Ghosts in Filipino culture
Encyclopedia
There are many references to Ghosts in Filipino culture, ranging from ancient legendary creatures such as the Manananggal
and Tiyanak
to more modern urban legends and horror movies.
The beliefs, legends and stories are as diverse as the people of the Philippines
.
The Manananggal
is a vampire who can separate her upper torso from her lower body in order to fly in the night with huge bat-like wings to prey on unsuspecting, pregnant women in their homes, using an elongated proboscis-like tongue to reach their unborn fetus.
The Manananggal has some similarities to the Penanggalan of Malay legend, a floating female head with trailing entrails.
Beliefs in the origin of manananggals vary. One story says that heredity or contamination by physical or supernatural means can turn someone into a manananggal. For example, contaminating someone's meal with an old manananggal's saliva or human flesh can pass it on.
In some ways the manananggal resembles the tik-tik, a type of aswang
that takes the form of a black bird which makes a "tik-tik-tik" sound. It has a long proboscis that reaches through the roof and sucks the fetus inside the womb of pregnant women.
The tik-tik may be related to the Indonesian Kuntilanak, a vampire bird that makes a "ke-ke-ke" sound as it flies.
The tiyanak
is a malevolent creature that may be found in remote grassy fields. It appears as a helpless infant. When someone takes pity and picks it up, it turns into a demon, scratching and biting or devouring its victim.
In the south, the tiyanak is known as a patianak or muntianak, and is thought to be the ghost child of a woman who died in the forest during childbirth.
In Malaysia and Indonesia it is the pontianak, or the mother who died in childbirth, who appears as a normal person, then turns into a fiend when the passerby approaches.
, the headless priest and the phantom hitchhiker
.
The white lady appears in lonely places, dressed in white, with no visible face or with a disfigured face. Apparently she has died a violent death and is still haunting the vicinity, but with no ill intent.
The headless priest prowls at night in a graveyard or ruined place, either carrying his severed head or searching for his head.
One of the hitchhiker stories tells of three boys who pick up a girl near a cemetery and take her to a party. On the way back, the girl complains of the cold and borrows a jacket. The girl disappears near the cemetery, and the boys find the jacket neatly folded on the headstone of her grave. In another story, the hitchhiker asks to be taken to a given address. When they arrive, the hitchhiker has disappeared, but it turns out that she used to live at that address and this is the anniversary of her death.
is a street located in New Manila, Quezon City
known for apparitions of a white lady and haunted houses which were built during the Spanish Era (1800s). New Manila has an abundance of balete trees, which, according to legend, is a favorite spot of wandering spirits and other paranormal beings. Witnesses of the White Lady advise motorists to avoid the street at night, especially if they are alone. If it is necessary to travel the route, they advise that the backseat of the car is fully occupied and that no one should look back or look in any mirrors. The apparition wears a night gown, has long hair but has no face or one covered with blood.
has a number of ghost legends, including a headless nun and a smiling white lady at the old tower.
The nun was killed and beheaded by the Japanese, and her convent burned down. If someone passes the ruins of the covenant on a full moon at midnight, an eerie bell tolls, signalling the approach of the nun from behind.
The white lady is said to appear at midnight in the ruins of an old watch tower that dates to pre-Hispanic times, and is particularly likely to be seen by handsome young men.
and starring José Padilla, Jr.
Often, but not always, they are low budget with unrealistic special effects, but some have gone on to become worldwide cult classics.
Hiwaga sa Balete Drive (Mystery on Balete Drive) is a 1988 Filipino movie starring Zsa Zsa Padilla
as the White Lady. In the story, she died in the Spanish Era but her spirit keeps on searching for her undying love. The movie is frequently shown in Halloween
specials on the Filipino TV.
More recently, White Lady (2006) starring Pauleen Luna
describes the haunting of an Arts Academy.
T2 (Tenement 2) is a suspense-horror Star Cinema
film starring Diamond Star Maricel Soriano
. Members of the cast include Derek Ramsay
, Eric Fructuoso, and Mika dela Cruz. The movie was directed by the award-winning horror film director Chito Rono
.
