The various types of ‘Aswang‘.
To answer this controversial issue, let’s examine first what the term ‘Aswang’ really means. For those who are unfamiliar with ‘Aswang‘, it is said to be a term for various “shape-shifting evil creatures” in Filipino folklore, such as vampires, ghouls, witches, viscera suckers, and transforming human-beast hybrids (usually dogs, cats, pigs). It is also identified as ‘Sigbin’ by other people.
The aswang is the subject of a wide variety of myths, stories, arts, and films, as it is very well-known throughout the Philippines. Many Filipino documentation programs feature the phenomenal belief in Aswang, especially at Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho and Magandang Gabi Bayan.
Here in the Philippines, people often talk about a lot of things concerning the presence of ‘Aswang’ in some parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. But the most well-known provinces that people claim to have the presence of ‘Aswang’ are in Capiz. Should we expect that Capiz was inhabited by Aswang? Is it really true?
Capiz β Home of the Aswang?
Aswang and other malevolent evil creatures are most commonly associated with the province of Capiz, which lies on the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region. The province of Capiz was dubbed the “hometown of Aswang” by some other regions. The town of Panitan is the most well-known place in Capiz where most locals believe it is inhabited by the family ties of Aswang.
Another thing that caught the attention of people to dub Capiz as the “hometown of Aswang” is the annual celebration of the Aswang Festival which keeps running towards the end of October, in time for the yearly celebration of the Catholic All Saints Day or Undas in the Philippines. But due to the negative meaning connected with this event, the previous Capiz Governor Vicente Bermejo dismantled and stopped the celebration in 2007.
As of today, there is no actual evidence to support the existence of Aswang in the province of Capiz. But how about the other regions?
Aswang goes to other regions..??
On April 29, 2019, in a documentary of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (KMJS), Aswang is allegedly sighted in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, which also lies in Western Visayas, where several local residents have been reportedly terrorized by the appearance of the aswang at night-time. The KMJS team tried to substantiate the resident’s claim by installing CCTV cameras to capture the alleged creature, but to no avail.
The true origin of Aswang folktale
Before Capiz was established in 1901, Filipinos had no ideas or concepts about an “ugly evil man-eating creature” or aswang. In fact, Spanish colonists noted that the aswang was the most feared among the mythical creatures of the Philippines, even in the 16th century. Thus, the beliefs in Aswang were not originated in the Philippines but of the Spaniards who colonized the country ever since.
The motive of the Spaniards for inventing the belief in Aswang is to impart fear and obedience to their subjects, especially the Filipino citizens.
When it comes to scientific understanding, social anthropologists explained that the belief in Aswang may be traced back to two possible sources:
1.) The behavior of the wildlife within the region; and
2.) The prominence of X-linked dystopia Parkinson’s disease within the region.
Today, no scientific evidence has been found to prove the existence of Aswang.
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Jason Jeth Newshub 