Aswang

Summary: The Aswang, Philippine folklore’s shape-shifting terror, hides as kind neighbors by day and hunts by night. Rooted in pre-colonial tales, it spans vampires, viscera suckers, weredogs, witches, and ghouls. With flight, illusions, and lethal tongues, it enforces morality, fuels village paranoia, and endures in films, comics, and urban legends today.

The Shape-Shifting Terror of the Philippines.

The Aswang is one of the most feared supernaturalSupernatural narratives evoke forces beyond nature More beings in Philippine folklore, a term used to describe a variety of malevolent shape-shifting creatures. Often appearing as ordinary townsfolk by day, Aswangs transform by night into monstrous predators that feast on human flesh, blood, and even unborn children. With countless regional variants, the Aswang embodies the dark heart of Filipino myth—where fear, morality, and the unknown collide.

Origin & History

The legend of the Aswang dates back to pre-colonial Philippines, with stories passed down through oral traditions and evolving across regions and ethnic groups. Spanish colonizers documented Aswang folklore as early as the 16th century, describing these beings as demonic threats used to maintain moral order within communities [1]Lynch, Frank (1963). “Ang Mga Aswang: A Bicol Belief”. Religious Belief and Behavior Series. 1: 55.84–88. .

The term “Aswang” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Asura” (demon) and encompasses multiple beings: vampires, ghouls, witches, and manananggals [2]Aswang is an umbrella term for various shape-shifting evil spirits in Filipino folklore, such as vampires, ghouls, witches, viscera suckers, and werebeasts. The Aswang Project . While each province has its own interpretation, the core traits—shape-shifting, nocturnal activity, and a thirst for human life—remain constant.

Tales of Aswangs are strongest in Visayas and Mindanao, especially in Capiz, where many locals still believe they walk among us. One well-known story involves a midwife in the town of Dumalag, Capiz, who was rumored to be an Aswang after multiple stillbirths occurred under her care [3]“Sixteenth Century Philippine Culture and Society,” William Henry Scott .

Villagers claimed to have seen her wandering at night, her shadow stretching unnaturally long, and livestock turning up mysteriously drained of blood. The story spread quickly, reinforcing Capiz’s reputation as the Aswang capital of the Philippines.

Aswang Physical Description

In human form, they appear ordinary, often seen as kind or shy—a soft-spoken market vendor or a shy neighbor, hiding an unholy hunger behind a smile. In its Aswang form, it can be grouped into five types of mythical beings, many of which can be identified within European folklore also.

The five types of Aswang are:

The Blood Sucking Vampire

According to Philippine folk traditions, the vampire Aswang is a bloodsucking creature disguised as a beautiful maiden. It marries an unsuspecting young man and sips a little of his blood each night until he dies of anemia, after which the monster finds another husband. To suck blood, the vampire uses the tip of its tongue, which is pointed like the proboscis of a mosquito, to pierce the jugular vein.

The Viscera Sucker

The viscera sucker Aswang is a legendary creature believed to extract internal organs (known as naguneg in Iloko, laman luob in Tagalog, and kasudlan in West Visayan) or consume the phlegm expelled by the ill. While this entity is rarely found in European folklore, it is quite common also in Malaysia and Indonesia.

During the day, it is said to take the form of an alluring woman characterized by a curvy figure, long hair, and a fair complexion.

By night it is a nightmare. At night, the creature sheds its lower body from the waist down and either flies, floats, or glides away. Its tongue is elongated, narrow, and tube-like, resembling a drinking straw—though it lacks the pointed tip of a vampire’s—and can reach to considerable lengths. It is said to hunt pregnant women to feast on the blood of their unborn child.

The Weredog

The Weredog Aswang is a legendary creature believed to be a man or woman—primarily the former—during the day, but transforms into a fierce beast, usually a dog, at night. This creature is referred to as “aso” in various Philippine languages.

A were-creature is typically associated with the most formidable animal in a particular area, which is why Europe has werewolves, China has werefoxes, and India has weretigers. Since there are no wolves in the Philippines, the term “weredog” is more appropriate; however, “Werebeast” is sometimes used in certain contexts.

The Witch

Another figure within the cluster of mythical ideas represented by the term aswang is the witch. The witch is either a man or, more commonly, a woman, who is perceived by the community as exceptionally vengeful or unintentionally causes illness.