T2 refers to Tenement 2, one of the buildings in FTI located in Taguig City where some of the scenes were shot. In the movie, Maricel Soriano
plays a Save an Orphan Foundation volunteer who brings an orphan home only to discover that the girl comes from a family of “engkanto
s.”
Manananggal
The manananggal is a mythical creature of the Philippines. It resembles a Western vampire, in being 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...
and Tiyanak
Tiyanak
The Tiyanak is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that imitates the form of a child. It usually takes the form of a newborn baby and cries like one in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by the victim, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim...
to more modern urban legends and horror movies.
The beliefs, legends and stories are as diverse as the people of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Traditional ghost beliefs
The Filipino term for a ghost is multo, which is derived from the Spanish word muerto, meaning dead. The multo is the soul of a dead person that has returned to the mortal world. It may want to finish an incomplete task or promise, or take revenge, it may return because of in improper burial or an unusually violent death or suicide. The ghost may be seeking a replacement so that it can live again.Manananggal
The manananggal is a mythical creature of the Philippines. It resembles a Western vampire, in being 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...
is a vampire who can separate her upper torso from her lower body in order to fly in the night with huge bat-like wings to prey on unsuspecting, pregnant women in their homes, using an elongated proboscis-like tongue to reach their unborn fetus.
The Manananggal has some similarities to the Penanggalan of Malay legend, a floating female head with trailing entrails.
Beliefs in the origin of manananggals vary. One story says that heredity or contamination by physical or supernatural means can turn someone into a manananggal. For example, contaminating someone's meal with an old manananggal's saliva or human flesh can pass it on.
In some ways the manananggal resembles the tik-tik, a type of aswang
Aswang
An Aswang is a mythical creature in Philippine folklore. The aswang is an inherently evil vampire-like creature and is the subject of a wide variety of myths and stories, the details of which vary greatly...
that takes the form of a black bird which makes a "tik-tik-tik" sound. It has a long proboscis that reaches through the roof and sucks the fetus inside the womb of pregnant women.
The tik-tik may be related to the Indonesian Kuntilanak, a vampire bird that makes a "ke-ke-ke" sound as it flies.
The tiyanak
Tiyanak
The Tiyanak is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that imitates the form of a child. It usually takes the form of a newborn baby and cries like one in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by the victim, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim...
is a malevolent creature that may be found in remote grassy fields. It appears as a helpless infant. When someone takes pity and picks it up, it turns into a demon, scratching and biting or devouring its victim.
In the south, the tiyanak is known as a patianak or muntianak, and is thought to be the ghost child of a woman who died in the forest during childbirth.
In Malaysia and Indonesia it is the pontianak, or the mother who died in childbirth, who appears as a normal person, then turns into a fiend when the passerby approaches.
Common themes
Common themes in ghost legends include the White LadyWhite Lady (ghost)
A White Lady is a type of female ghost reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with some local legend of tragedy. White Lady legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing or being betrayed by a husband or fiancé...
, the headless priest and the phantom hitchhiker
Vanishing hitchhiker
The vanishing hitchhiker story is an urban legend in which people travelling by vehicle meet with or are accompanied by a hitchhiker who subsequently vanishes without explanation, often from a moving vehicle...
.
The white lady appears in lonely places, dressed in white, with no visible face or with a disfigured face. Apparently she has died a violent death and is still haunting the vicinity, but with no ill intent.
The headless priest prowls at night in a graveyard or ruined place, either carrying his severed head or searching for his head.
One of the hitchhiker stories tells of three boys who pick up a girl near a cemetery and take her to a party. On the way back, the girl complains of the cold and borrows a jacket. The girl disappears near the cemetery, and the boys find the jacket neatly folded on the headstone of her grave. In another story, the hitchhiker asks to be taken to a given address. When they arrive, the hitchhiker has disappeared, but it turns out that she used to live at that address and this is the anniversary of her death.
