divinities of the moon

The lunar deities were most  worshiped in the "indianized" colonies in the Philippines. mainly in the Visayas area and in Bicol. In the pre-colinial lands of Bicol two moon divinities were venerated. The first is Bulan the paragon of being docile and submissive, he was the boy moon and fairest in all the skies. the second is Haliya who is Bulan's protector some believe she is her twin, some stories say she is her daughter. she is also beautiful but unlike Bulan she is strong-willed, and is dominant. The two are the embodiment of the moon, both being depicted as extremely pale skin and glowing, the image of comeliness. Bulan is worshipped by the cross-dressing priest called Baylan while Haliya is venerated mostly by women for she is the ispiration for their empowerment.

Bulan and Haliya moon gods of Bicol Philippines

In the Visayas there is a tale that the god of death Sidapa took a childbride named Bulan. The lunar deity worshiped in Visayas was Libulan who was also androgynous and was also worshiped by practitioners of homosexual acts. Sidapa who resides in the tallest mountain saw the beauty of the moons (pre-colonized Philippines believed in seven moons) 
 He wanted them to come down from the heavens so he ordered the mermaids and birds to sing praises and love songs to the moon, he also asked the flowers to make nectar and sweet perfumes for the moon, and lastly he gave light to the fireflies so that they could guide the moon to where they could meet. The comely Bulan who was lithe and a pubescent boy descended. Sidapa and Bulan would occasionally meet each night. one night the Bakunawa a gigantic serpent emerged from the depts of the ocean to devour the moons.  The Bacunawa succeed in devouring most of the moons and when it was Bulan's turn to get devoured the god of death lunged into the heavens and claimed the boy moon before the Bacunawa could swallow him. Many natives believe that the god of death sill reside in Mt. Majaas in Visayas together with his childbride Bulan.

The legend of the Takay flower (Bicol)
Long in the lands of Bicol lived a fair maiden named Takay who was guarded by the god of storms Onos. Takay fell in love with Kanaway, But the god of storms and flood also loved Takay secretly so he was separating the two. He shot Kanaway with his lightning but Kanaway only turned to stone, he god angry and attacked mt. Asog with numerous lighting bolts  and sent floods and rain thus making it sink and turn into now Lake Buhi. Takay drowned and died. From the heavens 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.

Sidapa

Sidapa



Sidapa is the Visayan god of death that precludes war and also the patron of Mt. Majaas.
His veneration and worship was far and wide not only in Visayas but as far as Taal and also pre-colonial Bicol.
He is depicted as very handsome  having very white skin and muscular body, and on his head were golden horns some say it was crown (golden) resembling horns.

Sidapa waiting for Bulan

Stories say he was a lover of Macaptan but left him(the reason is to why some thought Sidapa was a woman), From the sky world he descended to the tallest mountain where he planted a tree in which all life span of mortals can be measured. Having powers over death he can extend a life of someone if he wishes to. stories say he is a very kind god that when a family member of a dying would pray to him or make "maganito (sacrifice)" in his name grant their prayers and extend the life of their loved one.
Sidapa is also known to prevent wars before they start.he dislikes war and the reason behind it is that he and the god of war Macanduc are not in good terms because they pursued the same person or rather the same moon: the god of death battled and outsmarted the god of war and defeated him, thus claiming the right to take comely boy moon Bulan as his child-bride.

The story of Sidapa and Bulan

The god of death was lonely and he like all the creatures were awed by the beauty of the seven moons. He asked the mermaids and the birds to serenade ("harana")praises and sweet words to the moons, he also asked the flowers to make sweet perfumes and nectar, Finally guided by the fireflies one of the moons descended to meet him, it was Bulan who was lithe and childlike and comely. He took the boy to be his bride and story goes they still sleep in each others arms in  of mt. Majaas.