Antique. People say that the Aswangs can transform themselves into a wild boar, dog or other animals. Aswangs prey on sick human beings by devouring their favorite organ, the liver. A person may become an Aswang when he or she is infected by an Aswang. This usually happens by drinking or eating from an Aswang's glass or plate. To know if an animal is an Aswang in disguise, you simply bend over and look at them with your head between your legs.

KAPRE

KAPRE

The Kapre is a dark and hairy giant creature known for being mischievous. This giant is usually seen atop large trees smoking a giant tobacco. However, Kapre are actually misunderstood. They are nice and kind creatures and they only attack people if they are harmed.Kapre (related to the Agta in the Visayan languages) is a Philippine mythical creature that could be characterized as a tree demon, but with more human characteristics. It is described as being a tall (7 to 9 ft), brown, hairy male with a beard. Kapres are normally described as smoking a big ganja pipe, whose strong smell would attract human attention. The term kapre comes from the Arabic "kaffir", meaning a non-believer in Islam. The early Arabs and the Moors used it to refer to the non-Muslim Dravidians who were dark-skinned. The term was later brought to the Philippines by the Spanish who had previous contact with the Moors. Some historians speculate that the legend was propagated by the Spanish to prevent Filipinos from assisting any escaped African slaves.

Natural habitat and attire

Kapres are said to dwell in big trees like acacias, mangoes, bamboo and banyan (known in the Philippines as balete). It is also mostly seen sitting under those trees. The Kapre is said to wear the indigenous Northern Philippine loincloth known as bahag, and according to some, often wears a belt which gives the kapre the ability to be invisible to humans. In some versions, the kapre is supposed to hold a magical white stone, a little smaller in size than a quail egg. Should any person happen to obtain this stone, the kapre could grant wishes.

Behavior

Kapres are not necessarily considered to be evil, unlike the manananggal. Kapres may make contact with people to offer friendship, or if it is attracted to a woman. If a Kapre befriends any human, especially because of love, the Kapre will consistently follow its "love interest" throughout life. Also, if one is a friend of the Kapre then that person has the ability to see it and if they were to sit on it then any other person could see it.
Kapres are also said to play pranks on people, frequently making travelers become disoriented and lose their way in the mountains or in the woods. They are also believed to have the ability to confuse people even in their own familiar surroundings; for instance, someone who forgets that they are in their own garden or home is said to have been tricked by a Kapre. Reports of experiencing Kapre enchantment include that of witnessing rustling tree branches, even if the wind is not strong. Some more examples would be hearing loud laughter coming from an unseen being, witnessing lots of smoke from the top of a tree, seeing big fiery eyes during night time from a tree, as well as actually seeing a Kapre walking in forested areas. It is also believed that abundant fireflies in woody areas are the embers from the Kapre's lit tobacco pipe.

BUNGISNGIS OR CYCLOPS

BUNGISNGIS OR CYCLOPS

Bungisngis is a giant cyclops in Philippine folklore. This giant, purported to dwell in Meluz, Orion, Bataan, is described as is always laughing. The literal meaning of the name Bungingis is derived from the Tagalog word ngisi which means "to giggle".

Having a humanoid shape, 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 cyclops only eye, is found in the middle of its forehead, but this is compensated by its strong sense of hearing. It has also displays unusual strength. In the Filipino tale "The Three Friends - The Monkey, The Dog and The Carabao, The giant is able to lift the carabao and throw it with such force that it ends knee-deep in the ground. However, despite its strength, the bungisngis is easily outwitted and quickly panics. In the tale of the Three Friends, Monkey's tricks led him to his death.

Some says that Bungisngis is a cannibal giant from Philippine folklore. The Bungisngis is gifted with a strong sense of hearing and extraordinary strength.

BALBAL

BALBAL

Balbal is a monster that steals corpses (whether during a funeral or already in the grave) and feeds on them. It has a strong sense of smell for dead human bodies. And once this monster has located and snatched a corpse, it will leave the trunk of a banana tree in the coffin, while creating an illusion of the stolen body to trick people. Bal-Bal has very sharp claws and teeth which it uses to shred clothing off its meal. And since it eats nothing but corpses, it has a foul breath.

 And this monster only known here in the Philippines. This monster also show in Da Adventure of Pedro Penduko.

VAMPIRE OR BAMPIRA

VAMPIRE OR BAMPIRA

Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person/being.

The most famous vampire is, of course, Bram Stoker's Dracula, though those looking for a historical "real" Dracula often cite Romanian prince Vlad Tepes (1431-1476), after whom Stoker is said to have modeled some aspects of his Dracula character. The characterization  of Tepes as a vampire, however, is a distinctly Western one; in Romania, he is viewed not as a blood-drinking sadist but as a national hero. He is also known as Vlad Dracula ("son of the dragon"), a name that comes from his father's membership in the Order of the Dragon, knights who upheld Christianity and defended the empire from the Ottoman Turks.

The vampires most people are familiar with (such as Dracula) are revenants — human corpses that are said to return from the grave to harm the living; these vampires have Slavic origins only a few hundred years old. But other, older, versions of the vampire were not thought to be human at all but instead supernatural, possibly demonic, entities that did not take human form.

In some traditions the best way to stop a vampire is to carry a small bag of salt with you. If you are being chased, you need only to spill the salt on the ground behind you, at which point the vampire is obligated to stop and count each and every grain before continuing the pursuit. If you don't have salt handy, some say that any small granules will do, including birdseed or sand. Others say that there's an unwritten rule of vampire etiquette that they cannot enter a home unless formally invited in.

Vampires were usually reported as bloated in appearance, and ruddy, purplish, or dark in color; these characteristics were often attributed to the recent drinking of blood. Indeed, blood was often seen seeping from the mouth and nose when one was seen in its shroud or coffin and its left eye was often open. It would be clad in the linen shroud it was buried in, and its teeth, hair, and nails may have grown somewhat, though in general fangs were not a feature

SIGBIN or SIGBEN

SIGBIN or SIGBEN

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.

It is also believed that there are families known as Sigbinan ("those who own Sigbin"), who possess the power to command them. The aswang is said to keep it as a pet, along with another mythical creature, a bird known as the Wakwak. The sigbin is said to bring wealth and luck to its owners.
In the Eastern Visayas they are also known as the Amamayong.

There is speculation that the legend may be based on sightings of an actual animal species that is rarely seen; based on the description of the sigbin in popular literature, the animal species might be related to the kangaroo.Borneo of the cat-fox, a potential new species of carnivore described as having hind legs that are lower than its front legs, the animal species that is the possible basis of the legend as well as the reported sightings of sigbin may belong to or is related to the cat-fox species.

 Sigben are invisible creatures. Some people say that Sigben look like dogs with the features of a cat and a goat. They are small and they walk backwards. They victimize little children who are sleeping without someone guarding them. They bite the victim's ankle or foot making them very ill and causing them to die a few hours after. After they kill a child, they go back to their caretaker. Anyone who takes care of these creatures is said to gain much luck and richness.


the Sigbin or Zegben. Some say that this is another form that the Aswang transforms into and yet some say it is the companion of the kikik. Its appearance is said to be similar to the chupacabra and Tasmanian devil in appearance, although with spotty fur. It supposedly has a wide mouth with large fangs.

One of the most popular legends in the visayas region is the infamous Aswang Tiniente Gimo(lieutenant Gimo) of the town of Dueñas, Iloilo.