Kulitan

 Kulitan is the indigenous script of the Kapampangan people, primarily from Pampanga and parts of Tarlac in Central Luzon. Like Baybayin, it is a pre-colonial Philippine writing system, but it has its own distinct structure and style.

Unlike Baybayin, Kulitan is written vertically from top to bottom and arranged from right to left. It is an alpha-syllabary, meaning characters represent consonant sounds that can be paired with vowels.

One unique feature of Kulitan is that vowels are written separately rather than being modified with kudlit marks like in Baybayin. Because of this, Kulitan is often described as more “complete” in representing spoken sounds.

Today, Kulitan is being revived by Kapampangan cultural advocates, artists, and educators who want to preserve and celebrate their regional identity.

💡 Fun Fact: The word “Kulitan” comes from the Kapampangan word kulit, meaning “to write” or “to engrave.”

🔤 Independent Vowels A
I
U

(In Kulitan, vowels stand on their own instead of being added as marks.)

🔡 Core Consonant Characters Ka
Ga
Nga
Ta
Da
Na
Pa
Ba
Ma
Ya
Ra
La
Wa
Sa
Ha

(Each consonant combines naturally with vowel sounds.)

 • Written vertically (top to bottom)
• Columns arranged from right to left
• Vowels are separate characters
• Traditionally written on bamboo, wood, or paper