Ibálong: Bicol’s Incredible 60 Stanza Folk Epic

Last week we featured articles for seven creatures in Philippine Mythology.  Two of them were beings from the Ibálong Epic, so I thought it would be a perfect time to examine what the epic is, who it introduced to Philippine Mythology, and what it means for the people of Bicol.

JUMP TO:
What is the Ibálong Epic
Summary of the Ibálong Epic
The Ibálong Epic Legacy
The 60 Stanzas of the Ibálong Epic (Spanish and English)
Characters and Settings from the Ibálong Epic

 

What is the Ibálong Epic

The Ibálong, is a 60-stanza fragment of a folk epic from the Bicol region of the Philippines, based on the Indian Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharta. The epic is said to have been narrated in verse form by a native poet called Kadunung.  The Ibalong portrays deeds in heroic proportions, centering on warrior-heroes named, among others, Baltog, Handyong, and Bantong. They came from Boltavara, settling and ruling Bikolandia and its inhabitants. The epic is set in the land of Aslon and Ibalong.

It has been suggested that the entire Bikol narrative was documented by Fray Bernardino de Melendreras de la Trinidad and later translated to Spanish. A sixty-stanza portion was later included in a written discourse on the Bicol Region by another Franciscan, Fray Jose Castaño in 1895  (“un pequeño fragmento inedito en verso”).  Unfortunately the Melendreras version has been lost to time, so what is left of the Ibalong – at least its sixty stanzas – is the text in Spanish.
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Summary of the Ibálong Epic

The epic opens with Iling requesting the bard Kadunung to recount the tale of the glorious Ibálong of long ago. Forthwith Kadunung described the ancient land and spoke of its first hero, Baltog, a White Aryan, who had come from Boltavara (Bharata-varsha or India). He planted a linsa patch in Tondol (now in Kamalig) which, one night, was foraged by a giant wild boar (Tandayag). The furious Baltog chased the Tandayag, killed it with his bare hands, and hung its enormous jawbones on a talisay tree in front of his house in Tondol. For this marvelous feat, he was acknowledged chief of the local hunters. The clans of Panicuason and Asog came over to marvel at the monstrous wild boar in Ibálong.

Next to come was Handyong. With his followers, he fought the monsters of the land. But Oryol, a wily serpent who appeared as a beautiful maiden with a seductive voice, was one whom Handyong could not destroy. Meanwhile, Oryol admired Handyong’s bravery and gallantry. Because of this, Oryol helped Handyong clear the region of ferocious beasts until peace came to the whole of the land.

With Ibálong rid of wild creatures, Handyong turned to making wise laws and planting the land to linsa and rice. A period of invention followed: boat, farming tools, weaving looms, claywares, kitchen utensils, tree houses, and even a syllabary. Together, the people built a society with culture. It was a golden period in Ibálong when even slaves were respected under the laws of Handyong.

Then came a great flood, freed by Unos, that changed the features of the land. Three volcanoes, named Hantik, Kulasi, and Isarog erupted simultaneously. Inundations caused lands to sink, from which Lake Buhi came about, or rise, as in the strip of seacoast in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, and wiped out many settlements, especially the Dagatnong settlement in the Kalabangan Gulf. The Malbogong Islet formed in the Bicol River. The Inarihan River altered its course. A lofty mountain sank at Bato, forming a lake.

Despite the calamities, Ibálong grew powerful under Old Chief Handyong, whose constant companion and good friend, by then, was the young Bantong. Although given a thousand men to destroy the half man and half beast Rabot, who could change its enemies into rocks, Bantong slew it single-handedly – to the loud cheers of his thousand warriors that reverberated throughout the forests and mangroves swamps. Brought to Ligmanan, the corpse of Rabot was horrible to behold. The Great Handyong himself was shocked at the sight.

At this point, the Ibálong epic-fragment ends abruptly, and Kadunung promises to continue the story some other time.
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The Ibálong Epic Legacy

The Ibálong is an invaluable piece of literature that marks the spontaneous record of the ancient Bikol’s early struggle for principle, survival, and growth. It commemorates the Bikolano people’s resilience against the typhoons that annually beset their region. It stresses the humble accomplishments and peaceful pursuits of the early Bikolanos – the cultivation of upland and lowland crops, the construction of dwellings on tall trees, the creation of the first boat in the region, the making of utensils, tools, and wares, but most importantly, the invention of writing. The epic depicts the transition of the ancient Bikolanos from the hunting stage to the agricultural stage, from the nomadic state to the settled life.

