Folklores In Mindanao

Zamboanga Peninsula

Region IX

 

 LEGEND

Angels in Heaven

(Why it Rains)

Long time ago the people in the earth are wondering why it's raining. Morning until the night they are thinking, but none of them can say. But one day, their question reached God. God said, "Gabriel, go to the world and tell people who are raining because angels are bathing. Because of this, Gabriel went to the world of people and told the people that it was raining because the angels were bathe. And then Gabriel returned to heaven.

EPIC

The Guman of Dumalinao

Set in the mountainous regions of the Zamboanga Peninsula, which is drained by a straight river whose bottom is lined with porcelain and beads of gold, and whose banks are bordered by flowering plants. Datu Pomb'nwa, his wife Bayslaga, and their young daughter rule the kingdom. They live in an eight-room mansion with furniture made of gold. Datu Pomb'nwa and Bayslaga used to have other children, but their daughters drowned in the river, and their sons, venturing out in search of them, failed to return. The other members of the household are Sampilakan and Tinayobo.

One day, while Datu Pomb'nwa is making a shield, he hears disturbing sounds from the sea. War vessels are coming. Tinayobo sounds the magical gong, and as she beats them, the mast and the outriggers of the invading ships are shattered. After six days, the enemies, sent by three evil queens, land. They start to scale the mountain to reach the kingdom, but because the mountain keeps growing taller, it takes the invaders a month and a half to reach the summit.

When they reach the royal household, the invaders are met by Tinayobo. They strike her with a kampilan or blade, but the blow lands on the porch, damaging it. Tinayobo restores it in a flash. Datu Pomb'nwa and Sampilakan join the fight. After a month, however, two old warriors grow exhausted, and they fall to the ground. This prompts their daughter, Ba-e ri Dliyag'n, to fight. Initially, she successfully battles the enemies, but after a month, she bathed in blood. Thinking her dead, the enemies abandon her.

A young man, Sakandal, told that Dliyagn is under attack, appears to help. He restores the princess' spirit and beauty. As he goes to the mansion with her, the strength of Datu Pmb'nwa and Sampilakan is restored. The ba-e's parents take notice of the young man and hope that he will propose to their daughter someday. The daughter is then given a name, Pailalam ri Bolak, for she has come of age. She is also given a chewing box. As she chews, her beauty increases. She then learns about her brothers and sisters.

Meanwhile, Sakandal goes to battle in the kingdom of Tomanong. For days, Pailalam ri Bolak observes him fight from the mansion's porch. Sakandal meets the chief of the Tomanong. As they fight with their kampilan, the enemy causes the river to be overrun by fire, but Sakandal drowns it with flood. After two weeks of fighting, the chief of Tomanong retreats almost lifeless. Sakandal, too, is exhausted, but Pailalam ri Bolak fans him and restores his strength.

Pailalam ri Bolak receives a message from the maiden of Patola, who is asking whether she should go with a stranger who has come to Mount Patola. Sakandal takes his ring and gives it to Pailalam ri Bolak, telling her to knot it in the kerchief and send it to the maiden of Patola. The invaders arrive ahead of Sakandal's ring. The ring drops and becomes unknotted. Out of the ring comes a man named Salilayan. He helps defeat the invaders. The kerchief returns to the mansion, and Sakandal asks Pailalam what else he can do for her. She asks him to lend her his magic powers. She is given a kerchief with 18 rings knotted to it. She disappears from the spot.

The guman shifts to the kingdom of Pagkatolongon. The kingdom is in the same situation as Dliyag'n. With no fighting men, the women of the kingdom are inspired to fight. A man named Madlawe helps them, just as Sakandal has helped Pailalam ri Bolak. The second part, however, may be said to be more magical than the first. Paillalam ri Bolak reappears to take an important role. The guman ends with the return of the missing children. A traditional "buklog" or feast is held to celebrate the union of the two kingdom.

MYTH

Indarapatra and Sulayman 

A long, long time ago Mindanao was covered with water, and the sea
extended over all the lowlands so that nothing could be seen but
mountains. Then there were many people living in the country, and all
the highlands were dotted with villages and settlements. For many years
the people prospered, living in peace and contentment. Suddenly there
appeared in the land four horrible monsters which, in a short time,
had devoured every human being they could find.

