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An Ultimate Guide to Philippine Mythology’s Legendary
Deities: LUZON DIVINITIES

Bathala (creation god; [top]), a diwata (goddess/fairy, guardian of

nature; [bottom]) and the Sarimanok (center) of Philippine
mythology and folklore. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

For them, it was not just a belief in invisible higher beings.

Philippine mythology defined who they were and what they’re

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supposed to do.

The late anthropologist H. Otley Beyer shared his own

observation:

"Myths are mostly preserved as folktales among the

Christianized inhabitants of the plains, but their recitation and
preservation in the mountains are a true and essential aspect of
daily religious lives. Very few of these myths are written;
usually only oral tradition retains them.

In Philippine mythology, there is no one-size-fits-all law. In

other words old Filipinos from all over the world have not kept
a single version of artistic history and have not assigned their
deities standardized names. As a result, Philippine mythology
was so complex that it now appears like a compilation of
Pokémon gazillions.

Now, before we go straight to the most exciting part, it’s

important that we first go back to the basics.

What exactly is Philippine mythology?

Philippine mythology is a series of stories and superstitions

about the deities of magic which our ancestors believed to rule.
The traditional knowledge that is integrated in our society
includes the arts, folk litterature, traditions, faiths and games,
among other things. It’s part of folklore.

You will find folk literature branching in 3 categories if you

look at the folklore tree family (see map below), folk songs and
folk narratives (included with bugtong or riddles) and
proverbs.

Folk narratives are all about stories. They may be told in prose,
verse, or both. They are further divided into three sub-
categories: the folktales or kuwentong bayan, legends or alamat,
and myths.

The folktales are pure fiction, something that you use to

entertain bored kids. The legends and myths, meanwhile, are
assumed to be true by the storyteller. It’s the timeline that sets
them apart.

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While legends happened in a much more recent time period, myths are
believed to have taken place in the “remote past,” meaning a period

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when the world as we know it today wasn’t fully formed yet.

According to the late Damiana L. Eugenio, the Mother of Philippine

Folklore, myths “account for the origin of the world, of mankind, of
death, or for characteristics of birds, animals, geographical features,
and the phenomena of nature.”

The stories or adventures of deities, defined as human-

characteristic supernatural beings, fall under this sub-category.
These are good and bad deities, and each has a particular
function. Popular anthropologist F. Landa Jocano has further
explained The Philippine mythology through this outline:

"Many of these gods are quite close; some are residents of

faraway realms of the Skyworld who only take an interest in
human problems when they are called upon to come down to
earth during proper ceremonies."

Note: All images presented in these articles are a modern depiction of

our ancient deities. History tells us that representations of these gods
and goddesses created by our ancestors were burned by the colonizers.
Therefore, the point of these illustrations is not to “westernize”
Philippine mythology but to make it more appealing and engaging to
the younger readers who ought to know more about their roots.

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Part I: Luzon Divinities

The ancient Tagalogs believed in one creating god based on the

early accounts of the Spanish conquistador Miguel de Loarca.
They had no power to communicate directly with him,
however. There was a need for an intercessor or "middleman."

The spirit of their deceased parent or any of the lower deities

may be the intermediate. Old gods are generally worshiped as
adobe carvings called likha, whereas the dead ancestors revered
themselves by offering food or gold to wooden images known
as anito.

Please note the early missionaries varied in the way anito was
described. For example, Father Pedro de San Buenaventura
insisted that the word (“naga-anito”) referred to the offering
and not to the spirit itself (“pinagaanitohan”).

The ancient Tagalogs venerated animals like crocodiles, as well

as deities and spirits of departed creatures, for they believe that
the human spirits are found in these wild beasts. Consequently,
a tigmamanukan bird flying across someone’s path was
considered an omen. This bird will predict whether an attempt
will be successful or disastrous, depending on the direction of
its flight.

