Maria Makiling

Maria Makiling, more properly Mariang Makiling, is a diwata in Philippine mythology, associated with Mount Makiling in Laguna, Philippines. She is the most widely known diwatà or lambana (fairy) in Philippine mythology and was venerated in pre-colonial Philippines as a goddess known as Dayang Masalanta or Dian Masalanta who was invoked to stop deluges, storms, and earthquakes.

Maria Makiling is a beautiful fairy or goddess who watches over the mountain. She is known for her beauty and is often shown with accompanied by tiny winged fairies called lambana. She protects the mountain and helps the people who rely on it for food and resources. Some stories also say that the nearby lake, Laguna de Bay, and its fish are part of her care. According to legend, she was sent by Bathalà, a powerful god, to help the people in their daily lives.

Mount Makiling resembles the profile of a woman, said to be Maria herself. This phenomenon is described as true from several different perspectives, so there is no single location associated with this claim. The mountain's various peaks are said to be Maria's face and two breasts, respectively, and her hair cascades downwards a gentle slope away from her body.

Maria Makiling is a prominent example of the mountain goddesses motif in Philippine mythology, other prominent examples being Maria Sinukuan of Pampanga's Mount Arayat and Maria Cacao on Cebu's Mount Lantoy.