Kurita, a terrible creature with many limbs, lived partly on land and
partly in the sea, but its favorite haunt was the mountain where the
rattan grew; and here it brought utter destruction on every living
thing. The second monster, Tarabusaw, an ugly creature in the form

of a man, lived on Mt. Matutun, and far and wide from that place he
devoured the people, laying waste the land. The third, an enormous
bird called Pah, [142] was so large that when on the wing it covered
the sun and brought darkness to the earth. Its egg was as large as a
house. Mt. Bita was its haunt, and there the only people who escaped
its voracity were those who hid in caves in the mountains. The fourth
monster was a dreadful bird also, having seven heads and the power
to see in all directions at the same time. Mt. Gurayn was its home
and like the others it wrought havoc in its region.

So great was the death and destruction caused by these terrible animals
that at length the news spread even to the most distant lands, and
all nations were grieved to hear of the sad fate of Mindanao.

Now far across the sea in the land of the golden sunset was a city
so great that to look at its many people would injure the eyes of
man. When tidings of these great disasters reached this distant city,
the heart of the king Indarapatrawas filled with compassion,
and he called his brother, Sulayman, begging him to save the
land of Mindanao from the monsters.

Sulayman listened to the story, and as he heard he was moved with pity.

"I will go," said he, zeal and enthusiasm adding to his strength,
"and the land shall be avenged."

King Indarapatra, proud of his brother's courage, gave him a ring and
a sword as he wished him success and safety. Then he placed a young
sapling by his window [145] and said to Sulayman:

"By this tree I shall know your fate from the time you depart from
here, for if you live, it will live; but if you die, it will die also."

So Sulayman departed for Mindanao, and he neither walked nor used a
boat, but he went through the air and landed on the mountain where
the rattan grew. There he stood on the summit and gazed about on all
sides. He looked on the land and the villages, but he could see no
living thing. And he was very sorrowful and cried out:

"Alas, how pitiful and dreadful is this devastation!"

No sooner had Sulayman uttered these words than the whole mountain
began to move, and then shook. Suddenly out of the ground came the
horrible creature, Kurita. It sprang at the man and sank its claws
into his flesh. But Sulayman, knowing at once that this was the
scourge of the land, drew his sword and cut the Kurita to pieces.

Encouraged by his first success, Sulayman went on to Mt. Matutun
where conditions were even worse. As he stood on the heights viewing
the great devastation there was a noise in the forest and a movement
in the trees. With a loud yell, forth leaped Tarabusaw. For a moment
they looked at each other, neither showing any fear. Then Tarabusaw
threatened to devour the man, and Sulayman declared that he would kill
the monster. At that the animal broke large branches off the trees
and began striking at Sulayman who, in turn, fought back. For a long
time the battle continued until at last the monster fell exhausted
to the ground and then Sulayman killed him with his sword.

The next place visited by Sulayman was Mt. Bita. Here havoc was present
everywhere, and though he passed by many homes, not a single soul
was left. As he walked along, growing sadder at each moment, a sudden
darkness which startled him fell over the land. As he looked toward
the sky he beheld a great bird descending upon him. Immediately he
struck at it, cutting off its wing with his sword, and the bird fell
dead at his feet; but the wing fell on Sulayman, and he was crushed.

Now at this very time King Indarapatra was sitting at his window,
and looking out he saw the little tree wither and dry up.

"Alas!" he cried, "my brother is dead"; and he wept bitterly.

Then although he was very sad, he was filled with a desire for revenge,
and putting on his sword and belt he started for Mindanao in search
of his brother.

He, too, traveled through the air with great speed until he came to
the mountain where the rattan grew. There he looked about, awed at
the great destruction, and when he saw the bones of Kurita he knew
that his brother had been there and gone. He went on till he came to
Matutun, and when he saw the bones of Tarabusaw he knew that this,
too, was the work of Sulayman.