Balete Drive
Balete DriveBalete Drive
Balete Drive is a street located in New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines. According to legend it is a favorite spot of "wandering spirits".-Commercial Zoning:This street from Aurora boulevard to E...
is a street located in New Manila, Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
known for apparitions of a white lady and haunted houses which were built during the Spanish Era (1800s). New Manila has an abundance of balete trees, which, according to legend, is a favorite spot of wandering spirits and other paranormal beings. Witnesses of the White Lady advise motorists to avoid the street at night, especially if they are alone. If it is necessary to travel the route, they advise that the backseat of the car is fully occupied and that no one should look back or look in any mirrors. The apparition wears a night gown, has long hair but has no face or one covered with blood.
San Juan, La Union
The town of San Juan, La UnionSan Juan, La Union
San Juan is a 3rd class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 32,952 people in 5,950 households.-Barangays:San Juan is politically subdivided into 41 barangays.* Allangigan* Aludaid...
has a number of ghost legends, including a headless nun and a smiling white lady at the old tower.
The nun was killed and beheaded by the Japanese, and her convent burned down. If someone passes the ruins of the covenant on a full moon at midnight, an eerie bell tolls, signalling the approach of the nun from behind.
The white lady is said to appear at midnight in the ruins of an old watch tower that dates to pre-Hispanic times, and is particularly likely to be seen by handsome young men.
In the arts
Ghost movies have a long history in the Philippines, starting with silent classics like the 1931 Ang Multo sa Libingan (Ghost in the Cemetery) directed by José NepomucenoJosé Nepomuceno
José Nepomuceno was one of the pioneering directors of the cinema of the Philippines. He is also known as the founder of Philippine movies. It was in 1919 when he produced the first Filipino silent film entitled Dalagang Bukid. The film starred Atang de la Rama, a future National Artist of the...
and starring José Padilla, Jr.
Often, but not always, they are low budget with unrealistic special effects, but some have gone on to become worldwide cult classics.
Hiwaga sa Balete Drive (Mystery on Balete Drive) is a 1988 Filipino movie starring Zsa Zsa Padilla
Zsa Zsa Padilla
Zsa Zsa Padilla is a Filipina singer and actress. She is currently part of ABS-CBN contract actresses.-Biography:Padilla was born as Esperanza Padilla in 1964, the daughter of actor and sportsman Carlos “Sonny” Padilla, Jr. who served as the referee in the Ali-Frazier world heavyweight boxing...
as the White Lady. In the story, she died in the Spanish Era but her spirit keeps on searching for her undying love. The movie is frequently shown in Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
specials on the Filipino TV.
More recently, White Lady (2006) starring Pauleen Luna
Pauleen Luna
Marie Pauleen J. Luna is a Filipina actress and television personality. She appears on the GMA Network, particularly as one of the regular hosts of the long-running Philippine variety show Eat Bulaga! where she portrays the humorous child-woman character Baby Poleng.-Career:Luna began her show...
describes the haunting of an Arts Academy.
T2 (Tenement 2) is a suspense-horror Star Cinema
Star Cinema
ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc. , is the wholly owned film production subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation. It is the Philippines' largest film production, producing most of the highest grossing films in the Philippines.-1994:...
film starring Diamond Star Maricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano , is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress.-Biography:...
. Members of the cast include Derek Ramsay
Derek Ramsay
Derek Arthur Ramsay is a Filipino-British model, actor, host, and VJ in the in the Philippines. Amongst his hobbies is collecting cars. Ramsay is at times simply called Derek Ramsay....
, Eric Fructuoso, and Mika dela Cruz. The movie was directed by the award-winning horror film director Chito Rono
Chito Roño
Chito Roño, also known as Sixto Kayko, is a Filipino multi-awarded TV and film director. He is the director of the blockbuster films Feng Shui and Sukob...
.
T2 refers to Tenement 2, one of the buildings in FTI located in Taguig City where some of the scenes were shot. In the movie, Maricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano
Maricel Soriano , is a critically acclaimed Filipina film and television actress.-Biography:...
plays a Save an Orphan Foundation volunteer who brings an orphan home only to discover that the girl comes from a family of “engkanto
Engkanto
Engkanto are environmental spirits that have the ability to appear in human form. They are often associated with the spirits of ancestors in the Philippines. They are also characterized as forest spirits or elves...
s.”