The Ibalong teaches about courage, of how a simple act can bring about positive change.

Also portrayed in the epic is the concept of social class, of slaves and masters. However, this did not hinder the growth of the community because the classes respected each other.

The very survival of these pre-Hispanic legends is direct proof of the vitality of Bikol culture. Folk history or not, this epic is valuable for it enabled the Bikolanos of today to gain valuable insights into the misty past of their land and their ancestors.

The epic is celebrated through street performances and floats on Ibalong Festival in the Bicol region since 1992. This is celebrated in Legazpi City, Albay during the month of October. The festival features the various characters from the epic while celebrating through song and dance.

Baltog, Handyong, and Bantong have become a staple in the heroic landscape of Philippine komiks. The epic has also been performed in theaters like in Tanghalang Pilipino’s Ibalong the Musical by Rody Vera.
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The 60 Stanzas of the Ibálong Epic (Spanish and English)

ILING

1.

Cuenta, Cadugñung la historia
Delos tiempos de Handiong
Con esa lira de plate
Dulce encanto de Aslon.

Cadungung, kindly narrate to us,
Historic times of great Handyong,
Sing with your lyre of silver tone
The sweet enchantment of Aslong.

2.

Que solo cantar tu puedes
Tanta belleza y primor
Tantos ocultos misterios
Como encierra esta region

For only you can put in song
Such beauty and renown that bring
The mysteries that now enshroud
This glorious land of long ago.

3.

Canta, y dinos su reyes
La prosapia y valor
La guerra, que sostuvieron
Hasta vencer a la Oriol.

Sing, then, and tell us of its kings,
Their proud past and their valiant role
In war which they fought snake Oryol
Until they had defeated and its fall.

4.

Dinos tambien por tu vida
La historia del viejo Asog
La del joven Masaraga,
La del vetusto Isarog.

Do tell us also all about
The life of the old Asog,
Of the still young Masaraga,
And ancient moss-covered Isarog.

5.

Que tu fuiste el tierno vate
El mas dulce seductor
De cuantas vieron el lago
Que a la Tacay sepulto.

As tender bard enticing high
Seducer sweetest that is why
Among those who had seen the lake
In which was buried Fair Takay.

6.

Canta, pues antentos todos
A tu hermosa narracion
Sentados aqui nos tienes
A la sombra de un daod.

Then, sing to us now you are free
We shall listen to lovely song attentively
Out in the shade, right where we sit,
Here underneath the Dao Tree.

KADUNGUNG

7.

Oid pues, hijos del Bicol.
Dijo Cadugῆung veluz,
Los hechos del viejo suelo
Patria hermosa de Handiong.

You Sons of Bicol, listen then,
Responded quickly Cadungung,
To the great deeds in this old clime,
This beautiful land of king Handyong.

8.

Es el Bicol una tierra
Llana, feraz, de aluvion;
Del mundo la mas hermosa,
La mas rica en produccion.

The Kabikolan is a realm
With fertile fields of wide plains,
Fairest in the World, that nature gives,
The richest in what planting yields.

BALTOG – THE FIRST BICOL HERO

9.

Fue Baltog el primer hombre
Que esta tierra habito.
Oriundo de Botavara,
De la raza de Lipod.

Baltog was the first hero known
Who pioneered this lovely place,
He was of Botavara land
His birth Lipod, which was his race.

10.

Al Bicol llego siguiendo
Un jabali muy feroz,
Que sus sembrados de linza
Una noche destruyo.

Arriving Bicol he did scour
Because of great fiercest boar
Destroyed his linsa plants one night
And he pursued it furiously.

11.

Cuando le tuvo acostado
Al suelo tiro en lanzon,
Y con sus brazos herculeos
Las quijadas le partio.

Baltog then downed the hunted game
Without his thrown lance, he just came
When he had cornered it, in combat fair
Herculean arms he broke its jaws.

12.

Cada quijada tenfa
Una vara de largor
Y los colmillos dos tercios
De la asta de su lanzon.

Both arms extended was the length
Of every jawbone in its stance
Believed at once its curling tusks
Two thirds length of his mighty lance.

13.

Al volver a sus Estados
Las dos quijadas colgo
De un talisay gigantesco
En su casa de Tundol.

Returning home from hunting spree
He hung the jawbones on a tree,
A big talisay there it would be
Near Tondol house for all to see.

14.

A los viejos cazadores
Causaron admiracion
Estos trofeos gloriosos
De su rey el gran Baltog.