Still searching for his brother, he arrived at Mt. Bita where the
dead bird lay on the ground, and as he lifted the severed wing he
beheld the bones of Sulayman with his sword by his side. His grief
now so overwhelmed Indarapatra that he wept for some time. Upon
looking up he beheld a small jar of water by his side. This he knew

had been sent from heaven, and he poured the water over the bones,

and Sulayman came to life again. They greeted each other and talked
long together. Sulayman declared that he had not been dead but asleep,
and their hearts were full of joy.

After some time Sulayman returned to his distant home, but Indarapatra
continued his journey to Mt. Gurayn where he killed the dreadful bird
with the seven heads. After these monsters had all been destroyed
and peace and safety had been restored to the land, Indarapatra began
searching everywhere to see if some of the people might not be hidden
in the earth still alive.

One day during his search he caught sight of a beautiful woman at a
distance. When he hastened toward her she disappeared through a hole
in the ground where she was standing. Disappointed and tired, he sat
down on a rock to rest, when, looking about, he saw near him a pot
of uncooked rice with a big fire on the ground in front of it. This
revived him and he proceeded to cook the rice. As he did so, however,
he heard someone laugh near by, and turning he beheld an old woman
watching him. As he greeted her, she drew near and talked with him
while he ate the rice.

Of all the people in the land, the old woman told him, only a very
few were still alive, and they hid in a cave in the ground from whence
they never ventured. As for herself and her old husband, she went on,
they had hidden in a hollow tree, and this they had never dared leave
until after Sulayman killed the voracious bird, Pah.

At Indarapatra's earnest request, the old woman led him to the cave

where he found the headman with his family and some of his people. They
all gathered about the stranger, asking many questions, for this
was the first they had heard about the death of the monsters. When
they found what Indarapatra had done for them, they were filled
with gratitude, and to show their appreciation the headman gave his
daughter to him in marriage, and she proved to be the beautiful girl
whom Indarapatra had seen at the mouth of the cave.

Then the people all came out of their hiding-place and returned to
their homes where they lived in peace and happiness. And the sea
withdrew from the land and gave the lowlands to the people.

Northern Mindanao

Region X

LEGEND  

The Battle at Tagoloan

It was a chilly night but Regino was sweating in his foxhole in the beach of Tagoloan, a town in northern Mindanao. It would be his first encounter against the formidable Japanese imperial army. He prayed the prayers that his grandfather taught him, as he pondered what would happen to his family if he dies or is captured. His unit was part of the Filipino-American forces, thinly stretched over a long coastline, tasked to defend northern Mindanao against the Japanese forces. 

Weeks earlier, the American intelligence warned of an impending Japanese invasion of northern Mindanao. Anticipating a naval-led attack, the American army commander in Mindanao ordered the erection of barriers, during low tides, along a long coastline as far as possible seaward. Materials and time limited, they could only come up with a makeshift structure- barbwires stringed to wooden poles planted into the seabed. The commander just wanted to put up a good fight. He knew that their defense preparations could not stop a determined attack by the better-armed Japanese. 

Past midnight, the tide was peak high when Regino observed silhouettes of scores of warships, the invasion fleet. Then artillery bombardment started coming from the ships. Mercifully, they were off the mark though some landed just behind his foxhole. He tightened his grip around his machine gun, slid his finger into the trigger and waited. They have limited ammunition and were ordered not to fire back until the lead boats reach the barriers. Regino saw the attack barges emerging in front of the ships. Artillery bombardment continued as the barges raced toward the beach. 

The Japanese invasion commander was probably surprised that there was no return fire from the American side; then was puzzled why the barges were stalled. The barriers held and the barges stopped moving forward. The defenders took advantage and rained fire on them, aiming at the unarmored sides. Regino fired his machine gun at will and was exhilarated at being able to fight an army known for its courage and many victories. The attackers must have suffered huge casualties as the barges turned back to the warships. The defenders’ seeming triumph was short-lived. 

A second wave of barges returned. Regino saw divers latch chained hooks to the barbwires. Then the barges tugged them away, dismantling the impediment across his sector. Other units in the long defense line did not face an attack. The invaders concentrated on particular stretches intending to punch holes across the defense line. Regino’s section was one of those they selected to break through.