1. Bathala. Also known as “Abba,” he is considered the highest

among the deities and described as 'maykapal sa lahat' or the
maker of everything. His origin is unknown but his name
suggests Hindu influences. Bathala is derived from Sanskrit
bhattara which means "noble lord," according to William Henry
Scott.

The god watches over the human race from his house in heaven
called Kawalhatian. He's satisfied if his people obey his laws to
the degree that they ruin them (and so the ideology of bahala
na). Yet you know that this great god may also often be cruel,
bringing lightning and thunder to those who have sinned
against him.

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Interesting fact: Further native groups in Luzon also believed in

a creator god, but they didn’t call him Bathala. For instance, the
Bontoks and Kankanays of the Central Cordillera considered Lumawig
the“creator of all things and the protector of life.” This deity later
sired two pretty daughters–Bugan, the goddess of romance; and
Obban, the goddess of reproduction.

Bulul guardian figure of the Ifugao people. The bulul are

anthropomorphical representations of rice divinities protecting the
seeds and the harvest. Wood and sacrificial remains, northern Luzón
Island (Philippines), 15th century. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

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Those of Benguet have described Apo as their highest god.

Though the Ifugaos, their own Kabunian. The latter was
thought to have lived in the "fifth region of the Universe." It was
supported by other minor gods, Tayaban, the fire-looking god of death;
Gatui, the god of practical jokes who were also blamed for making
miscarriages between the Ifugao mothers; Hidit, the gods in rituals
who punish those who broke tabu;

On the other hand, the early people of Zambales called their

highest deity Malayari. Unlike the Tagalog's Bathala, this creator
god blessed its adorers with good health and harvest, and punished the
unbelievers with illness and hunger.

Lesser gods also supported Malayar in his tasks, among them

Akasi, the god of sickness and health; the god of strength and wealth,
Manglubar who had the duty of "pacifying the heart of anger"; and
Mangalabar the guardian angel, the god of good grace.

2. Idianale.

If Bathala was the superior being, the other lesser deities who
lived with him in the sky were his subordinates. Each of these

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lower-ranking gods and goddesses had specific accountabilities.

One of them was Idianale (Idiyanale or Idianali in other sources),
the goddess of labor and good deeds.

There are varying versions as to what specific field Idianale was

revered for. Historian Gregorio Zaide said that Idianale was the
god of agriculture, while other bases propose that she was the patron
of animal husbandry, a division of agriculture.

Idianale married Dumangan, the god of good harvest, and later

gave birth to two more Tagalog deities: Dumakulem and
Anitun Tabu.

3. Dumangan.

Dumangan was the Tagalog sky-god of good harvest, the husband of

Idianale, and father to Dumakulem and Anitun Tabu.

In Zambales culture, the rice developed "better grain" from

Dumangan (or Dumagan). Furthermore, F. Landa Jocano,

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mentioned that the early inhabitants of Zambales, also thought

that Dumagan had three brothers as powerful as he was.

It is believed that Kalasakas hastened the ripening of the rice stalks,

while Kalasokus was accountable for turning the grains into yellow.
Finally, the Damulag deity protected rice plants' flowers from
devastating hurricanes.

4. Anitun Tabu.

Amongst the earliest Tagalogs, Anitun Tabu was acknowledged as

the “fickle-minded goddess of the wind and rain.” She’s one of the
two offspring of Dumangan and Idianale. In Zambales, this
divinity was acknowledged as Aniton Tauo, one of the lesser
deities supporting their chief god, Malayari. Legend has it that
Aniton Tauo was once deliberated superior to other Zambales
deities. She became so full of herself that Malayari abridged her
rank as a punishment.

The Zambales people used to offer her with the best kind of
pinipig or pulverized new rice grains during harvest season.
Sacrifices that made use of these ingredients are identified as
mamiarag

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in their local dialect.

5. Dumakulem.

Dumakulem was the son of Idianale and Dumangan, and brother of

wind goddess Anitun Tabu. The ancient Tagalogs honored him as the
protector of the mountains. He is often portrayed as a strong and
clever hunter.