Old hunters then, did praises sing
In honor of their Great Baltog king
To see such wonders chase could bring
For glorious trophies to people bring.

15.

Fueron a verios las tribus
De Panicuason y Asog;
Y dejeron que, en sus dias
No hubo jabali mayor.

People of Panikwason and Asog tribe
Arrived to view enormous hog
Said in their days saw not a boar
As big as that killed by Baltog.

16.

Le llamaron Tandaya
De los montes de Ligñon
Por su exacto parecido
Con el monstruo Behemot.

They called it the Tandayag boar
Of Lingyon Hill there its fold
Because its likeness exactly told
The Behemot monster bold.

HANDYONG ARRIVAL

17.

Despues de este vino al Bicol
Con gueteros Handiong,
Quien de monstruos la comarca
En poco tiempo limpio.

Soon after this to Bicol came
The grand Handyong, with warriors band
Resolved to destroy their very stand
All monstrous creatures of the land.

18.

Batallas para extingirlos
Mil y mil el empeño
De todos siempre saliendo
Con aires de vencedor.

To wipe them, battles fought galore
Handyong whom truly they adore,
In all the thousand victory he fought
Against all monsters they conquer.

19.

Los monoculos trifauces
Que havitaban en Ponon
En diez lunas sin descanso
Por completo destruyo.

Three-throated beast with just one eye
Had made inhabit Ponong’s dryland
For ten restless months they attacked
Till he had destroyed and all did die.

20.

Los alados tiburones
Y el bufalo cimarron
Que por los montes volaban
En menos tiempo amanso.

The winged sharks that ploughed the deep,
Carabaos roamed in their wild style
Cavorting happily in mountainsides
He did imprint his taming marks.

21.

Los buayas colosales
Como los balotos de hoy,
Y los fieros sarimaos
Al Colasi destierro.

All the gigantic crocodiles
The size of bancas of today
Fierce Sarimaos with their wiles
To Culasi exiled away.

22.

Las serpientes, que tenian
Cual de serena la voz,
Del Hantic en la caverna
Para siempre sepulto, Oriol

The serpents whose voice did enthrall
Like the siren’s tempting call,
In Hantic’s wide cavernous hall
Forever they were buried all.

ORIOL

23.

Pero no pudo vencer,
Por la mas maña que se dio
A la culebra sagu
Conocida por la Oriol.

However, he could not defeat
Even to used cunning and deceit
Against the snake’s sagacious wit
The most elusive one, name Oryol.

24.

Esta culebra sabia
Mas que el famoso Handiong
Y a sus ojos fascinaba
Con afable seduccion.

More learned and wiser than Handyong
Whose fascinating eye, lovelier to see
As if it were a sweet gesture
Beckoning him seductively.

25.

Mil lazos Handiong le puso
Y de todo se burlo,
Los nudos desenredando
Con sagacidad mayor.

Handyong bound it a thousand ways
It only scoffed and mocked around
With its crowned sagacity
It always untied the knots.

26.

Con palabaras seductoras
Muchas veces le engaño,
Que en eso de fingimientos
Era gran maestra Oriol.

With seducing words, he was told
So many times Handyong was fooled
That in pretending she was called
Oryol, the great teacher of deceit.

27.

Cuantas veces por el bosque
Sin descanso la siguio
Creyendo de la serena
En la seductora voz!

How many times without a rest,
He searched her in to the woods,
He thought that what had lured him on
Believing the voice of a siren there!

28.

Los trabajos del gran Hercules,
Las conquistas que gano,
Todo hubiera fracasado
Por la influencia de Oriol.

The task of renowned Hercules,
The gains that gave immortal seat
Could have been failures and defeat
If interfered like creature such Oryol.

29.

Peromera inscontante,
Ella mismo ayudo
Para vencera a los monstruos
Que infestaban la region.

But inconsistent in its act
Oryol itself did help Handyong
To all the monsters must conquer
That have infested the Bicol land.

30.

Luchaban con las buayas
Brazo a brazo, y vencedor
De combates tan tremendos
Sin menoscabo salio.

Together they fought victoriously
Against the giant crocodiles they won
After the battles and onslaught
No scratchy wounds to him was wrought.

31.

Los pongos y orangutangs
La miraban con horror,
Porque las aguas del Bicol
Con su sangre coloro.

The pongos and orangutans
Watching the fight filled with horror stung,
With color due to crocodiles blood
He tinged the Bicol River red.