The barges speeded towards the beach and the defenders were fast running out of ammunition. Regino, had to regulate his machine gun fire in short bursts to conserve his remaining bullets. Four hours after the attack begun, the defenders ran out of ammunition. As previously instructed, Regino removed the pin from his machine gun, abandoned his foxhole and proceeded to the rendezvous point. The attackers quickly established a beachhead. Some even shouted the Japanese war chant as they chased the retreating adversaries. At the rendezvous point, the American commander advised the surviving combatants that they can choose to join the surrender to the Japanese forces or revert to civilian status and later join the guerilla movement. Regino and most of the Filipino soldiers opted for the later. Regino changed to civilian clothes and visited the scene of battle the following day. He was promptly captured, made to help bury the dead, Japanese, American and Filipino, in a mass grave and was released by a dignified looking Japanese officer.

EPIC

The Ilianon Epic of Mindanao
(of the Manobos of North Cotabato)

In the country of Ayuman lived the heroes Banlak, Agyu, and Kuyasu. In the Ilianon tradition these men were brothers, being the sons of Pamulaw. Agyu had four sisters, but only Yanbungan and Ikawangan are mentioned in the epic. Banlak's wife named Mungan was badly afflicted with a consuming disease.

One of the activities that the Ilianon people engaged in was the gathering of beeswax which they traded with the Moro, securing from the latter articles and goods that they needed in their daily lives. Although these goods and articles are not mentioned in the epic, they have been identified as cloth, blankets, bolos (especially "tabas" which are used in weeding), betel nut and lime containers, salt, and coconut oil, these things being paid for with beeswax and honey. One day Agyu sent nine "kamu" or lumps of beeswax to a Moro datu, delivered by Kuyasu and Banlak. Angered by the small quantity of the payment, the Moro datu hurled the beeswax at Kuyasu, hurting the latter's foot, which had an ulcer. Kuyasu retaliated by spearing the Moro datu to death. He must have been left behind, for it was Banlak who hurried to Ayuman to inform Agyu and the others that Kuyasu had slain the Moro datu.

Agyu predicted that there was going to be a war. Inasmuch as the Moro datu had been killed, it was better for them to leave their homeland. They went to Ilian mountain where Agyu ordered the building of a fort on its top. Agyu asked his followers to gather big stones and to cut logs. Then they built houses and shelters and lived peacefully there. But soon the Moro warriors came up the Pulangi River and spotted the fort built by the Ilianon. When the Moro invaders tried to scale the mountain, Agyu ordered the cutting of the rattan that held the logs and loosening them on the attackers. The result was almost decimation of the enemy. Those who escaped the slaughter fled.


After this victory, Agyu decided to move to another country. He chose to go to Pinamatun mountain. They built houses and habitations there once more. He left for Sandawa mountain to hunt. Lono' tried to cut a path on the side of the mountain, while two women, Yambungan ang Ikwangan, were left behind swinging on a vine from bank to bank over the stream. Something was stinging their feet and they shouted for Lono' to come. Lono' found it was a bee and this enabled him to locate beehives in the hollows of palm trees. Then Agyu came back with a small wild pig. He asked Banlak to singe it, after which the animal was divided, and the meat and honey were distributed among the people.

Then Agyu remembered Banlak's wife in Ayuman; she had been left behind because of her afflicton. But Banlak refused to bring her share of the meat and honey, for he had abandoned her. It was Lono' who volunteered to bring Mungan her share. When he reached Ayuman, he found out that Mungan was already well. She gave Lono' betel nut and young rice to distribute to the people. Lono' returned to Pinamatun and told Agyu and the others the news that Mungan had already recovered and had become a beautiful lady. When Banlak heard that, he wanted to return to his wife but Agyu reproved him. Then the betel nut and "pinipi" young rice were distributed.

Because of Mungan's recovery, Agyu decided to return to Ayuman, and this was done with his people following him. But when they arrived at Ayuman, they found Mungan gone. Agyu then decided to continue their journey further on until they reached the mouth of Tigyandang, at the junction of Mudan'udan. They built houses and settled there.

