The Hanunuo-Mangyans in Panaytayan, Mansalay

Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines — Immersing oneself in a different province or region of the Philippines is an unparalleled way to uncover the roots of our heritage and gain deeper insight into the rich traditions, distinct practices, and vibrant beliefs of our indigenous tribes. While Puerto Galera often comes to mind when people mention Mindoro, our recent journey led us to a lesser-known, yet truly captivating destination in Oriental Mindoro. This town amazed me on countless levels: Mansalay.

During our Oriental Mindoro Fam Trip organized by the Department of Tourism MIMAROPA, we visited the town of Mansalay. The name ‘Mansalay’ comes from the Mangyan phrase “UN MAN MAY MALAY,” which translates to “I don’t know” or “Anong Malay ko” in Tagalog.

About the town of Mansalay

Mansalay is a 2nd-class municipality located in the southeastern part of Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. It has a predominantly indigenous population, the Mangyan, who have preserved their traditional customs and crafts. Mansalay is recognized as the “Ammonite Capital of the Philippines” due to the discovery of thousands of well-preserved ammonite fossils—prehistoric marine mollusks—found in the area during the 1940s. These fossils have attracted local and international paleontologists, making Mansalay an important site for geological and scientific studies.

One of the town’s main tourist destinations is Buktot Beach. In Hiligaynon, “buktot” means “hunchback,” which is reflected in the unique contours of the shoreline. The beach features cream-colored sands, a greenish-blue sea, extensive grasslands, jagged rock formations, and limited cottages for rent. The remote location means there are no nearby stores, so visitors are advised to bring their own food and drinks if planning a picnic.

Other notable attractions in Mansalay include the Palaypay Sanctuary, a protected area ideal for nature enthusiasts and bird watchers; Melzar’s Zipline, which provides adventurous activities and a scenic aerial view of the coastline; the 12 Stations of the Cross, a religious pilgrimage site; and Casabangan Beach, another pristine, less crowded seaside destination. These attractions highlight Mansalay’s blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and unique geological features.

The Mangyans of Mansalay: Their Lives and Beliefs

The town is inhabited by between 13,000 and 15,000 Hanunuo Mangyans, making it the largest concentration of this group among all Mangyan tribes in the province. The Hanunuo Mangyans are widely regarded as one of the most culturally advanced, refined, and well-known of the eight recognized Mangyan groups. They possess a rich heritage, distinct traditions, and a sophisticated system of writing and artwork, which are hallmarks of their cultivated way of life.

According to historians, the Mangyans lived in almost complete isolation from mainstream society and modern civilization until around 1950. In recent decades, however, they have gradually established connections and built relationships with neighboring communities, opening themselves to influences from other cultures while still striving to preserve their unique identity.

The majority of Mangyans cultivate their own food, primarily using a traditional method known as “slash-and-burn” agriculture, in which patches of forest are cleared and burned to create fertile plots for planting crops. In addition to farming and fishing, which both provide important livelihoods, the Mangyans are also renowned for their intricate weaving industry, called “ramit.”

Their unique and skillful textile creations are highly valued. Furthermore, the region is noted for its ancient burial grounds, reflecting the Mangyan people’s rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted traditions.

The Hanunuo and Buhid Mangyans are renowned for their exceptional skills in weaving a variety of traditional items, including sturdy bayong baskets, intricately patterned balulang containers, vibrant beadwork, and finely woven mats.

What makes their weaving process truly remarkable is the resourcefulness and creativity of Mangyan women, who skillfully utilize indigenous, improvised looms fashioned from banana trunks or bamboo stems. Each weaving design is thoughtfully chosen, reflecting the weaver’s ethnic heritage and symbolizing the community’s unique traditions and identity.

During our visit, we discovered that the Mangyans of Mansalay communicate in their own dialect, skillfully craft traditional musical instruments, and uphold an ancient system of writing. This system, along with their songs and folklore, is carefully passed down through generations, ensuring that their rich cultural heritage endures.

