“Aswang”

Our region has a lot of superstitious beliefs about supernatural beings and paranormal events that bind our people tightly into immobility even amidst progress.

                    Some places have a reputation tagged with its name as inhabited by folks with cannibalistic instincts or in the local dialect ‘aswangs.’ They possess powers more than an ordinary person, so that they can hex their prospect victim if they choose. The other one will fall to them if he has no counter charm.
In the rural areas there are seruanos who advise them that the aswangs can be discouraged to hurt by a ginger/garlic inside the pocket. Aswangs often go out at midnight, and transform themselves into any fowl or animal to ensnare their prey. The best indication that there is one lurking about the area is the sound of the tik-tik. It’s a bird-like shrill sound that is most common in the farm. At night the aswang can be driven away by burning rubber outside the house. The bitter herb, manunggal, when placed under the bed, outside the window or outside the doors of the house will also be helpful. The best way to know an aswang is to look at the pupil of the eyes of the suspect - if your reflection there is turned upside down then you are positively face to face with one.
The aswang thing is a case of romantically fabled rural and urban belief in our region. These unfounded beliefs limit some folks from developing close interaction with their neighbors because of prejudices, and plain unfairness of public judgmental opinion. In fact, these superstitions can bar them from developing any meaningful relationships. The tales of these beings are always told with relish by the older people especially at night thus - young ones conjure fearsome images in their minds. Whether true or not… it’s up to you to decide.
If they do exist, why don’t we just request them to eliminate the ‘bad’ and the ‘evil’ elements in the government? That will make them useful and praiseworthy; moreover, it may purge society with evil doers. We can remind the ‘bad’ people to be good too:

PAG ‘BAD’ KA, LAGOT KA… SA ASWANG! 

Fair enough?