Ibalong

The Ibálong, also known as Handiong, or Handyong folk epic of Bikol (region of Philippines). It is a narrated and orally passed down by male epic chanters called Kadunung

Long ago there was a land called Ibalong (literally means ''the other side''), From the sea came ships bearing people, their leader was said to be a descendant of the gods. Muscular and skin so pale, but some say he was tanned from the sun  (clad in gold ornaments, but many believe he came from the line of "tawong lipod (wind people) for he is fast and strong.)
The people that came from the sea, led by Baltog (He and his people came to Albay by the way of Makabalo river. and settled in Tundol.
These people say that the soil was rich and lush but also infested by beasts and strange creatures.)

These people prayed to their sun and moon gods
They decided to make the land their new colony
built their houses, cultivated and planted their crops.

The beast and creatures of the land were forced to move away from the lands they have once lived and roamed. The biggest of the beast was the Tandayang sa opon, a gigantic wild boar that was seemingly intelligent for the beast would attack the field during the night where none is guarding it.   Baltog a linsa patch in Tondol (now in Kamalig) which, one night the Tandayang sa Opon destroyed.

Baltog furious of what happened to the crops chased the Tandayag, killed it with his bare hands, and hung its enormous jawbones on a talisay tree(tropical lead wood tree *Terminalia catappa) in front of his house in Tondol

Upon learning of the victory of their Chief Baltog, the people prepared a feast and celebrated. The very big jawbones of the dead boar became an attraction for everyone. Thus, came the tribes of Panikwason and Asog(sect of male shamans and witch doctors) to marvel at it

And again from some land far from Ibalong men came. Lead by a man tall and muscular and armed with a "bolo". (a large single-edged knife)

Handyong. Together with his men upon arriving to the land they wanted to purge, to kill and slaughter all the non-human creatures, so they could live in this new land.

 First fought the one-eyed monster with three necks in the land of Ponong. For ten months, they fought without rest. And they never stopped fighting until all these monsters were killed.

The warriors vanquished the giant next
They went to the lair of the giant flying fishes called Tiburon 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

After killing all the flying fishes they seek to enslave the Tamaraw.
They forcefully tamed the fierce tamaraw.

The creatures of Ibalon was now endangered and wanted to fight back.
The large Sarimao and his kind went  to fight the warriors
 But the warriors blessed by the moon god, and strong were skilled and killed all the sarimao and drove away the giant Sarimaw (they drove it to mount Kulasi)

They used their spears and arrows to kill all the Buaya some which were mosnters that could both fight in land and water, Some Buaya were humanlike but with crocodile features some are crocodiles which were bigger than boats. the slaughter of these creatures was witnessed by the monkeys frightened and hid to the forest.

They purge the lands of all its mythic creatures they the rivers and swamps of Ibalon turn red with blood. Asuang the lord of all monster told his eldest daughter that the time of the monsters had ended and that the age of man has come. He wanted to intervene but Gugurang favored men more, Asuang also reminds Gugurang that after man vanquishes them monsters, man will then attempt to conquer even heaven

Oryol, a beautiful demigoddess decided to stop the foreign warriors. Hadiog and his men learned of a serpentine beast named Oryol, Handiog and his men set traps for Oryol but she is intelligent and does not fall into their traps.

Oryol is beautiful but half of her body is that of a huge serpent. With the help of the magindara (vicious mermaids) and other Naga (eel mermaids)  She used her voice and did so the mermaids to lure the warrior, she and the mermaids were able to slay most of Handiog's men. Handiog angered seek revenged and sealed the mermaids inside a huge cave (in Mount Hantik)

Handiog searched alone for Oryol. While looking for the monster Oryol, he heard singing and was captivated by it, only to find out it was Oryol. The two battled, they gained respect for one another for they were both strong and able combatant. The two fell in love.
Oryol thought Handiog the secrets of governing the lands.

art by Godfrey Escota

Oryol could have killed him but she fell in love with her and help Handiong clean the land of monsters. He with the help of the demi-goddess Oryol revealing the secrets of the gods and beast made Bicol flourished. with Oryol's help Handyong defeated the giant crocodiles in combat, Handyong and Oryol who killed many the Buwaya, which lead tinged the Bicol River red with blood. The survivors were banished, along with Sarimao, and were seal away inside Mount Kulasi.

