There is a belief that most Filipinos share, that is that the Philippines is a hub for many paranormal beings like ghosts, fairies, gnomes and so forth. It’s a kind of “if you know, you know” belief that the Philippines is a spiritual place, not only in terms of its people but the land itself. If you have lived in the Philippines, you have heard of many stories that defy any modern beliefs one might garner in the western world. It’s common to have a scary story to share, whether it be a story you heard someone else experience or you might have experienced some yourself. Either way, these stories are not for the faint of heart.
When I was younger, I always believed in the paranormal because my grandmother always warned me against angering any mystical spirits. There are different ways to ward off different creatures based on numerous old maiden’s tales. Generally, the rule of thumb is to be respectful of the elements and the elements will keep you safe and unharmed. However, there are certain creatures that you must go the extra mile to ensure that you won’t get into their bad side.
Mananangal
The Mananangal is one of the most fearsome creatures of the night and was often used to scare children into submission. The Mananangal is a creature who by daylight is a beautiful woman but by nighttime transforms into a batlike creature by severing herself in half from her waist and growing bat-like wings in her top-half. She then flies away, leaving her bottom half somewhere she deems safe, and stalks into the night. There have been many stories on the different types of people she likes to stalk and eat. One story is that she looks for pregnant women and eats their unborn children by reaching into the sleeping woman’s belly with her long tongue as the rest of her peers above from the roof. Either way, the Mananangal is a creature from nightmares!
Mangkukulam
The Mangkukulam is the Filipino version of the witch. Like the west, there can be a good or bad Mangkukulam. The general story is to be safe when traveling into the woods and finding an elder by themselves who may be a bit off as they may be a Mangkukulam! You will be fine if you are a good person and show respect and kindness but if you are bad, the Mangkukulam will be worse!
Diwata
The Diwata is the Filipino version of a fairy from the west. Like the Mangkukulam, they can be good or bad; depending on you! The rule of thumb is to be respectful towards nature. More specifically, if you have to go to the washroom in the woods, you must say, “ Tabi, Tabi po,” which roughly translates to, “Excuse me.” These creatures are known to be playful and like to confuse travelers by making them lose their way. If you find yourself in this situation, you must turn your clothes inside out or else you can get lost forever and go mad! To get on the Diwata’s good side, you have to respect their home and offer gifts. They are particularly fond of money and food.
Kapre
The Kapre is a creature that is not so scary unless one fixates on their supposed appearance. The Kapre is a creature that has the head of a horse and is tall and muscular. The Kapre like to sit on tall trees and smoke. Like the Diwata, the Kapre is not necessarily evil or has ill-will unless their home is tarnished and cut down. It is said that if a Kapre falls in love with a woman, she will receive blessings for the rest of her life unless he gets jealous!
Multo
Multo means “Ghost” in Tagalog and is probably the most popular paranormal creature in the Philippines. There are different types of ghosts in the Philippines but the most popular is “the White Lady.” The White Lady is not an annoying Karen. This type of Multo is a woman who has died of unnatural causes, often from the hands of a man she loved. She stalks the night looking for her lost lover and cannot cross over due to her regrets in life. There is a well-known street in the Philippines where taxi drivers are careful when picking up passengers because some have experienced picking up a beautiful woman wearing all white with long black hair who suddenly turns into a bruised and bloodied version when they peer into the mirror to look at the backseat where she’s sitting. This woman is known to be “the White Lady at Balete Drive.”
Halloween is celebrated in our own way in the Philippines. The belief of a world beyond ours is deeply ingrained in the Filipino culture and faith. The general rule between all these scary stories and the creatures that surround them is to be a good person. If you wish ill will on others, you will receive judgment, one way or another! These stories definitely shook me to the core as a child and helped me understand that what goes around will definitely come back around.
Although some of these stories don’t scare me like they used to and I no longer believe that a Mananangal will prey on me at night, I still believe that there is something mystical in the Philippines.