32.

Eran monos pendencieros
De conocida valor
Pero el gigante los hizo
Retirarse al Isarog.

Those wild monkeys which were troublesome,
Whose valor was widely spread,
The huge Handyong drove all away
To Isarog’s mountainous dome.

PEACEFUL PURSUITS

33.

Y libre ya de alimañas
Quedando asi la region
En dar leves a su pueblo
Como suno interes penso.

Now that the land set free at last
With no more beasts of prey to kill,
He established better people laws
To serve his people interest and will.

34.

Handiong y sus compañeros
Plantaron con un bolod
Linzas, que dieron sus frutas
Tan grandes como un pansol.

Handyong’s companions to his call
They planted linsa on a hill,
Producing tuber roots and all
The giant size of a pansol.

35.

Tambien en un sitio bajo
Sembraron el rico arroz
Que Handiong largos siglos
El sobrenombre llevo.

Then also in a lowland site
They sowed along rich-yielding rice
That many centuries along
Known by the nickname Hinandyong.

36.

Hizo la primera canoa
Que por el Bicol surco;
Menos el timon y vela
Que fueron por Guinantong.

Handyong the first to build a boat
To Bicol River navigate on high
Except its rudder and its sail
Kimantong’s doing and supply

37.

Este invento los arados,
El piene y el pagolon,
La ganta y otras medidas,
El sacal, bolo y lando.

Besides he invented the plow,
The harrow and the roll in tow,
The ganta, other measures, too,
The bolo, hoe, and yoke for cow.

38.

Los telares y argadillos
Fueron obra de Hablom,
Quien con asombra de todos
Un dia al rey presento.

They say that the loom and bobbins
Hablom one day worked hard to make,
To the surprise of everyone,
To king Handyong he gave away.

39.

Invento la gorgoreta,
Coron, calan, y paso
Y otros varios utensiles
El pigmeo Dinahon.

The earthen jar, pot, bowl and stove,
And utensils I can’t recall
The pygmy called Dinahong
Had invented all the workmanship.

40.

El alfabeto fue Sural,
Quien curioso combino,
Grabandola en piedra Libon,
Que pulimento Gapon.

Surath had mystically combined* (*Sanskrit – “perfectly combined”)
Carve in stone the exotic suratin
Encountered in place called Libon
Then, was polished later by Gapon.

41.

Hicieron ciudad y casas
En disegual proporcion,
En las ramas suspendiendolas
Del banasi y camagon.

They built a houses with city zone
Unequal proportion of various sizes
And hanging branches they were prone
Of trees banasi, and kamagong.

42.

Que eran tantos los insectos,
Tan excesivo calor,
Que solo en el moog podian
Pasar el rigor del sol.

With swarmiing insects all around
And with the burning sun to beat,
Its only at the moog seat
Where they could go to bear the heat.

43.

Y leyes mando muy justas
Sobre la vida y honor
A los que todos sujetos
Estaban sin distincion.

The laws and orders just made for all,
Upon their life and honor laid
He said equality to all the subjects
No distinction made both high and low.

44.

Todos su puesto guardaban,
El esclavo y el señor,
Respetando los derechos
De prosapia y sucesion.

In what position to him endowed
The slave and master truly showed
Respect for rights of heritage
And of succession as bestowed.

THE DELUGE

45.

Hubo entonces un diluvio
Promovido por el Onos,
Que el aspecto de esta tierra
Por completo trastorno.

Then came a deluge on the land
Caused by the Onos force of old
So that the features of this earth
Were completely changed to behold.

46.

Reventaron los volcanes
Hantic, Colasi, Isarog,
Y al mismo tiempo sentiose
Un espantoso temblor.

Volcanoes Hantik, Isarog,
Culasi also burst so quick
And was felt simultaneously
The whole ground quake convulsively.

47.

Fue tanta sacudida,
Que el mar en seco dejo
El istmo de Pasacao
Del modo que se ve hoy.

So mighty was the jolting sway
To its bottom the sea gave way
Effecting isthmus in the fray
At Pasacao as seen today.

48.

Separo del continente
La isleta de Malbogon
Donde moran las sibilas
Llamadas Hilan, Lariong.

A torn part of the mainland formed
The islet known as Malbogong
Inhabited by witches strong
The so-called Hilang and Laryong.

49.

El caudaloso Inarihan
Su curso el Este torcio,
Pues, antes del cataclismo,
Desaguaba por Ponon.

