A wealthy woman in a mountain cave lends plates to her neighbors, sails overseas to trade cacao, and may be responsible for a broken bridge. The legend of Maria Cacao is stranger and more local than a typical fairy tale. Read more »
Anting-anting, Filipino amulets believed to offer supernatural protection, have long been associated with faith, folklore, and historical struggles, including accounts of revolutionaries wearing prayer-marked shirts to protect themselves from bullets. Read more »
Beyond its reputation for witchcraft, Siquijor preserves traditional healing practices, medicinal plant knowledge and spiritual traditions documented by researchers. Read more »
They look human, live in places that appear empty and invite guests who may never return home. Philippine folklore offers many stories about engkanto, mysterious beings believed to inhabit a world alongside our own. Read more »
From dolls pierced with pins to insects believed to enter the human body, Filipino witchcraft lore has centuries of history. But accusations of sorcery can also put real people in danger. Read more »
A legendary hero said to be trapped between mountains, a cave linked to Philippine revolutionaries, and a landscape where folklore meets documented history. Discover the story of Bernardo Carpio in Rodriguez, Rizal. Read more »
