RPH Reporting Keynote

Introduction (Geron Bondoc)

Before the recorded history of the Philippines and the Spanish colonization, from the earliest
inhabitants of this beautiful archipelago, the Philippines has already its own government
system, art, music, dances, alphabets, clothing, culture, beliefs, and religion.
This morning, we will be going to talk about religion before the Spanish colonial era, and how it
shaped the rich tradition and culture of our country.
Even before Islam and Catholicism were introduced to our country, the early natives of the
Philippines has many religions and beliefs which are unclear.
But the religions present include

 ANIMISM
 INDIGENOUS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF
 & MYTHOLOGIES
We will tackle all three and how they are connected to each other. Now may I call on all our
reporters to explain all these things?

ANIMISM ( Nicole Aguilar)

WHAT IS ANIMISM?
ANIMISM - THE TERM ANIMISM ENCOMPASSES A COLLECTION OF BELIEFS AND CULTURAL
MORES ANCHORED MORE OR LESS IN THE IDEA THAT THE WORLD IS INHABITED BY
SUPERNATURAL ENTITIES, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, AND THE RESPECT MUST BE ACCORDED TO
THEM THROUGH WORSHIP.
So basically, Animism is a belief in supernatural beings such as gods, goddesses, and
mythological creatures. Just like other countries like Greece and India, which have their own
gods, goddesses, and mythological creatures, the Philippines has its own gods, goddesses, and
mythological creatures too that vary per ethnic group.
Now let’s go on and see all the different mythological creatures, gods, and goddesses that our
country has.
(James Earwin)
MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES IN THE PHILIPPINES
1. Tiyanak (also Tianak or Tianac) - Is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that
takes on the form of a toddler or baby
 2. Tikbalang (also written as Tigbalang, Tigbalan, or Tikbalan) - Is a bipedal horse creature
of Philippine folklore said to lurk in the mountains and forests of the Philippines. It is
sometimes believed to be a transformation of an aborted fetus which has been sent to
earth from limbo
3. Batibat- Is a vengeful demon found in Ilocano folklore. In Tagalog folklore, the creature
is called Bangungot. The batibat takes the form of an ancient, grotesquely obese, tree-
dwelling female spirit.
4. Kapre - The kapre is a creature that may be described as a tree giant, being a tall, dark-
coloured, hairy, and muscular creature. Kapres are also said to have a very strong body
odour and to sit in tree branches to smoke.
5. Kataw - Is one of the merfolk in the Philippine Mythology. In Visayan, Katau was
believed to have higher rankings than other water and sea creatures as those of Sirena,
Sireno, and Siyokoy. It is believed that the Kataws are the reigning rulers of the kingdom
of Bantay Tubig.
6. Amalanhig - are creatures in Visayan mythology, particularly among Hiligaynon-speaking
groups. Amalanhig are Aswangs who failed to transfer their monstrosity causing them to
rise from their graves to kill humans by biting their necks.

(Chay Bagtas)
Now that we have known all the mythological creatures that our country has, let us go and
meet some of the different gods and goddesses that our country has that vary in different
ethnic groups.
TAGALOG GODS
Tagalog gods are divided into 3 groups, The 1st Generation, the 2nd Generation, the 3rd
Generation, the Harmful gods, and the gods who don’t have a unified pantheon.
FIRST GENERATION GODS

Bathala – supreme god and creator deity, also known as Bathala Maykapal, Lumilikha, and
Abba; an attributed to Bathala.

Amanikable – Originally this god was worshipped as the god of Hunters. In more modern
stories he has become associated as the ill-tempered god of the sea, replacing Aman Sinaya
among of the first generation gods (aside from Bathala), he was never married after his love
was spurned by a beautiful mortal maiden, Maganda. In frustration, he swore vengeance
against the humans by sending turbulent waves and horrible tempests in order to wreck boats
and to drown men.

Idiyanale – The goddess of labor and good deeds. Natives used to call for her guidance in order
to make their works successful. She married Dimangan and had two offspring.
Dimangan - The god of good harvest. He was married to Idiyanale and had two offspring.

Ikapati – (Jocano’s Tagalog Pantheon) The goddess of cultivated land. She was the most
understanding and kind among the deities of Bathala. Her gift to man was agriculture. As the
benevolent giver of food and prosperity, she was respected and loved by the people. From her
came fertility of fields and health of flocks and herds.

Lakapati – Often combined with Ikapati from Jocano’s Tagalog pantheon, Lakapati was a major
fertility deity. During sacrifices made in a new field, the farmer would hold up a child and say,
“Lakapati, pakanin mo yaring alipin mo; huwag mong gutumin [Lakapati, feed this thy slave; let
him not hunger]” (San Buenaventura 1613, 361). Prominent among deities who received full-
blown sacrifices were fertility gods. Lakapati, fittingly represented by a hermaphrodite image
with both male and female parts, was worshiped in the fields at planting time.

