Mariang Cacao

The mountain goddess or diwata of Mount Lantoy on Cebu. She is named after her large cacao plantation on the mountain. She and her husband Mangao possess a huge golden ship, which they use to travel up and down the river to sell their crops. Whenever a bridge is broken it is said to have been caused by the passing of her golden ship.

Mariang Cacao owns many silverware, chinaware, and other utensils which she brought back from her travels. Townspeople would borrow these from her for weddings, baptisms, and other feasts; they would simply go to her cave and ask for them, and they would be delivered to their doorstep the next day without fail. However, she no longer helps them because some townspeople failed to return the items they borrowed, and neither does she appear to them anymore.

References

Source

  • Eugenio, Damiana L. (2008). Philippine folk literature: an anthology. Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, p. 239.