This Philippine witch punishes those who have wronged her by magically inserting various items—such as shells, bones, unhulled rice, fish, and different types of insects—into the victim’s bodily openings or by entering the victim’s body herself. She can also make an otherwise innocent person ill with a mere glance or comment.

Unlike European witches, the Philippine witch does not crave human flesh. She is typically reclusive, residing in deserted houses on the outskirts of towns and villages. She avoids making direct eye contact because it is believed that the images in her pupils appear upside down, and her pupils are narrow and elongated like those of a cat or lizard in bright light.

The Ghoul

The Aswang ghoul is said to steal human corpses and consume them. To assist in this, it has long, curved, and sharp nails, as well as pointed teeth. Its smell and breath are foul, and although it is often unseen, the creature is described as skeletal, rotted in Aswang form, but can resemble a human if it chooses to reveal itself.

• The Aswangs shape-shifting ability and how they blend into daily life plays into a deep-rooted cultural fear in tight-knit Filipino communities, where trust and reputation are everything.
• The idea that an Aswang could be living next door, undetected for years, sows paranoia and suspicion, especially in rural areas where gossip spreads quickly and accusations can have dangerous consequences.
• The Aswang myth warns not only of monsters, but of betrayal from within the community itself.

Aswang Powers & Abilities

• Shape-shifting – Some aswang can transform into animals such as dogs, pigs, or birds to stalk their prey unnoticed.
• Flight & Body Detachment – The self segmenting visceral suckers detach their upper torso and fly through the night in search of victims.
• Tongue Extension – A prehensile, often invisible tongue is used to extract the hearts of fetuses or suck blood by reaching through roof tiles or windows.
• Illusion & Glamour – They can cast illusions, appearing completely normal to others, or making their presence vanish entirely.
• Enhanced Speed & Strength – In monstrous form, the Aswang possess inhuman speed and brute strength.

Cultural Significance

The Aswang serves as both a cultural symbol of fear and a moral enforcer. Parents warn children to behave or else the Aswang will take them. In smaller villages, accusations of being an Aswang are often tied to social alienation, especially toward midwives, elderly women, or herbalists.

Folklorist Maximo D. Ramos interprets the Aswang myth as a cultural expression of fear and moral boundaries within traditional Filipino communities. In his work “The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore” (1971) [4]Ramos, M. D. (1971). “The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore”. Phoenix Publishing House. , Ramos explores how tales of the Aswang reflect concerns over illness, social deviance, and the breakdown of communal values. These stories often serve to reinforce social norms—particularly regarding gender roles, childbirth, and community trust—by projecting anxieties onto the figure of the Aswang [5]Ramos, M. (1969). The Aswang Syncrasy in Philippine FolkloreFolklore encompasses myths, legends, jokes, prover More. Western FolkloreFolklore encompasses myths, legends, jokes, prover More, 28(4), 238–248. https://doi.org/10.2307/1499218 . Its fluid identity makes it a vessel for multiple fears, adapting with each generation.

Today, the Aswang remains deeply woven into Philippine pop culture, with appearances in horror films, comics (komiks), television shows, and even tourism campaigns in Capiz.

Modern Appearances (Pop Culture, Urban Legends, etc.)

• Films: Frequently appears in Filipino horror cinema, including classics like Shake, Rattle and Roll [6]The Only 6 ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’ Movies You Need to See“. Esquiremag.ph. October 31, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2019. and international films like The Aswang Phenomenon [7]The Aswang Phenomenon – Full Documentary on the Filipino Vampire, October 4, 2011, retrieved April 19, 2019
• Television: Featured in local series such as Imortal, La Luna Sangre, and Trese on Netflix.
• Comics: The Aswang has appeared in Filipino and international graphic novels as a symbol of dark folkloric power.
• Podcasts & YouTube Channels: Often discussed in horror and folklore channels focused on Southeast Asian myths.
• Games: Featured in tabletop RPGs and horror-based video games as a terrifying monster.

Watch Our Aswang Video

Related Creatures

• Manananggal – A specific type of Aswang known for splitting its body and flying to hunt pregnant women.
• Tiyanak – A vampiric creature disguised as a crying baby to lure victims.
• SigbinThe Sigbin haunts Filipino folklore: a nocturnal, More – A night-stalking creature with inverted legs and bat-like features.
• Wakwak – A birdlike creature that emits the sound “wak-wak” and is often mistaken for an Aswang.