There was also a metal tool called a sipol . The surfaces were engraved and then wiped with ash to make the characters stand out more. The letters were also drawn using colored plant saps. It seems that the ancient Filipinos did not keep records about history or science, so more durable materials such as stone, clay or metal were not used. Today almost no pre-Hispanic examples of the baybayin exist.
Today there are three forms of the baybayin still being used in the Philippines.
These are the scripts of the Buhid and Hanunu peoples of Mindoro and the Tagb nuw people of Palawan. There writing is similar to the ancient baybayin and like the ancient Filipinos they write to each other and compose beautiful poetry. Below are the characters used in baybayin or alibata .