Syokoy (Shokoy or even Siyokoy)
In some stories, Shokoy are the male counterparts of Sirena while in others they are a separate race. If the former is true, it’s no wonder the Sirena used to be more enamored with passing sailors than with their own mates.
Appearance:
The Syokoy are hideous creatures with fish-like faces, gills, scaly bodies, sharp teeth and clawed, webbed hands. Sometimes they also have long tentacles. Occasionally they have a pair of human legs with webbed feet, but often they have long fish tails. They vary in color from brown or green to gray, much like the fish they resemble.
Personality:
In tales where Sirena are benevolent, the Syokoy take on all their malevolence and more. They like to drown sailors, cause shipwrecks and are said to eat them or sacrifice them to their own dark sea-gods. They are much more bestial and aggressive than Sirena but still possess a human level intelligence.
Common Powers:
The Syokoy are naturally excellent swimmers and physically powerful. In some comics, such as Trese, they are able to take more humanoid (though still a bit scaly and unattractive) forms and come ashore, but they will always stay close to the water. They are also able to command the more alien aquatic creatures to aid them, such as eels, octopi, squid and rays.
Interesting Notes:
Considering the salt content of sea water, this may be one of the few supernatural creatures in Filipino mythos totally unaffected by salt. In Trese they are one of the Tribes of Aswang. In other stories they are more like extremely violent fey guardians of the seas.
Syokoy are still very popular in the tabloids of the Philippines, including washed up bodies that theoretically are Syokoy.
Tiyanak (Impakto)
Tiyanak are said to be formed in one of two ways. The first is a half-breed baby of a demon and a human (think Incubi and Succubi). The second (and probably more famous in the Philippines) is a demonically possessed fetus or baby that had died before being baptized, especially including aborted fetuses.
Appearance:
A Tiyanak is basically a demonic baby. They can look and cry like a normal baby, but in their natural form they are red and have a mouthful of sharp teeth. They also have glowing red eyes.
Personality:
Usually Tiyanak are out for revenge on their mothers for letting them die (or killing them if aborted). They are also known to stay in the woods imitating a real baby crying. When someone comes to investigate and save the lost toddler, they transform and attack, feasting on their victims gleefully.
Common Powers:
Tiyanak are relatively weak demons who have not come into their full power yet. They rely on the deception and emotional distress they cause to victimize their prey and to grow more powerful. In some stories, the more powerful Tiyanak have other magical powers appropriate to an imp.
Interesting Notes:
In some versions of the tale, this is more of an imp who can take the form of a baby. Perhaps this is what they grow into.
There is a classic Darna villainess, Impakta Babae (Tiyanak Woman), whose twin has become an Impakta and gives her magical powers.
Mangkukulam (Mambabarang)
This is a hexer and is a human who uses curses. Another term is Brujo/Bruja in Spanish.
Appearance:
Mangkukulam appear much as other humans. The only way to distinguish them is their red eyes, however if you look them in the eye, they are said to be able to curse you.
Personality:
This is basically a Filipino witch or sorcerer. These are not truly creatures as much as people who have become Aswang through magic and ghoulish acts.
Common Powers:
They have gained their abilities through use of dark magic and curses, often associated with beetles (especially the fungus beetle — this type of black magic is barang) using the bugs to send curses and to physically attack by having the beetles seek out the victim’s orafices. They are also practitioners of voodoo, using dolls to cast curses on their victims. As with most mystics, they can craft herbal concoctions and potions effectively and cast spells to do things like control the weather or other effects.
They can use magic to change their shape. In some stories they use magic to change their tongues into the proboscis-like Dila that they can use to drain victims like other Aswang. Though, these stories might be confusing another type of Aswang in disguise as human for a Mangkukulam.
Interesting Notes:
If you feel you have been victimized by a Mangkukulam (or a Nuno or other supernatural creature for that matter), you should visit the village Abularyo (witch-doctor) or Herbalario (herbalist) to counter-act their curses since normal medicine will seem ineffective. Babayan (village shaman, usually female) might have also been consulted during tribal times.
credits to: Adam Fuqua