The carabao (Filipino: kalabaw; Malay: kerbau) or Bubalus bubalis carabanesiswater buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) found in the Philippines, Guam, and various parts of Southeast Asia. is a domesticated subspecies of the Carabaos are highly associated with farmers, being the farm animal of choice for pulling the plow and cart used to haul farm produce to the market.The hardened skin of a carabao(left) and a cow (right), displayed in a corner of the Crisologo museum, in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines.

Although there is no law that decrees the carabao to be a national symbol in the Philippines it is generally considered by most Filipinos to be their national animal. Government agencies have come together to improve the marketability of the species. Water buffalo have been domesticated in the Philippines as far back as pre-Hispanic times and are often used by farmers in the Philippines to plow the fields and as a means of transportation.

The carabao is one of the most important animals in the country, especially in agriculture. The old “payatak” method of farming is still the method of choice in Northern Samar. The soil of the rice paddy is first softened with rainwater or diverted watershed, then the farmer guides a group of carabaos in trampling the planting area until it is soggy enough to receive the rice seedlings. This time consuming task produces lower yields and lower income when compared with the advancement in irrigated fields. Carabao skin was once used extensively in the Philippines to create a variety of products, including the armor of pre-colonial Filipino warriors. Cynthia "-"