In this country of Tigyandang, Agyu's people were attacked. Agyu's men fought on the seashore of the bay of Linayagon, but it was a losing battle. When only a few men were left, Agyu's youngest son, a mere boy, volunteered to fight the enemy single-handed. In four days he defeated them. The leader of the invaders invited Agyu's young son to go home with him but the boy refused. When the leader reached home, however, he found the boy already there. The datu told his wife to call their daughter and for her to dress up. The datu told her to give chew to Tanagyaw, Agyu's son, and to consider him her husband. Buy'anon invited him to sit on her lap, but Agyu's son refused, saying he was a mere boy. Then he departed.

Tanagyaw reached the country of Baklayon. There was consternation in the place. He learned that the village was going to be attacked by invaders. He was well received and was offered the young daughter of the datu in marriage. She came out and offered him chew and asked him to be her husband, saying he was going to be their savior. He fought the invaders and defeated them. The datu had a son named Bagsili' who challenged him, but was killed in a man-to-man combat. The defeated datu took his leave and departed.

Tanagyaw told the people to shout the cry of victory. He went up the house and squatted. Paniguan, the datu's daughter, proposed marriage to him for saving their country, but Tanagyaw said that he would help them even if they did not get married. Then he said that he was going home. He departed, but the girl accompanied him home. Agyu was surprised to see his son accompanied by a young lady. He asked the maiden who she was; she identified herself but insisted on marrying Tanagyaw. So the two were married.

After some time, Agyu's country is again endangered by invaders coming from across the sea. The men fought well but were overwhelmed. A counselor foretold doom. But Tanagyaw reproved him. He put on his attire that was ten times thick and of nine layers, and picked up his shield and spear which could not be broken. Then he fought the invaders on the seashore. The dead piles up, mountains and hills of them. The leader of the invaders invited Tanagyaw to his country. But Tanagyaw said that the leader had been shamed. Upon hearing this, the leader's son fought him, using a bar of gold. Tanagyaw in turn used his golden cane called Tanigid and with it reduced the challenger to a pounded mass. The leader returned defeated to his homeland.

When peace had been restored, Agyu assigned the country of Sunglawon to his victorious son who settled there with his charming wife.

MYTH

                                                  Evil Aswang

The myth of the inherently evil aswang, a ghoul characterized as a kind of vampire that hunts for young children, unborn fetuses or dying persons, is well known throughout the country,

September 2004, a 16-year-old boy in Tantangan, South Cotabato witnessed that his 14 year old brother was attacked by an aswang, which was disguised as a big black dog with red eyes. The two boys were sleeping in a small shack, guarding their farm ducks; all of a sudden they heard a squeaking sound outside the makeshift hut. The teenager said that a big black canine, about three feet-high, was about to bite the neck of his younger brother when the creature set its glowering eyes on him. The youngster grabbed his father's rifle and shot the beast, which fled in the darkest part of the rice field. The younger brother was accidentally hit in his right leg and brought to the local hospital. The description given by the bloke fits the physical appearance of a human flesh eating aswang, a supernatural being who has the ability to transform itself into different forms while devouring a prey.

Lambana or Diwata

Just short after reciting a prayer during a flag-raising ceremony in February 2009, about sixty students of a the Lun Padido National High School in Malapatan town in Sarangani province were believed to be bedeviled by an evil spirit, ordiwata, that guarded the trees in the compound. A diwata or lambana can bring fortune to those who look after its domain and will harm those who destroy it. After praying, the mostly female, students collapsed instantly. The principal of the school announced that the students went berserk; exclaiming hardly understandable words and about a dozen pupils were acting unnatural. Priests, teachers, pastors and parents prayed together for the recovery of the scholars. It is speculated that the students became haunted by vicious phantoms that were seemingly angered after cutting of bamboo and tamarind trees inside the school compound