Mapulon – The god of seasons and husband of Ikapati of whom they had a daughter

SECOND GENERATION GODS (MJ Cunanan)

Mayari – The goddess of the moon and one of the three daughters of Bathala by a mortal
woman. She was the most charming of all the goddesses. She had two sisters, Tala and Hanan.

Tala – The goddess of the stars; sister of Mayari and Hanan and one of the three daughters of
Bathala by a mortal woman.

Hanan – The goddess of morning; sister of Mayari and Tala and one of the three daughters of
Bathala by a mortal woman.

Dumakulem – The strong, agile guardian of mountains and the son of Idiyanale and Dimangan.
His sister was Anitun Tabu. He later married Anagolay.

Anitun Tabu – The fickle-minded goddess of wind and rain. She was the daughter of Idiyanale
and Dimangan and the sister of Dumakulem.

Anagolay – The goddess of lost things and the only offspring of Ikapati and Mapulon. She was
married to Dumakulem

THIRD GENERATION GODS (Melvin Borja)

Apolaki – (Jocano’s Tagalog Pantheon) The god of sun and the chief patron of warriors. He was
the son of Anagolay and Dumakulem.
Diyan Masalanta – The goddess of love, conception and childbirth and the protector of lovers.
She was the daughter of Anagolay and Dumakulem and youngest of all the deities

THE HARMFUL GODS

In Outline of Philippine Mythology, F. Landa Jocano wrote, “The ancient Tagalogs also believed
in the final judgment of men—that is, the punishing of the evil and the rewarding of the good.
The souls of good men were said to be taken to a village of rest called Maca, which resembled
the Christian Paradise, where they enjoyed eternal peace and happiness. However, those who
deserved punishment were brought to Kasanaan, the village of grief and affliction where they
were tortured forever. These souls were kept there by the chief deity named Sitan.”

Sitan – The guardian of Kasanaan and keeper of all souls therein, the counterpart of Satan. He
had four agents whose task was to lead man to sin and destruction

THE AGENTS OF SITAN

Mangagauay. - She was the one responsible for the occurrence of disease. She was said to
possess a necklace of skulls, and her girdle was made up of several severed human hands and
feet. Sometimes, she would change herself into a human being and roam about the countryside
as a healer. She could induce maladies with her charms.If she wished to kill someone, she did so
by her magic wand. She could also prolong death, even for a number of months, by simply
binding to the waist of her patient a live serpent which was believed to be her real self or at
least her substance.

Manisilat - She was sometimes known as the goddess of broken homes. She was said to be
restless and mad whenever there was a happy home within sight. And when she was
determined to destroy every such happy home, she would disguise as a woman healer or an old
beggar, enter the dwelling of her unsuspecting victims, and then proceed with her diabolical
aims. With the aid of her charms and magic powers, she would turn the husband and wife
against each other. She was most happy when the couple quarreled and she would dance in
glee when one of them would leave the conjugal home

Mankukulam - whose duty was to emit fire at night, especially when the night was dark and the
weather was not good. Like his fellow agents, he often assumed human form and went around
the villages pretending to be a priest-doctor. Then he would wallow in the filth beneath the
house of his victim and emit fire. If the fire was extinguished immediately, the victim would die.

Hukloban -She had the power to change herself into any form she desired. In fact, some people
said that she had greater power than Mangagauay. She could kill anyone by simply raising her
hand. However, if she wanted to heal those whom she had made ill by her charms, she could do
so without any difficulty. It was also said of her that she could destroy a house by merely saying
that she would do so.

GODS WHO DON’T HAVE UNIFIED PANTHEONS (James Earwin)

Aman Sinaya – Deity of the ocean and protector of fishermen.

Saik/Haik – the god of the sea who protects travelers from tempests and storms.

Lakambakod – The protector of the growing crops.

Lakambini – is know as the “pure maiden” for his incomparable beauty, ironic that he is a male
diwata. He was originally known as the god of “kapurihan”(purity) and is also the god of food,
festivity and anti-gluttony. worshiped mainly by men: they pray to Lakambini to let them find a
beautiful maiden to wed.

Lingga – deity invoked by the sick

KAPAMPANGAN GODS (Nicole Aguilar)

Mangechay or Mangacha – The great elder, is said the creator of the Heavens, it is
said that she is the ‘net weaver’ with the sky as her weaved fabric and at night the stars
that shine are the fabric holes

Aring Sinukûan – The Kapampangan sun god of war and death, taught the early inhabitants the
industry of metallurgy, wood cutting, rice culture and even waging war.

