Aswang
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Poo
The Poo is a monster from the legends of the Waray people in the Philippines. They are a variation of Aswang that look like a normal person, and have no distinctions like wings or fangs. They are described as being similar to the Wakwak, but this can mean a number of different things across various cultures in the Philippines. They are thought to come out at the full moon. They will shout “poo” when still far from a house and say it again as they gets closer. By the fourth “poo” they will be inside the house. They will steal a child if that parents don’t wake up but will…
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Manananggal
The Manananggal come from the myths of the Bicol people of the Philippines. Their name is from the word “Tanggal” which means “to separate.” They look like women with bat wings who can split their bodies at the waist. Their intestines trail behind as they fly. They use their long thin tongues to drain the blood of pregnant women and also eat the hearts of their fetuses. Some stories claim they prey on men because they are ladies that were left at the altar. Sometimes the curse is from a black chick (a baby chicken, c’mon people) given to the future Manananggal which eats her internal organs but keeps her…
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Hayopan
The Hyaopan is a form of Aswang from the Philippines. Hayopan are known to settle in swampy areas and keep crocodiles as familiars. It is often interpreted as having no distinction from other Aswang other than them not actively hunting and instead using crocodiles to find prey. These crocodiles hunt and kill, and then bring the best pieces of meat back to their master. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006.
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Balbal
The Balbal is from the Tagbanua people of the Philippines. This creature is a form of Aswang known to eat corpses. They glide from rooftop to rooftop with membranous wings that stretch from their wrists to their ankles, similar to those of flying squirrels. They are human shaped with long hooked nails that they use to tear open thatched roofs. They snatch up corpses or sleeping people with a long powerful tongue. They often replace the corpses they take with banana stalk doubles. They can be frightened away by placing oil on a doorway. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland,…