This Tagalog sky-god married another major deity, Anagolay,

known as the goddess of lost things. The union produced two off
springs: Apolaki, the sun god, and Dian Masalanta, the goddess
of lovers.

6. Ikapati/Lakapati.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating divinities of Philippine

mythology, Ikapati (or Lakapati) was the Tagalog goddess of fertility.
F. Landa Jocano labeled her as the “goddess of the cultivated
land” and the “benevolent giver of food and prosperity.”

Other sources label Lakapati as androgynous, hermaphrodite, and

even a “transgender” god. In William Henry Scott’s “Baranggay,”

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Lakapati is described as a major fertility deity symbolized by a

“hermaphrodite image with both male and female parts.”

The old Tagalogs usually offered Lakapati sacrifices before

planting in a new field. In a text by the Franciscan missionary
Father Pedro de San Buenaventura of the 17th century it was
said that a farmer paying honor to the goddess of fertility
should take a child before saying "Lakapati pakanin mo yaring
alipin mo; huwag mong gutumin" (Lakapati, feed this thy
slave; let him not hunger).

Lakapati was loved and revered by the people as an infant

among the minor deities of Bathala. She married the god of
seasons, Mapulon, and became the mother of Anagolay, goddess
of lost things.

7. Mapulon.

In Tagalog mythology, Mapulon was the god of seasons. F. Landa

Jocano, in the book “Outline of Philippine Mythology,” labeled
Mapulon as one of the lesser deities assisting Bathala.

Not much is known about this deity; aside from he wedded

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Ikapati/Lakapati, the fertility goddess, and sired Anagolay, the

goddess of lost things.

8. Anagolay.

Pre-colonial Tagalogs who were desperately searching for their

lost things pleaded to Anagolay, the goddess of lost things. She was
the offspring of two major Tagalog divinities–Ikapati and
Mapulon.

She wedded the hunter Dumakulem and gave birth to two

more goddesses: Apolaki and Dian Masalanta, the ancient gods of
sun and lovers, correspondingly.

Interesting fact: In September of 2014, the Minor Planet Center

(MPC), the international agency responsible for naming minor
bodies in the solar system, officially gave the name (3757)
Anagolay to an asteroid first discovered in 1982 by E. F. Helin
at the Palomar Observatory.

The asteroid was obviously named after the old Tagalog

goddess. This name, which was presented with over 1,000
participants in a competition organized by the Space
Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), was submitted by
Philippine student Mohammad Abqary Alon.

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9. Apolaki.

Apolaki originally appeared in many ancient myths to be the

Filipino equivalent of Mars the Roman god. Apolaki was
venerated by the Tagalogs as the sun god and as warrior father. The
sun god of war and death, Aring Sinukuan, bears almost
identical attributes.

Pangasinan early people said Apolaki spoke to them. Back

when the black teeth of beauty were known, some of these
indigenous peoples told a friar that they were accused by a
dissatisfied Apolaki to have 'foreigners with white teeth'
welcomed.

In an article published by William Henry Scott, the name of this

deity is said to have originated from apo, which means“lord,” and
laki, which means “male” or “virile.” Jocano’s Outline of Philippine
Mythology details how Apolaki came to be: He was the son of
Anagolay and Dumakulem, and also the brother of Dian
Masalanta, the goddess of lovers.

However, in another story, Apolaki was actually the son of an

ancient Tagalog supreme god, Bathala. Maximo Ramos 's book
"Philippine Myths, Legends and Folktales" tells how the sun
became brighter than the moon. In that myth, Bathala had a

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mortal woman to sire two children. He called Apolaki his son

and Mayari his daughter.

Both offspring had eyes so bright that they became the source of
light for the rest of the world. Eventually, when Bathala died,
Apolaki and Mayari both wanted to be the ruler. An extensive,
bloody dispute arose as neither one of them wanted to give up
the throne. The fight reached the boiling point when Apolaki hit
Mayari‘s face with a wooden club, blinding her one eye.