Apûng Malyari – The moon god who lives in Mt. Pinatubo and ruler of the eight rivers.

Munag Sumalâ – One of the children of Aring Sinukuan who represent dawn. Also known as the
golden serpent.

Lakandanup – Son of Aring Sinukuan, the god of gluttony and represents the sun at noon time.

Gatpanapun – Son of Aring Sinukuan, the noble who only knew pleasure, his name means
‘afternoon’ in Kapampangan language.

Sisilim – The child of Apûng Malyari, she represent dusk and greeted by the songs of the cicada
upon her arrival, her name means dusk or early evening in Kapampangan language.
 (Moderator) Now that we have known a lot of different gods, goddesses and mythological
creatures, let’s move on and talk about different Indigenous and religious belief here in our
country before.

INDIGENOUS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF (Nicole Casugay)

There are different group of indigenous people here in our country and here are some of the
religious beliefs that they have which are connected to Animism that was discussed a while ago.

BELIEF IN HOUSE HOLD DEITIES/ ANITO

Anito -also spelled anitu, refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the indigenous
Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may
have other meanings and associations depending on the Filipino ethnic group. It can also refer
to carved humanoid figures, the taotao, made of wood, stone, or ivory, that represent these
spirits.

Example of Anito:

Igorots Bul – ul – Guardian figure of the Igorots in Ifugao

BELIEF IN DIWATA

Diwata - 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.

Example of Diwata/s:

 Maria Makiling - guardian of Mount Makiling in Laguna province.

 Maria Sinukuan - guardian of Mount Arayat in Pampanga province.
 Maria Cacao - guardian of Mount Lantoy in Argao, Cebu.
 Maria Magayon - guardian of Mount Mayon in Albay.

DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF INDIGENOUS BELIEFS IN OUR COUNTRY IN THE PRE – SPANISH

COLONIAL PERIOD (MJ Cunanan)
ITNEGS - The Itnegs believe in the existence of numerous supernatural powerful beings. They
believe in spirits and deities, the greatest of which they believe to be Kadaklan who lives up in
the sky and who created the earth, the moon, the stars, and the sun.

Example of the Itnegs practice

In 1922: a shaman of the Itneg people renewing an offering to the spirit (anito) of a warrior's
shield (kalasag)

AETAS - They worship a Supreme Being and at the same time, also believe in environmental
spirits. They believe that various places in our environment are being governed by both good
and evil spirits.
They worship Apo Namalyari, whom they regard as the creator, believed to inhabit the
mountain top of Pinatubo in Zambales (Delica, "Preserving the Mountains").

Example of Aetas religious practice

KAGON - a spirit healing performed with dance, song and guitar music to exorcise the dimonyo
from the sick person. Wearing a necklace of stringed pieces composed of sticks are believed to
ward off such bad spirits.

IFUGAO/IGOROT - The Ifugao people have an indigenous religion unique to their traditional
culture, and highly significant to the preservation of their life ways and valued traditions. They
believe in the existence of thousands of gods, which may enter specific sacred objects such as
the Bul-ul

Example of Ifugao/Igorot religious practice

Daw – es -The Daw-es is practiced by the Igorots in all parts of the Cordillera, with some
variations, depending on the place. The primary purpose of the ritual is to "cleanse" the mind of
the survivors, especially the rescuers, in case of massive death like in landslides or deluge. It is
also done to rid a place of evil spirits that cause tragedies for those living.

How Daw – Es is done?

Daw-es involves the butchering of a dog as offering to "Kabunyan," primarily to remove the
images of death in the minds of those still living and to dispel evil spirits. Pigs or chickens are
also butchered and prayed over for everyone around to partake. This serves as the thanksgiving
for the survivors' gift of life.
FOLK HEALERS/SPIRITUAL LEADERS (Chay Bagtas)

Babaylan - Also Balian or Katalonan, among many other names, were shamans of the
various ethnic groups of the pre-colonial Philippine islands. These shamans specialized in
communicating, appeasing, or harnessing the spirits of the dead and the spirits of nature.
[2]
They were almost always women or feminized men (asog or bayok). They were believed to
have spirit guides, by which they could contact and interact with the spirits and deities
(anito or diwata) and the spirit world. Their primary role were as mediums during pag-
anito séance rituals. There were also various subtypes of babaylan specializing in the arts
of healing and herbalism, divination, and sorcery.

WHAT IS THE WORK OF A BABAYLAN?

Pag- aanito - refers to a séance, often accompanied by other rituals or celebrations, in which a
shaman (Visayan: babaylan, Tagalog: katalonan) acts as a medium to communicate directly with
the spirits. When a nature spirit or deity is specifically involved, the ritual is called pagdiwata

WHAT IS THEIR ROLE IN THE SOCIETY BEFORE?