Davao Region

Region IX 

LEGEND

The legend of fruit Durian 

In a place somewhere in Mindanao there once an old woman lived name old During. She was living at the foot of the mountain where her house was situated at the middle of huge growing trees. Old During was referred to some people as a witch and is use by parents to threatened their kids, so that they will not go anywhere. Old During was living alone. After the death of her husband and their kids, she decided not to leave from mountain and stayed there for the rest of her life. She’s a silent type woman and due to her age, she just spent her time taking care of her flowers and plants in her garden. Old During is a peevish woman and that’s the reason why people goes away from her. Before when the love of her life just died, many wanted to offer help but she refused them all. Because of that, the attention of the people were slowly moving away until she just became a figure to threaten kids. Years had past and the nasty kids are already grown up but still Old During remains the same. Alone in her house at the foot of the mountain and always refused to talk to any body. One night, an unusual smell were taken by the wind to the community. They never know what was that smell and where did it came from. The smell stayed for days and is getting strong every now and then. Because the people could no longer sustain the smell, they decided to find out where the smell is coming from. Upon noticing that the smell came from the direction where the house of Old During located, they decided to go straight to her house. They look for the old woman but they never found her. Instead, their attention were focus on the tree that they have not seen before. A tree which fruit has a very hard shell and sharp thorns. Since the fruit is already ripe, it started to open. One man climb the true and get the fruit and they covered their nose while opening it due to its stinky smell. They tasted the fruit and all of them have the same opinion, they were delighted with it, it was so delicious. They harvested the fruit and bring it their home. Upon going home, they meet an old man that came from another village and asked what kind of fruit are they bringing and they all have the same answer, “it’s the fruit of Old During’s plant” (“bunga ng tanim ni Tandang During yan” in Filipino language). They also gave fruit to the old man and said that this is from During (During yan). So when the old man got home to their village, the villagers also asked him what kind of fruit is that, why its smell is so stinky? The old man answered, its During yan. Eventually, the name were transform as Durian as the time comes.

EPIC

The Mansaka and Their Golden Guitar

  Long time ago, the Mansaka, an indigenous tribe in the provinces of Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley, once possessed a golden guitar, which they played when they sang their songs of longing, aspirations and victory.
But as time went by, they realized that nobody appreciated their songs anymore, so they hurled the guitar into the deepest part of the sea. Now they can only sit and look at the sea, towards the place where they hurled their guitar.
The story of the Mansaka’s golden guitar is only one of the epics of the Lumads (a collective term for the indigenous peoples of Mindanao) that speak of golden objects.
According to Dr. Carmen Unabia, former dean of Central Luzon State University in Munoz in Nueva Ecija, golden objects pepper the folklore of the Lumad.
Unabia, who recently guested an afternoon of storytelling at the Museo Dabawenyo, said she came upon these stories from the Lumad elders she had spoken with for her graduate and doctorate degrees. She believes that the presence of gold in Lumad literature depicts a history of abundance of the precious mineral. “It revealed that, sometime in their lives, they were rich in gold,” she said.
A Nanangon folktale, which forms part of the oral literature of Bukidnon, also mentioned gold. This was particularly true in the story of a monkey who wanted to marry the king’s daughter. The king, of course, did not want the monkey to marry his daughter but instead of refusing him outright, the king put up tests and obstacles in the hope that the monkey would give up.
But the monkey was able to complete the tasks. Finally, the king gave the final test. He wanted to wake up the next morning to find his surroundings turned into gold. Thinking that he had finally driven the monkey away, the king woke up the next morning to see that all the trees, all the mountains have turned into gold. The king had no choice but to marry off his daughter.
On the day of the wedding, the king — and the princess — were surprised to find out that the monkey was actually the brave and handsome warrior Bataay in disguise.
But back then, gold was not the medium of exchange, Unabia said. “It could not buy even a single tomato,” she said. The Lumads learned to value gold because it made objects glitter and look more special. Since gold was abundant, they used the attractive metal to decorate everyday objects — furniture, machete handles, stairs, and even handkerchiefs.
Unabia said the Subanons from the Zamboanga Peninsula speak of a princess who desperately wanted to send a message to her husband fighting in a battle across the ocean. With no mobile phone at that time, she spoke to her golden handkerchief and let it fly across the waters. The handkerchief brought her message to her husband.
Other Lumad stories depicted everyday objects made of solid gold or gold trimmed. They all showed the role that the precious metal played in the lives of the Lumad. “Anything that is glorified is always likened to gold,” Unabia said.
When the Chinese arrived, the Lumads traded what they had for large porcelain jars. “These were very useful to them during rituals,” explained Unabia. “Wine had to made months before in order to have time to ferment and the Lumads needed a large container for this. But these jars seemed very plain so they painted them with gold.”
Unabia also recounted that the handle of the dagger of Alisngangan, the bravest man in the Subanun legends, was made of gold. The legendary warrior’s body did not have curves but edges — from the daggers that he had swallowed.
Among the Lumad stories was the golden spaceship — yes, spaceship — piloted by Datu Malagunot used to transport the virtuous souls up into heaven.
Unabia said she expects people to be skeptical about these stories. “Literature is only a representation, a symbolic representation of what is happening in the people’s lives,” she explained.
She said it was up to the people if they wanted to fathom the relevance, the truth behind the stories. “If it is precious, look for what makes it precious.”
Unabia’s storytelling session was sponsored by the provincial government of Compostela Valley. She told province, which is making a lot of money out of gold, 

