On the island of Negros in the Philippines is a massive volcano called Kanlaon, or Canlaon. It is still active and steam and smoke can sometimes be seen rising from its crater. In fact it is the most active volcano in the Philippines and part of the Ring of Fire series of volcanoes around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. It is a dominant feature of the landscape and associated with several legends and myths that have evolved around it over the centuries.

Dumaguete is the capital town of the province of Negros Oriental in the Philippines. Like most great cities, Dumaguete has a long history and there are many myths and legends from its early days that have helped to create its culture and character. Dumaguete is also known as the City of the Gentle People, although it is uncertain why, but the people who live there are renowned for their friendliness making it a popular tourist destination.

Do spirits and divinities live in remote hills? Do fairies bless and fulfill innocent wishes? Which of these stories are inseparably-related to Philippines, and are believed generation after generation? The Philippine culture is truly a potpourri of different groups, who brought with them a rich treasure-trove of myths and legends.

Once upon a time, there was a woman who lived with her daughter Pina in a tiny hut in the village. They were poor, and the mother worked day and night to make both ends meet. No matter how hard she worked, though, she never got any help from her daughter. Pina was a lazy, spoiled kid who liked to play in the backyard all day. Whenever her mother asked for help around the house or tried to send her on an errand, she would always find an excuse by saying she can’t find the object that was ...

A long time ago, there's a king who ruled a rich, prosperous island. He had all the things a king could ever ask for: the power, the wealth, and all the delicious foods one could only imagine.The king's name was King Barabas.

Long time ago in the days of our forefathers, there lived in the virginal forest of the Diwata Mountains, a group of enchanted people or the “diwatas” and their beautiful pet birds, the hornbills or the “kalaws”. They lived harmoniously together, but as their number increased, troubles began. The hornbills, known as the clocks of the mountain, become so noisy with their incessant calls. Bickering started between the “diwatas” and the pet birds, the “kalaws”. The “diwatas” got fed up and they dec

It was the early 90’s and it would still be a few more years before social media was introduced. The internet was exclusive to a handful of people but there were growing numbers of mobile phone users. Entertainment for “common people” is mostly divided into two categories: the repertoire of Soap Operas on their television and, of course, the endless hours of chatting with their kumares and kumpares during their afternoon siestas.

The Philippines has seen many transformations in their folklore and myth. At the beginning of the 20th century, many poets and authors began taking traditional folklore and characters and turning them into beautiful fairy tales – which would be more commonly known in Philippine literature as “legends”.

One of the most popular and enduring mythical creatures in Filipino lore. The tikbalang is said to be a half human, half horse creature in the mold of the Greek Pan, that is, having an upper body of a human and lower limbs of a horse. There are two known versions of the creature’s appearance: the more popular and oft portrayed version has the tikbalang with the head of a horse while the lesser known version has it sporting a human visage.

The subject of countless movies here in the Philippines, the Manananggal and Wakwak are other types of evil creatures in the same league as the Aswang. Legend says the Manananggal is a pretty woman by day that transforms into a vicious, half bodied, viscera-eating monster by nightfall. It is said that the Manananggal will sneak out of her house near midnight to hide in the bushes, or maybe a grove of banana trees.

Minokawa is a giant, dragon-like bird in Philippine legends, particularly the Bagobo tribes of Mindanao. Early people believed this creature is so big that it can swallow (or cover) the sun to explain the occurrence of eclipses. It is even described as a giant bird named Minokawa that lives beyond the sky which can devour the sun and the moon, and would try to do the same with the earth.