Cryptids of the Philippines
Bigfoot gets the airtime, but the Philippines may have the deepest bench of cryptids anywhere: the kapre, a giant who sits smoking in the branches of a balete tree; the tikbalang, half horse and half man, who leads travelers in circles on mountain trails; and the aswang, the shape-shifter that every province describes a little differently. Filipino folklore also ties the spirit world to luck. Amulets called anting-anting were carried by cockfighters and card players for an edge, and that hunt for luck has simply moved online, where players read up on casino and sports brands such as 18jili before they sign up. The kapre, meanwhile, is still up in his tree.