The waters flow of Inarihan
Its course due East ran up all wrong,
So that before this cataclysm
Flowed to Ponong, where set the sun.

50.

En Bato se hundio un gran monte
Y en su sitio aparecio
El lago, hoy alimenta
Con su pesca a Ibalon.

In Bato a big mountain sank
That generated water tank
A lake came up which now supplies
Fish consumption by Ibalong folks.

51.

Del golfo de Calabagñan
Desaparecio Dagatnon,
De donde eran los Dumagat
Que habitaron en Cotmon.

From the gulf of Calabangan
Where all Dagatnong has-been wiped out
From which had come the Dumagat
Who had inhabited Cotmong.

THE YOUNG BANTONG

52.

Fue este reino poderoso *
En los tiempos de Bantong,
Compañero inseparable
Del aguerrido Handiong.

Soon this kingdom grew powerful
To golden era of Young Mantong
Who was a faithful Prince companion
Of battle-wary Old Handyong.

53.

Le mando alli con mil hombres
Para a matar a Rabot,
Medio hombre y media fiera,
Hechicero embaucador.

Handyong gave him a thousand men
To kill Rabot to rid this land
Who was half-human and half-beast,
Magician, liar, that plagued the land.

54.

Todos lo que alli abordaron
Antes de esta expedicion
En piedras convertieron
El encanto de Rabot.

All the brave men, traveled in quest
Who dared to near its lair at least
Had turned at once to solid stones
By the sheer magic of the beast.

55.

Bantong supo que este mago* (mago-magician; magi-wizard tantrik;
Era un grande dormilon, vivo-smart; wise-sabio)
Haciendolo asi de dia (Bantong known-supo; since-que;
Sin ninguna precaucion. This one**-este; magi-mago) **pronoun

Being magi, Mantong had rightly guessed
That this Rabot observed heavily slept
Without precaution lay along
And that it did this all day long.

THE DEATH OF RABOT

56.

Alla llevo sus soldados
En un dia de aluvion,
Y antes que el despertara
De un tajo lo dividio.

One floody day, watched by his men,
Mantong did go, his job to do,
Before the waking time was due
One stoke cut Rabot into two.

57.

Asi y todo daba gritos
Con tan estentorea voz
Que lo oyeron de los mangles
De bognad y camagon.

From the bold shout warriors of Mantong
Rose a loud dying cries so taut
That rang throughout the mangrove swamps,
The bunga, kamagong, no doubt.

58.

Le llevaron a Libmanan
Do fue a verle el gran Handiong
Y ante su vista asustado
Por largo tiempo quedo.

The corpse was brought to Ligmanan
Where it was seen by great Handyong
Truly shocked him very terribly
That remained in him for long.

59.

Pues jamas el hubo visto
Un viviente tan atroz
De figura tan horrible
Ni de mas tremenda voz.

For surely he had never seen
A more atrocious living thing
Horrible form which caused a sting
And voice much louder than its ring.

60.

Aqui suspendio Cadugñung
Su primera narracion
Dejando para otro dia
De continuarla occasion.

And here Cadungung did stay
The first part of his ancient lay
To leave a continuation way
The occasion of another day.
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Characters and Settings from the Ibálong Epic

 

PROTAGONISTS:

Many accomplishments and advances made by the ancient Bikols were credited to various characters mentioned in the epic.

Baltog – Baltog was the first white man or tawong-lipod to come to Bicol. Born in India (although India is called “Boltavara” in the epic) to the brave clan of Lipod, he introduced agriculture to Bicol by planting linsa or apay, which was a characteristic of early Indian colonizers. He slew the Tandayag Boar in a bone-wracking combat.

Bantong – Bantong was a brave and cunning young warrior who single-handedly killed the half-man and half-wild beast Rabot, although Handyong had given him 1,000 warriors to help him do it.

Dinahong – Dinahong, meaning “wrapped with leaves”, is the original Bikolano potter who was believed to have been an Agta (Negrito) or pygmy. He helped the people learn cooking, making pots called coron, stoves, earthen jars, and other kitchen utensils.

Ginantong – Ginantong made the plow, harrow, and other farming tools.

Hablom – Hablom, from the verb hablon meaning “to weave”, was the inventor of the first weaving loom and bobbins in the Bicol region, especially for weaving abaca clothes.

Handyong – The central figure in the epic is Handyong. He came to Bicol with his followers after Baltog, and came to be the most famous of the tawong-lipod. He cleared the land of predatory monsters, inspired inventions, reintroduced agriculture, built tree-houses where anitosor idols were kept called moog, and set up a code of laws, establishing a golden age in his day. He is also known to have built the first boat and developed rice cultivation in flooded areas.