 Babaylan were highly respected members of the community, on par with the pre-
colonial noble class.[5][10][74] In the absence of the datu (head of the community), the
babaylan takes in the role of interim head of the community. [
 Babaylans were powerful ritual specialists who were believed to have influence over the
weather and tap various spirits in the natural and spiritual realms. Babaylans were held
in such high regard as they were believed to possess powers that can block the dark
magic of an evil datu or spirit and heal the sick or wounded.
 Among other powers of the babaylan were to ensure a safe pregnancy and child birth

WHAT ARE THE BABAYLAN COUNTERPARTS? (Nicole Casugay)

 Mangkukulam - A mangkukulam can be considered a Filipino witch, literally meaning "a

practitioner of kulam". A curse is called a sumpâ (/soom-PA/), which can also be
translated as a "vow" or "oath" and "curse".
 Mambabarang - The Mambabarang is the Bisayan version of a sorcerer/sorceress, who
uses insects and spirits to enter the body of any person they hate. Mambabarang are
ordinary human beings with black magic who torture and later kill their victims by
infesting their bodies with insects.
 MYTHOLOGIES

WHAT IS MYTHOLOGY? (Geron Bondoc)

MYTHOLOGY - A mythology is a collection of myths or stories about a specific person, culture,

religion, or any group with shared beliefs. Most people don’t consider mythology to be entirely
true, but they still take it seriously.

DIFFERENT FAMOUS MYTHOLOGIES HERE IN OUR COUNTRY

Apolaki vs Mayari (Kapampangan Origin of Day and Night)

They are the children of Bathala, Apolaki the Sun while Mayari the Moon. The rivalry between
these two is no exception. Apolaki and Mayari are the usual brother and sister relationship that
all creatures loved them dearly. But it all changed when Bathala died and started a quarrel
between Apolaki and Mayari because they wanted to rule the world alone. They fought and
Apolaki has the upper hands blinding Mayari one's eye and Apolaki pity on her sister. From that
day they ruled the world together.
Bakunawa and The Seven Moons (West Visayas and Bicol Region)
Bakunawa is a huge serpent like dragon that ruled the oceans. He fell in love by the
magnificence creation of Bathala. Bathala created the Seven Moons that shines bright and
beautiful through the whole earth even it's night. Blinded by his jealousness towards Bathala,
he started swallowing the moons one by one. After devoured all but one Bathala noticed it. He
planted bamboos to it and ordered humans to protect the last moon. As long the bamboos
planted Bakunawa can't do his malicious deed. But Bakunawa didn't want to give up but people
remain alert, guarding it with their own lives.

Sarimanok: The Legendary Bird Of Maranao Tribe (Maranao Region)

The legend is traced back to a folk hero, Radia Indarapatra, who married a water nymph, Potri
Rainalaut and had two sons one who is seen, the ancestor of present day Maranaos. The other,
unseen, became the apo of the spirits that Maranaos invoke in a number of rites and rituals.
These two brothers made an agreement, each one to protect each other from malevolent
spirits that may cause illness or even death. As a sign of goodwill, the Itotoro. Sarimanok, which
happens to be a rooster, is taken cared of by the seen Maranaos, as a link to the unseen spirits,
their ancestor. Henceforth, Sarimanok became the link between the seen and unseen.
Biag ni Lam-ang (Ilocos Region)
Lam-ang is a boy born with incredible strength and courage. His father, Don Juan Panganiban is
a fighter and his mother named Namongan. Later his father killed by the Igorot and displayed
his head while the Igorots celebrating and seen by Lam-ang. Outrageous by the event he killed
them all with only a spear. Later he found a maiden named Ines Cannoyan, the daughter of the
richest man in the town of Kalanutian. He got a rooster and a dog to impress her and soon
succeeded. They experienced so many test on their relationship but Lam-ang surpassed
everything. Finally, they lived a joyful life with his wife and pets.

Eclipses (Maranao Region)

Up in the sky lives a huge lion named Arimaonga. This animal sometimes gets playful and it
swallows the moon, producing an eclipse of the moon. Arimaonga is forced by the people to
disgorge the moon by the noise they make during an eclipse of the moon, so people beat gongs
and pluck their fingernails.The eclipse of the sun happens when one of the wheels of the
chariot which carries it gets destroyed, forcing it to deviate from its regular path.

Conclusion:
Religion is a big part of our rich culture and history, this is our identity that shaped who we are
as Filipinos today, so let us be proud and be bold to tell all this amazing beliefs and stories to
the next generation.