Cooler heads prevailed and the two decided to just take turns in
ruling the world. Apolaki is now on the throne at daytime,
while Mayari, the goddess of the moon, provides the night with
the "sweet, gentle sun."

10. Dian Masalanta.

If the Greeks had Aphrodite, our Tagalog ancestors had Dian

Masalanta, the patron goddess of lovers and childbirth. This deity
was the brother of the sun god Apolaki to parents Anagolay
and Dumakulem.

Dian Masalanta was given concessions to ensure that

pregnancies were successful. The same applies to other smaller
gods that governed certain domains such as Mankukutod, the
protector of coconut palm which, if it was not offered, could cause
accidents. Haik, the god of the sea has been honored by seaplanes for a
healthy and successful journey, while Uwinan Sana, the god of the
forest, has been acknowledged that no one is punished for infringing
on his lands.

11. Amanikabli.

The chief protector of the sea, on the other hand, was Aman Sinaya (or
Amanisaya in other references), who “gave his devotees a good
catch.” In the book authored by William Henry Scott, Aman
Sinaya was labeled as the god called upon by believers “when
first wetting a net or fishhook.” He was also acknowledged as
the father of Sinaya who developed the fishing gear.

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Amanikabli Tagalog anito of hunters who rewarded his

worshipers with a good game.

This is in contrast with the work of the anthropologist, F. Landa

Jocano. In his relatively more modern version, Amanikabli was
one of the lesser gods assisting Bathala in Kawalhatian. He was
described as “the husky, ill-tempered ruler of the sea,” whose
abhorrence towards human beings started when a beautiful mortal
woman, aptly named Maganda, rejected his love.

Since then, the sea god had made it his plan to send “turbulent
waves and horrible tempests every now and then to wreck
boats and drown men.”

12-14. Mayari, Hana, and Tala.

Bathala once fell in love with a mortal lady. Upon giving birth
to three lovely daughters, she died. Of course, Bathala didn’t
want anything bad to happen to his girls so he brought all three
of them to the sky to live with him.

Eventually, these three demigods were given specific roles: Mayari,

Hana (or Hanan in other references), and Tala became the Tagalog
goddesses of the moon, morning, and star, respectively.

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F. Landa Jocano’s in the book Philippine Mythology gave a

flattering description of the moon goddess: She was the “most
beautiful divinity in the court of Bathala.” In other Luzon
myths, however, the moon deity was anything but a beautiful
goddess.

The origin of the sun, moon, and the stars was discussed in a
Pangasinan Myth. The story started with an all-powerful god called
“Ama” giving a blistering palace to each of his two sons: Agueo
(“sun”) and Bulan(“moon”). Such two gods will cross the globe
with their palaces every day to give the people glory.

Agueo and Bulan are similar to the Bible’s Cain and Abel. Between
the two, Bulan was the ill-behaved one. When he earwigged a group of
pilfers wishing for obscurity so they could steal and inflict chaos to

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humanbeings, Bulan was thrilled. He then asked his brother, Agueo,

to quickly leave the earth so his evil friends could do their business.
When Agueo refused, a heated argument took place.

Aware of everything that happened, Bathala was furious at

Bulan. From his abode in the sky, he “seized an enormous rock
and hurled it whistling through the air.” It hit Bulan‘s palace,
breaking it into pieces. The flickering fragments became the
stars. Since then, Bulan has been forbidden from uniting with
his brother in the nation. He still lives in a fiery tower, but his
light barely suffices in the night to guide the thieves.

Mayari, Tala, and Hana. Original illustration by Maria Angela C.

Simbajon

An additional story by Mayari has been published in

"Philippine Myths, Legends and Folktales" by Maximo Ramos
as well as in "People's Tales" by Dean S. Fansler. According to
that Pampangan legend, Mayari, who was the sun-god Goddess,
Apolaki, was both given vivid, world-friendly eyes.

