When people want a bit of hair-raising experience, they usually watch horror films or go to horror houses. Those who are much more daring, on the other hand, venture in real-life terrifying haunts where stories of white-veiled lady or unexplainable wails and silhouettes are being spread by those who have seen or heard them.
The world is filled with mysterious, scary places indeed. And here at home, we have our fair share of haunted spots that are said to send chills down the spine of their visitors.
So are you tired of your old horror movie marathon every Halloween? Here are some of the many famous haunted places in the Philippines where you can spend the day or, if you’re really that brave, the night in.
Balete Drive
This two-lane street in Quezon City has spun one too many horror stories in both television and big screen. But the eerie feeling one gets passing by this tree-lined lane is said to be non-scripted.
Balete Drive has been avoided since 1950s when tales of a white lady haunting the area surfaced. The white-veiled ghost appears on the street, scaring passing motorist which often results in road mishaps.
It was told that the lady is a ghost of a girl who died in a car accident in the area, while some said the white figure is a girl who was raped and killed by a taxi driver and that her body was dumped beside a balete tree.
Diplomat Hotel
Baguio City is home, not only to pine trees and secondhand merchandise, but also to many haunted destinations. The most popular and scariest of which is the abandoned Diplomat Hotel on top of Dominican Hill.
According to its history, the hotel used to be a Japanese headquarters during World War II, where secret police tortured, raped and decapitated priests, nuns and refugees. In 1973, it then became a hotel of entrepreneur and faith healer Antonio Agapito Agpaoa, who performed psychic surgery using his bare hands to “operate” on conscious patients.
At the time when Diplomat was still operational, employees and guests claimed they were hearing strange sounds and seeing headless apparitions at night. These ghosts are said to be the nuns and priests beheaded during WWII.
Balay Negrense
Also known as Victor Gaston Ancestral Home, Balay Negrense is a museum in Silay City, Negros Occidental that houses artifacts showcasing the kind of lifestyle of a late-19th century sugar baron in the province.
The house, now a heritage site, was built in 1897 and served as the sugar baron and his 12 children’s house from 1901 until his death in 1927.
Some visitors to Balay Negrense report paranormal experience while inside the structure. Some say they see people from the past partying in the house’s ballroom. In fact, when I was there in July this year, three of my companions had to leave the tour early and wait outside for they suddenly felt ill.
Malacañang Palace
The seat of power in the Philippines is also said to be one of the country’s haunted places.
While not open for ghost haunting, scary story enthusiasts will be interested to know that it is said that some of the palace’s personnel report sightings of mysterious faceless residents and a kapre. The ghost of late president Manuel L. Quezon is also believed to be roaming around the halls of the palace.