Unveiling the Mystery of Biringan City

Biringan City is a mythical, invisible city said to be located in Samar, Philippines, between the municipalities of Gandara, Tarangnan, and Pagsanghan. According to local folklore, it’s a modern metropolis with advanced technology, high-rise buildings, and bullet trains, often compared to Wakanda or global cities like New York. It’s inhabited by engkantos—supernatural beings who can shapeshift into human form but lack a philtrum (the groove between the nose and upper lip). The name "Biringan" comes from the Waray word meaning "where one finds the lost," reflecting tales of people vanishing there.

Stories describe Biringan as appearing only at night, often seen by fishermen as a dazzling city of lights rising from the sea or floating above the clouds. Those who enter, lured by engkantos posing as humans or through portals (like two oak trees in Pagsanghan or an old tree at Northwest Samar State University), may never return unless they avoid eating or drinking there. Time inside Biringan reportedly distorts, with days equating to months or years in the real world. Locals link disappearances, mysterious illnesses, or possessions to the city, believing engkantos abduct humans they fancy or strike deals with businessmen who then vanish.

Notable tales include a girl named Carolina, who allegedly became a princess in Biringan after disappearing in Samar, and a Japanese company that abandoned a project in San Jorge due to accidents after satellite images showed a brightly lit area, hinting at gold or uranium deposits. Some attribute sightings to light pillars, a natural phenomenon where ice crystals reflect light, creating vertical halos mistaken for a city. The 2009 Filipino horror film *T2*, directed by Chito S. Roño, is loosely based on Biringan’s legend.

Despite skepticism, the myth persists in Samar’s culture, tied to pre-colonial animist beliefs. It’s a blend of wonder and dread, with locals avoiding certain areas at night and following rituals like turning shirts inside-out to avoid being misled by spirits. Whether a collective dream of progress or a supernatural realm, Biringan remains a captivating piece of Philippine folklore.