Biringan is a mythical city said to lie invisibly between the municipalities of Gandara, Tarangnan, and Pagsanghan in the province of Samar, Philippines.
The ultramodern city[1] is said to be located in the province of Samar. It is also designated as a barangay of Pagsanghan, Samar and Gandara, Samar. According to the local folklore, the population of Biringan comprises supernatural beings: the Engkantos ("enchanted beings"), and their progeny with the humans.[2] The engkantos are described as shapechangers who can take human form. In their human form, they are described as lacking a philtrum.[3] The city is also alleged to contain treasures of gold.[4]
According to folklore, there are seven portals leading to the city that are scattered across Samar island, one of which is said to be located at an old tree inside the campus of the Northwest Samar State University in Calbayog.[5]
A small number of people claim to have seen the city. Some seafarers have claimed to have seen a "dazzling city of light" on moonless nights, for a few minutes.[2] According to folk stories, most of the people who claim to have seen the city have been the victims of demon possessions.[6]
There were reports of satellite images from a Japanese company that allegedly showed brightly lit tracts of land in the region, which led the Japanese to believe that there were rich deposits of gold and uranium in the suspected area. They began work immediately, setting up a large work site in the town of San Jorge, but mysterious accidents and mishaps plagued the project from the start, forcing the Japanese company to shut down operations and abandon the project completely to avoid bankruptcy and cut their losses.[7]
The 2009 Filipino horror film T2, directed by Samar native Chito Roño, is loosely based on the legend of Biringan.[5] An upcoming film about Biringan was also announced by Mentorque Productions in 2024.[8]