The parents’ debate who gets to take the chair when their father
dies. When Apolaki struck her with a bamboo bat, Mayari was
blinded in one eye.

The sun god, burdened with guilt, eventually decided to share

her sister's leadership. As soon as Apolaki became the "sun" to
provide warm light during the day, Mayari (or Moon) rule
through night because of her blindness with a colder and

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sloppier light.

15-17. Lakanbakod, Lakandanum, and Lakambini.

Lakambakod. Original illustration by Maria Angela C. Simbajon

Not all Philippine deities with Bathala were living in the sky.
Some of them coexisted with the old Tagalogs and were literally
invoked by a Catalonian during religious ceremonies.

These supernatural beings were called by Spanish lexicographers

anito, agents of Bathala, who had special functions assigned. Three of
the most involved of minority deities, Lakanbakod, Lakandanum and
Lakambini, were called together.

In William Henry Scott’s “Barangay,” Lakanbakod (Lakan Bakod

or Lakambacod in other sources) was described as a deity who had
“gilded genitals as long as a rice stalk.”

The Lord of Fences, who covered crops as powerful to keep animals out
of farmland, was Lakanbakod. Therefore, while fencing a plot of land
he was invoked and given eels.

Lakambini was interesting just as much. While the word

nowadays is virtually synonymous with "muse," that wasn't the
case early on.

Up until the 19th century, lacanbini had been the name given to
an anito whom Fray San Buenaventura described as “diyus-

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diyosang sumasakop siya sa mga sakit sa lalamunan.” In simple

English, this minor deity was invoked by our ancestors to treat
throat ailments.

Lakandanum. Original illustration by Maria Angela C. Simbajon

Lakandanum is a water deity, which was portrayed as a snake-like

spermmaid (naga), among the ancient Kapampangans. They would
also throw animals into the river before the Spaniards came to
Lakandanum as a peace offering. In no circumstances have long
drought been the result.

The indigenous people pray to the water god every year during
the dry season. And when the rain began to pour, the
Lakandanum would be taken as an indicator that everyone
would be in a festive mood.

In addition, in honor of Lakandanum the old Kapampangan

New Year, which is known as Bayung Danum (means literally
"fresh water"). The Christianity was St. John's festival at
Pampanga and St. Peter's festival in other places as it came into
the picture.

18-19. Galang Kaluluwa and Ulilang Kaluluwa.

Bathala was not the only divine god who existed in the world
before mankind was born in some Tagalog creation myths. The
serpent Ulilang Kaluluwa ('orphaned spirit') lived on the clouds, and
the wandering king, Galang Kaluluwa, shared the region with the other

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two powerful gods.

Ulilang Kaluluwa was searching for himself and the earth and
the rest of the universe. And he decided to fight when he heard
that Bathala was doing the same thing. Bathalab was the last
man after days of non-stop fighting. Ulilang Kaluluwa's dead
body was burned afterwards.

Illustrated by Dubai-based Filipino graphic artist “Trix.”

Bathala and Kaluluwa met a few years back. A few years later.
Both were friends, and Bathala even invited Bathala to stay in
his kingdom. But Galang Kaluluwa's life was reduced to a
disease. On request of his father, Bathala buried the body at the
same location that was once burned by Ulilang Kaluluwa.

The tomb soon grew up a mysterious tree. Bathala was remembered by

his departed friend's fruit and wing-like leaves, while the rough,
unattractive trunk was as nice as Ulilang Kaluluwa.

The tree, as it turned out, is the “tree of life” we greatly value

today–the coconut.

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Ulilang Kaluluwa. Illustrated by Dubai-based Filipino graphic artist

“Trix.”

The cocoa tree was so significant that Bathala built a house for
them using its roots, and its leaves, as she had decided to make
the first man and woman. Their normal sustenance has been
proved nutritious by the coconut juice and the succulent white
meat.