MYTH 

 B'laan

In the very beginning there lived a being so large that he cannot be compared with any known thing. His name was Melu, and when he sat on the clouds, which were his home, he occupied all the space above. His teeth were pure gold, and because he was very cleanly and continually rubbed himself with his hands, his skin became pure white. The dead skin which he rubbed off his body was placed on one side in a pile, and by and by this pile became so large that he was annoyed and set himself to consider what he could do with it. Finally Melu decided to make the earth; so he worked very hard in putting the dead skin into shape, and when it was finished he was so pleased with it that he determined to make two beings like himself, though smaller, to live on it.
Taking the remnants of the material left after making the earth he fashioned two men, but just as they were all finished except their noses, Tau Tana from below the earth appeared and wanted to help him.
Melu did not wish any assistance, and a great argument ensued. Tau Tana finally won his point and made the noses which he placed on the people upside down. When all was finished, Melu and Tau Tana whipped the forms until they moved. Then Melu went to his home above the clouds, and Tau Tana returned to his place below the earth.
All went well until one day a great rain came, and the people on the earth nearly drowned from the water which ran off their heads into their noses. Melu, from his place on the clouds, saw their danger, and he came quickly to earth and saved their lives by turning their noses the other side up.
The people were very grateful to him, and promised to do anything he should ask of them. Before he left for the sky, they told him that they were very unhappy living on the great earth all alone, so he told them to save all the hair from their heads and the dry skin from their bodies and the next time he came he would make them some companions. And in this way there came to be a great many people on the earth.

Adaptation of Angels in Heaven (Why it Rains) in modern settings

Nowadays, people are bounded of technologies and many lose their superstitious belief. Through technology and science, people know what to do in case of problem. Unfornately, Zamboanga City had a heavy rainfall that caused destruction to mankind, many people lose their houses, properties, everything, and all they have is their selves. But one day, one child ask God, "Why does it rain?". The question of the kid reached God. And God said, "Gabriel, go to the world and tell people who are raing because angels are bathing." Because of that, Gabriel went to the world of people to tell people that it is raining because the angels are bathe. And then Gabriel returned to heaven.

Citations 

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Philippines' Literature.
Retrieved from:
https://www.kapitbisig.com/philippines/english-version-of-epics-mga-epiko-the-guman-of-dumalinao-of-the-suban-on-tribe-of-northwestern-mindanao_1191.html

AshlimanD.L.(2003).Creation Myths from the Philippines. Retrieved from:
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/creation-phil.html#story

Kuizon,CJ.(2009).The Mansaka and their Golden Guitar.Compostela Valley, davao del norte,Lumad,Mansaka.

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https://www.bulatlat.com/2009/10/21/the-mansaka-and-their-golden-guitar/

2004 by National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Inscribed in 2008 (3.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2005).

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https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/darangen-epic-of-the-maranao-people-of-lake-lanao-00159

Vera(2011)The tale of kumanduan-A Southern Agusan Manobo Epic.

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https://manoboprincess.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/the-tale-of-kamanduan-a-southern-agusan-manobo-epic/