Manananggal
The manananggal is a female creature with a long, slender tongue, bat-like wings, and a preference for feasting on the internal organs of sleeping victims. It is a self-segmenting vampire monster that has intestines that dangle. The manananggal is considered one type of aswang, which is a Filipino term for a demon, ghoul, or witch. These supernatural beings have been mentioned in Spanish texts dating back to 1582, but it is likely that indigenous Philippine folklore already included stories of this creature before the arrival of the Spanish. The manananggal is a particularly unique type of aswang because it detaches its upper body from its lower torso. It flies in the night with wings resembling those of a bat, while during the day, it appears as an ordinary, beautiful woman. The manananggal possesses the ability to conceal its monstrous form and maintain normal relationships, even getting married. However, at night, its arms transform into wings, its torso separates, and it takes flight in search of human victims. The manananggal uses its long, thread-like tongue to enter the bodies of its victims through openings such as windows, roofs, ears, nose, mouth, or abdomen, feeding on disgusting substances like phlegm, as well as organs like livers, lungs, intestines, hearts, and even fetuses. Pregnant women are believed to be prime targets. To prevent the manananggal from reverting to its human form, one can sprinkle ashes, vinegar, spices, garlic, or salt onto its lower body stump, thus preventing it from becoming whole again. Therefore, the manananggal takes great care to hide its lower body while hunting, as it must rejoin its torso before daybreak to survive. Banana groves are said to be effective hiding places, possibly because the trunks resemble human legs.
