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Legendary Beginnings of the Filipino Ancestors

• Bathala-   the Supreme Being and Creator, also addressed as Maykapal (Meicapal-Creator) or Bathalang Maykapal. Some authorities claim that his name was originated from Sanskrit word “bhatarra” which means “noble or great”. During the Spanish Colonization Bathala was identified by the friars to the Christian God while the anitos who served him were demonized and replaced by saints, he was the only ancient Tagalog deity that was never demonized. However according to Isabelo de los Reyes the correct name of the God of the ancient Tagalogs was not Bathala nor he was ever called Bathalang Maykapal, but simply Maykapal also Meygawa or May-ari the lord of the earth. In Noceda-Sanlucar Vocabulary Bathala is given as "the principal of all the anitos or gods" (Bathala- El principal de los anitos o dioses, de quien decian que crio todas las cosas. Noceda-Sanlucar, 1860).
• Lakampati (Lacapati/Lacanpate) - the major fertility deity of the ancient Tagalogs. Farmers with their children brought offerings for him at the fields and invoke him to protect them from famine. Some sources also said that foods and words are offered to him by his devotees asking for "water" for their fields and "fish" when they set sail in the sea for fishing. Lakampati was a hermaphrodite deity and was commented by some authors and friars as “the hermaphrodite devil who satisfies his carnal appetite with men and women”. He is identified to the ancient Zambal goddess Ikapati although he/she also has a characteristics similar to other Zambal deities such as Anitong Tawo, Dumangan, Damulag, Kalasokus, and Kalaskas.
• Pati - According to Ferdinand Blumentritt the Igorots call the rain Pati and look upon him as a merciful divinity to whom they directed their prayers. According to Dr. D. Sinibaldo Mas, the anito of the rain is called Pati by the Ifugaos.

• Lakambakod (Lachan Bacor) – a phallic god who was the protector of the growing crops and healer of diseases. His name literally means “great/noble fence”, from Lakan (a title of nobility) + bakod (fence) according to Diksyunaryo-Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles by J.V. Panganiban. Some sources claim him to be a protector of houses.

• Idiyanale (Idianale) – the god of animal husbandry and aquaculture (see fish farming), he was often mistaken as an agricultural deity.

• Amansinaya (Aman Sinaya) – the patron god of fishermen, he was appealed when the fishing net were cast.

• Amanikable (Ama ni Cable/Ama ni Coable) – the patron god of hunters, he was often mistaken as a sea deity.

• Diyan Masalanta (Dian Masalanta) – The goddess of love, fecundity and childbirth, patroness goddess of lovers and gentlemen. Her name literally means “be destroyed there”.

• Apolaki (Apolaqui) – the ancient Pangasinenses worshipped him as their supreme deity addressed as Ama-Gaoley or Anagaoley(Supreme Father) whom they invoke for various matters such as war, trade and travel. They offered oils, incenses, and other aromatic herbs to his idol/images, slaves and pigs was also sacrificed in his honor. He was Identified to Suku a deity of ancient Kapampangans which associated him to the sun. Based on historical records, there is no hard evidence that he was also worshiped by the ancient Tagalogs, he is often not listed (just like Mayari) to the pantheon of anitos that ancient Tagalogs worshiped. In some informal and modern folktale version based on Pampangan Mythology his sister was Mayari a Zambal deity and their father was Bathala which is a Tagalog deity, this probably caused the misconception.

• Mayari (Mallari) – She/He was worshipped by the Negritos of Zambales as their chief deity in which the “bayoc” (high priest) was the only one allowed to make offerings and sacrifices to him/her. Mayari seems to be the only one represented by an actual idol among the Zambal pantheon, a wooden head with a straw body and arms, constructed and clothed by the bayoc for the occasion. In Spanish records her/his name was spelled "Mallari" which was misread/mispronounced by some Filipinos as Mal-yah-ree instead of Mah-yah-ree, because in Spanish language "lla" should be pronounced as "yah" just like the word villa (correct pronunciation is "vee-yah" not veel-yah) or caballo (cah-bah-yoh). Based on historical records, there is no hard evidence that she/he was also worshiped by the ancient Tagalogs, so as Anitong Tawo and Dumangan. In Pampangan mythology he/she was a sibling of Suku, he/she was also associated to the moon based on that mythology, in some informal and modern folktale version based on the said myth his/her brother was Apolaki a Pangasinense deity and their father was Bathala which is a Tagalog deity, this probably caused the misconception. The ancient Tagalogs do venerate the moon, however there is no recoded evidence that they deified it as Mayari.

• Lakambini (Lacambui) – An obscure goddess often called by the Spaniards as “abogado de la garganta” (the throat advocate), although some sources clearly defined her as the giver of foods. Lakambini literally means “great/noble dame”, from Lakan (a title of nobility) + bini (dame) according to Diksyunaryo-Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles by J.V. Panganiban. Lakambini became a Filipino word equivalent to English “muse” or “princess”.

• Mangkukutod (Mancucutor) – the patron god of a particular class of ancient Tagalogs, but the traditions were very obscure.

• Anitong Tawo (Aniton Tavo) – the god of the wind and of rain of the ancient Zambal. The name literally means “man god or demigod”. He received the most important sacrifices among the deities invoked for good crops.

• Kabunian - The only god to some tribes (Ibaloi, Kalanguya, Kankana-ey) in the cordillera mountain range, specially in Benguet Province.
• Benguet Kankana-eys - believed he resides in Mt. Kabunian (in Benguet) while Ibaloi and Kalanguya believers say he resides in Mt. Pulag (straddling the boundaries of Benguet and Ifugao) together with the spirits of their ancestors and anitos.