It wasn't long until they discovered more secret gifts from the
tree: the leaves could become strong tuberculosis or barbed
walls, while the fibre, among others, could be sturdy ropes.

20-21. Haliya and the Bakunawa.

Haliya, the masked moon goddess of ancient Bikol.

Haliya is the moon goddess of Bicolano mythology who periodically

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comes down to earth to bathe in its waters.

According to legend, the world was lit by seven moons. Bakunawa, a

legendary creature found in the early Bicolano and Hiligaynon
culture, was a giant sea serpent and ate all of these bodies, except one.

In other myths the rest of the world was spared after the gods
had come to save the sea serpent and punished it. Another story
suggests that Haliya was the name of the last moon and she
was not consumed by noise with drums and gongs – sounds
that were repulsive to the bakunawa.

Bakunawa were accused of causing eclipse by Pre-Colonial

Philippines. His name was first published in a dictionary of 1637 by
Fr which literally means "bent serpent." Mentrida's Alonso. In our
ancient culture Bakunav was profoundly rooted in that period,
Fr. The name of the sea serpent was already synonymous with
the eclipse, published in 1668 by Ignacio Alcina, Historias de las
Islas y indios de las Bisayas.

The citizens of the Hiligaynon in the Visayas claim that "the

bakunawa" resides between the sky and the clouds or in the
bungalog "between the headwaters of large fluvial systems."

Bakunawa. Original illustration by Maria Angela C. Simbajon

Trusting that an eclipse was actually a bakunawa trying to gulp

the moon, ancient Visayans tried to ward off the monster by

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crafting sounds. They did this by striking the floors of their

houses or by beating cans, drums, and the like.

22. Sitan.

Illustrated by Dubai-based Filipino graphic artist “Trix.”

Somehow, long before the colonists introduced us to their Bible,

our Tagalog ancestors believed in the afterlife. The pre-colonial
customs, which may take the form of jewelry, food or even
Slaves in buried the dead with a pabaon, is evidence.

The heaven of today and hell had old parallels too. Jocano said
early Tagalogs believed that good people should go to Maca, a
place of "eternal harmony and gladness." On the other hand, the evil
sinners were forced into the Kasanaan-Kasamaan "village of affliction
and sorrow."

The Kasanaan is a place of punishment ruled by Sitan, which shares

striking similarities with Christianity’s ultimate villain, Satan.
Though, Jocano said that Sitan was most likely derived from the
Islamic ruler of the underworld named Saitan (or Shaitan). This
suggests that the Muslim religion already had a grip to our
society way before the Spaniards arrived.

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Mangagaway. Illustrated by Dubai-based Filipino graphic artist

“Trix.”

Just like Bathala, the vicious Sitan was also assisted by other
lesser deities or mortal agents. First was Mangagaway, the wicked
shapeshifter who wore a skull necklace and could kill or heal anyone
with the use of her magic wand. She could also delay one’s death
for weeks or even months by simply binding a snake containing
her potion around the person’s waist.

Mansisilat was literally the home-wrecker of Philippine mythology.

As the goddess of broken homes, she accepted it as her personal
mission to destroy relationships. She did this by disguising
herself as an old beggar or healer who would enter the homes
of unsuspecting couples. Using her charms, Mansisilat could
magically turn husbands and wives against each other, ending up in
separation.

Equally frightening were Hukluban and Mankukulam.

In William Henry Scott’s Baranggay, the former was described

as “the most powerful kind of witch, able to kill or cause
unconsciousness simply by greeting a person.” Jocano added that
a Hukluban was also a terrific shapeshifter who could make anything
happen–say, burn a house down–by simply uttering it.

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Mankukulam. Illustrated by Dubai-based Filipino graphic artist

“Trix.”

The Mankukulam, on the other hand, often wandered around

villages pretending to be a priest-doctor. In the same book by
Scott, a mankukulam was described as a “witch who appears at night
as if burning, setting fires that cannot be extinguished, or wallows in
the filth under houses, whereupon some householder will sicken and
die.”

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