Regarding their spiritual beliefs, the Hanunoo Mangyan are animists—a worldview in which animals, plants, and other elements of nature are believed to possess spiritual essence. They hold a deep reverence for guardian spirits, known locally as kalag. To earn the favor and goodwill of these spiritual beings, the Hanunoo perform rituals that involve the offering of food and precious glass beads, reflecting their profound respect for the spiritual forces that guide and protect their community.

During the vibrant festivities of their courtship, young men and women share heartfelt love songs. Similar to the traditional harana, the young man serenades his beloved, accompanied by the gentle strumming of guitars, the haunting melody of nose flutes, and the soft strumming of harps. Standing beneath her window or at her family’s home, he pours his feelings into song, expressing devotion and admiration. In response, the young woman answers with a song of her own, her voice conveying her feelings and thoughts, creating a musical dialogue rich in emotion and meaning.

When the couple ultimately decides to marry, tradition dictates that the husband move in with his wife’s family. This act allows him to demonstrate gratitude and repay the symbolic debt he incurs by marrying their daughter, fostering close bonds between the families, and highlighting the importance of unity and respect within their community.

Hanunuo Script

According to statistics, about 13,000 people spoke Hanunuo in 2000. The Hanunuo script is one of the indigenous suyat scripts of the Philippines and is used by the Mangyan peoples, particularly by the Hanunuo Mangyan community in southern Mindoro, to write the Hanunó’o language.

This script, which is syllabic, has a long history and plays a vital role in preserving Mangyan oral literature, poetry (notably ambahan), and cultural identity. Despite modernization and external linguistic influences, the Hanunuo script continues to be taught and utilized within Mangyan communities for educational and cultural purposes.

Essentially, this is a pre-Hispanic writing system believed to have evolved from the Kawi script, which originated in Java, Bali, and Sumatra. The script’s characters are uniquely designed to represent the open syllables native to the Mangyan language—a linguistic structure closely related to Baybayin, the ancient script of the Tagalog people.

Today, the Mangyans’ syllabic writing system, known as Surat Mangyan, is actively taught in several community schools across Mansalay and Bulalacao, helping preserve and transmit their cultural heritage. Surat Mangyan is distinctively written in vertical columns that proceed from bottom to top and are arranged from left to right across the page. When read, these columns are interpreted horizontally from left to right, revealing a distinctive visual rhythm that sets it apart from most other Filipino scripts.

Hanunuo Clothing

According to our guide, in earlier times, the local Hanunuo had distinct ways of determining whether someone was truly Mangyan. One primary criterion was the wearing of traditional clothing known as rutay.

Male Hanunuo typically wore their hair long, gathering and tying it neatly at the back of the head with a panyo, a traditional cloth or handkerchief. Their attire consisted of a handwoven loincloth called a ba-ag and a shirt called a balukas, both often made from native fibers. In contrast, Hanunuo women donned a short skirt, known as ramit, skillfully hand-dyed in rich indigo hues, and paired it with a blouse called lambung, which might feature delicate embroidery or woven patterns.

Both men and women adorned themselves with handmade necklaces and bracelets, fashioned from beads, seeds, or natural materials, adding a personal and decorative touch to their traditional dress.

How to get there

Although there are no direct flights from Manila to Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, you can reach the town conveniently by land and sea.

First, board a bus bound for Batangas Port. Buses are available at terminals on Buendia Avenue in Makati and along EDSA in Cubao, Quezon City. The journey to Batangas Port takes around 1.5 hours, depending on traffic.

At Batangas Port, purchase a ticket for either a FastCraft or Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-ro) ferry heading to Calapan Port in Oriental Mindoro. The sea crossing typically takes between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Upon arriving at Calapan Port, proceed to the van terminal and board a van or shuttle going to Mansalay. This final leg of your journey takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Vans and shuttles are commonly available outside the port area.

Searching for the best hotels and affordable flights? Check out our complete list of affordable hotels and resorts via Agoda, or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.

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Also read:

• Bulalacao Budget Travel Guide
• MIMAROPA: Discovering The Wonders Of Occidental Mindoro
• Exploring The Beautiful Beaches Of Bulalacao In Oriental Mindoro