Years have passed and Ibalong was rich and bountiful. Handiong built colonies in Isarog and a season of progress followed. Under Handiong‘s leadership, the people planted rice which they named after him. He built the first boat to ride the waves of Ibalon seas. Because of his good example, inventors came forth from his people. Ginantong made the plow, harrow, and other farming tools. Hablom invented the first loom for weaving abaca clothes. Dinahon, an Aeta, created the stove, cooking pot, earthen jar, and other kitchen utensils. The brilliant Sural thought of the alphabet and started to write on white rock.  Ibalon was rich and gold was abundant and even slaves were respected under the laws of Handiong.

Having freed the land from wild beasts, he devoted himself to a settled life. He exhorted his people to plant linsa and rice. He built the first boats ever to sail the Bikol river; its rudder and sail were contributions of Guimantong, one of his men, who also invented the plow, harrow and roll, including the ganta and other measures, the yoke, bolo and hoe.
Hablon invented a weaving loom and bobbins. The native of Dinahon worked on the jar, claypot, stove, earthen bowl and other household utensils. Sural carved a Bikol syllabary out of a stone from Libong, and polished to shine by Gapon.
Handiong and his men built towns. The houses of varying sizes hung from the branches of the banasi and the kamagong trees. The reason was that it was only up in the moog, as the houses were called, that one could escape the heat, swarming insects and wild animals.


Laws were set to ensure the protection of life and honor, and accord equality to all without distinction. With this, respect for rights of heritage and succession were guaranteed, and slave and master kept to his own place. 

All is well until the gods intervened. The god of storms Onos, muscular with tattoos decorating his face and body, kept close watch over a child named Takay, Takay grew up into a beautiful young maiden. Onos fell in love with the fair Takay. The god of the moon warns the god of the storms that gods cannot fall for mortals. Onos came down and confessed his love for the fair Takay, but Takay's heart already belonged another, a young man named Kamaway. Angered by this Onos flew in search of Kanaway. He struck Kanaway with lightning believing by killing him Takay would love him. He shot Kanaway with his lightning but Kanaway only turned to stone, he god angry and attacked mt. Asog with numerous lighting bolts (thus making it sink and turn into now Lake Buhi) The god of storms called fort winds and rain.  Three volcanoes—Hamtik, Kulasi and Isarog—erupted simultaneously, and caused a strip of land, now known as Pasacao, to rise from the sea.

Onos had brought deluge and flood waters. From the heavens the moon gods Bulan and Haliya saw the whole thing, pitied the star-crossed lovers. They descended down to bathe in the waters of Lake Buhi. The plans water plants were attending to the remains of Takay, the moon gods Bulan and Haliya transformed Takay into beautiful flowers and gave them to the water plants.

Spurned by the mortal she loves Onos had destroyed Ibalong.
A great beast appeared in the land of Ibalong. Half human half monster, it was Rabot
His voice loud and booming. He is strong and fierce and could make men turn to stone.
The hero Bantong (who was Handiog's friend) set out to kill this new threat to the lands of Ibalong. He took with him a thousand men. The monster was strong. So Bantog had to use his head, he observed the monster and found out that it liked to sleep. So he waited for his chance, when the monster slept he stabbed it. With a single stab, Bantong killed the beast and  brought peace back to the land of Ibalong''

When Bantong killed the fierce half-man and beast, Rabot. Curiously, Handyong was saddened by Rabot's death. it signals the passing of an era, when men proved to be more vicious than any monsters with free will and the skill of the hunt, when magic and ceremonial incantations infused life and explained his questions about life and nature and the supernatural. Some also speculate it was a foreboding of the coming subjugation of the Spaniards.

REMINDER

The orally transmitted mythology of the Philippines is intended for sharing and understanding, not for appropriation, commercial exploitation, or the promotion of foreigners and foreign products. It is a dynamic narrative tradition that evolves over time, distinct from the standardized mythologies found in Western and European cultures. Unlike these established mythologies, the Philippine government has not mandated standardized versions of stories and legends.

Orally transmitted stories undergo variations and evolve over time, resulting in numerous different versions. There are many different version told by Filipinos,and retold by Filipinos.