Kimantong – Kimantong is attributed to have been the first Bikolano to fashion the rudder called timon, the sail called layag, the plow called arado, the harrow called surod, the ganta and other measures, the roller, the yoke, the bolo, and the hoe. A baranggay called Kimantong is found in Daraga, Albay.

Sural – Sural, or surat, meaning “to write” or “letter” was the first Bikolano to have thought of a syllabry. He caved it on a white rock-slab from Libong, which Gapon later polished.

Takay – Takay was a lovely maiden who, according to legend, drowned during the great flood in the epic. He is believed to have become the water hyacinth in what is now Lake Bato.

 

BEASTS:                           

Wild Carabaos – Wild carabaos were not yet domesticated for farm work back then. They freely roamed the mountains in the early days. Handyong was able to domesticate the big-bodied beasts “in a short while”.

Giant Crocodile – Also called buaya, Handyong defeated the giant crocodiles in combat. Handyong was assisted by Oryol in killing many of them, which lead tinged the Bicol River red with blood. The survivors were banished, along with Sarimao, to Mount Kulasi.

 

MONSTERS:

Long before Spaniards arrived in Bicol and introduced Christianity, the Bikolanos already believed in gods and supernatural beings. The epic-fragment contains many of the supernatural faith and religion that the ancient Bikols had. Among them are supernatural creatures.

Angongolood – The Angongolood lurked along shadowy riversides. They were hideous apes that transformed their victims into trees surprising them in a tight embrace.

Buring – The Buring was a one-eyed, three-throated creature which inhabited the swampy wastes of Ponong.

Rabot – Rabot was a ferocious half-human half-monster that could turn people into rock by magic. Rabot is ugly, a liar, and had a loud voice. Bantong slew the monster using his bolo.

Sarimao – The Sarimao were avenging monsters that were brutally fierce, ugly, and ruinous. They went after evildoers, usually to those with hidden guilt, who could not be brought to justice. Handyong exiled the Sarimao to Mount Kulasi. Their human equivalents are believed to be those who take the law into their own hands, who have suffered injustice.

Serpents – The serpents were probably relate to Oryol, a serpent with a beautiful voice and could change its image to deceive enemies. Handyong sealed all the serpents inside a huge cave in Mount Hantik.

Tandayag Boar – The word tandayag means “giant”, meaning that it could be any living being that had grown very old and enormous. In the epic, Tandayag was the boar slewn by Baltog.

Tiburon – The Tiburon were giant flying fishes which had slimy, scaly, and hardy flesh and saw-like teeth that could crush rocks. Handiong and his men did not stop until they vanquished every Tiburon.

Winged sharks – The winged sharks mentioned were not really winged sharks but rather manta rays that would sometimes pop out of the water like flying bats. These monsters were soon restrained by Handyong to keep waters safe for his followers.

Moog – Moogs are treehouses where the ancient Bikols’ lived and kept anitos and idols.

Dagatnong settlement – In the epic, the Dagatnong settlement was said to have been swept away by the Great Flood. The Dagatnong were the black pygmies who swelt on seacoasts, opposite of the Agta who lived in the highlands. The dagatnong originally came from Kotmong.

 

OTHER TERMS:

Aslong – Meaning “faintly visible”, was famous for its tales of sweet enchantment in the glorious days of long ago. Presently, almost nothing is left of it but a few ridges around a shallowing crater.

Asog – Meaning “with only one testicle”, it refers to the effeminate black priests of Aswang’s devil-cult that had its center in the wilds of this volcano during Bicol’s epic age. It may also refer to a priest dressed like a woman. Asog is now called Mount Iriga.

Hantik – A big species of ants, the hantiks, gave Hantik its name. The ants are believed to have inhabited this mountain’s Kalupnitan Caves, where Handyong drove and buried alive the wily, sweet-voiced serpents that masqueraded as lovely maidens.

Isarog – From the word isaro meaning “put together”, Isarog was the rugged volcano where the angonglood of the Bicol River forests fled to escape the wrath of Handyong.

Masaraga – Masaraga is believed to have been where the Sarimao had their cave. The name comes from the intensifier ma and saga, meaning “a brilliant flame” or “glaring”.
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Sources: 
Bikol Maharlika, J.C. Reyes, JMC Press Inc. 1992
~ wowlegazpi.com

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