Pugot Mamu

Pugot Mamu: The Other Philippine Boogeyman

Pugot Mamu

Next to the aswang, the Pugot Mamu may be the most well-known Philippine boogeyman from the Pampanga region.  It is a headless being, like the more famous Pugot, with a few major differences. The Pugot is said to be the spirit of a beheaded priest and really only scares people, while the Pugot Mamu is flesh and bone, with an insatiable appetite for children.  

How does he eat them without a head?  Well, his neck and shoulders are a giant carnivorous hole in which the children are fed.  So if you think you had it rough when your parents used tales of the aswang to set your curfew, just remember there are likely some very traumatized Pampangan children who feared being torn apart and devoured by a serrated fang-filled neck.

A Pugot Mamu Poem

Careful little child, he  might hear you sneak. Careful little child Don’t let the floor creak. Careful little child, Don’t make a sound. Careful little child, Keep your head on the ground

Quiet little child, Don’t hide under your bed. Quiet little child, Or you might lose your head. Quiet little child,Het is looking for you. Quiet little child, Or you’ll turn black and blue

Run little child, He found your hiding place. Run little child, He doesn’t have a face. Run little child, He’s right behind you. Run little child, Away from the Pugot Mamu