Garlic, Salt and the Aswang

Contrary to popular belief,  Filipinos never use garlic against the aswang. The traditional weapons are ginger and salt. 

In the studies of the late Dr. Maxino D. Ramos, this partly explains why Filipino males like to urinate in the most unlikely places. They are not marking their territory like dogs, but in an earlier time such a practice was meant as an anti-aswang method because urine was believed to contain enough salt to drive the aswang away. In this way holy water can also be used on an aswang, not so much because of the priest's blessing,  but due to the salt that is traditionally added to the holy water. Many priests today forget that salt is the essential ingredient in holy water.

[See: Looking Back (June 02, 2009)

Garlic isn’t an ‘aswang’-repellant - by Ambeth Ocampo]

According to those in the occult, the reason why salt is often used as a repellent against evil spirits is that salt is thought to be a pure, earthly substance and since evil spirits are ethereal, they cannot tolerate it. That is why salt is used to purify and for washing and cleansing the body. It also sucks out water and moisture is supposedly used to bridge the gap between the worlds.

Garlic is used to repel vampires.

Garlic originally got its good reputation from ancient Egypt. Back then it was believed that garlic held incredible healing powers. From Egypt it spread and developed more uses and powers. It was known not only for healing but also protection against the plague and supernatural evils.

It is also said that the bad smell of garlic is the one that repel those blood suckers.

Maria Labo

One of the most Terrifying Philippine Urban legends was the Legend of Maria Labo; a poor young woman who took a job as a maid somewhere in the 1930's or 50's. Legend has it that she took a job offer from an old European man as a caretaker, where she was to accompany him into Europe, when she returned to the Philippines, she was somewhat strange and demonic-like and she got a scar across her face. One night, she killed her children and turned them into a stew.It was said that Maria had become an Aswang and fled before the authorities could break down her doors.

Balete Drive

One of the most horrifying Philippine urban Legends involves a small secluded road called Balete Drive. This road acts as a compound of houses that dates back the Spanish times and were said to be haunted by its owners. But its most prevailing legend was that of the spirit of a young girl supposedly raped and murdered by a taxi driver back in the 1950's or 60's. Deprived of Justice, the "White Lady" appears in front of passing taxis, and scare the poor drivers as her act of vengeance.

The Manananggal

A manananggal is one of the most dreaded night creatures in Philippine folklore described as a hideous, scary, vampire-like creature (as opposed to an aswang), often depicted as female, and capable of self-segmenting its upper torso and sprouting huge bat-like wings to fly into the night in search of its next victim. 

It is said that they mostly prey on sleeping, pregnant women, using an elongated proboscis-like tongue to suck the hearts of fetuses, the blood of someone who is sleeping, and the phlegm of Tuberculosis sufferers. 

The severed lower torso is left standing, and it is said to be the more vulnerable of the two halves. Sprinkling salt or smearing crushed garlic or ash on top of the standing torso is fatal to the creature. The upper torso then would not be able to rejoin itself and will die by sunrise.

[3D artwork by Buddy Paraiso]

Aswang

"The Aswang". A night dwelling fiend, this beast is referred specifically to a ghoulish were-dog, which is where the word comes from- "Aso" ("The dog" in Tagalog). It is a combination of a ghoul and a werewolf. This type of creature was an eater of the dead, which replaces the cadaver with banana trunks after consumption. 

Aswang stories and definitions vary greatly from region to region and person to person, and no particular set of characteristics can be ascribed to the term. However, the term is mostly used interchangeably with Manananggal and are also usually depicted as female.

[3D art by Buddy Paraiso]