Just when you thought that Baguio City is only about cool climate, pine trees, friendly local people and good food lies another face of the city which are unbeknownst to others-haunted places and ghost stories which will, most probably scare the **** out of those who don't know that these places and tales existed. And since Halloween is pretty much a few days away, we took the liberty of collating some spine-chilling personal stories and that of other local Baguio people to come up with this spooky blog. Sit back and we'll take you to some creepy tour around haunted Baguio. THE LAPERAL WHITE HOUSE LOCATION: LEONARD WOOD ROAD, BAGUIO CITY The famous haunted white house of Baguio City has been standing in silence in its same location for so many decades now. When we were kids, whenever we pass by this house, it never fails to give us the uneasy feeling that some unseen beings are watching us from the inside. The house is owned by a prominent family, the Laperal's who made it as their vacation home in Baguio. According to some stories, during the world war 2, the house was occupied by Japanese troops and converted it into a garrison where presumably women were raped and arrested spies were tortured and killed hence the reason for unearthly sightings. The house has been converted into a bamboo museum and was opened to public for quite some time but it never really became a hit and before we knew it, it was back to being in it's solitary old self. A SOLITARY PINE TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD LOCATION: ALONG LOAKAN ROAD NEAR THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF JOHN HAY It was unusual and some might call it stupid for the government not to cut down a lone pine tree that lies in the middle of the road along Loakan. But rather than dwelling on the stupidity, one might as well hear first the reason behind it. There was indeed a pine tree decades ago that stands in solitary in the middle of a road before the main entrance of John Hay. I heard some stories before that there were many attempts to cut down the tree but all were in vain because those who tried to bring it down either met accidents or fell ill. My personal story about the tree was during my college years. My cousin went to their annual girl's scout camping at John hay and her mom decided to pay her a visit together with my uncle who drove the car and their female house helper who is a diminutive girl and who I presume to be in here early 20's. For some unknown reason while their car passed by the said tree, the helper took notice of it and made some comments. Everything went well with their trip and visit but once they reached home the helper suddenly acted strange and spoke in a different which were not in her normal voice. Everybody panicked and I was called to helped pacify her along with my uncle and another cousin. Imagine she was standing barely at 4 feet and 5 inches tall but she can carry a fully loaded LPG tank. She was very strong and very furious. We called a local shaman or faith healer and he told us that she was possessed by some unseen creature from tree. The shaman performed an offering and prayers in front of the tree and all went well and back to normal with the helper. But, i was so scared to have witnessed a possession for the first time. The tree was finally brought down a decade ago and all that remains there now was just a space where the tree used to stand. THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE LADY ALONG LOAKAN ROAD LOCATION: LOAKAN ROAD, BAGUIO CITY The long stretch of Loakan Road from John Hay to the Texas Instruments Company hides some of the most eeriest stories in Baguio City and the most famous of them is the white lady. The tale about the white lady was at the peak of it's popularity during the 80's to the late 90's. Taxi drivers were the most usual victims of the white lady's apparition. According to a local legend here in Baguio, a young woman was raped and her body was dumped along Loakan Road hence, that started her sort of revenge to some poor taxi drivers plying the said road. Many taxi drivers can attest to the validity of this legend. Some shared that while traversing the long and winding road on a foggy night, a woman would just appear on the back of taxi out of nowhere and would also disappear as instant. Some, just to avoid being a victim of the white lady will just take the alternate route which is at Camp 7, Kennon Road. PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATION: LOAKAN ROAD, BAGUIO CITY Loakan Road never runs out of interesting things especially when it comes to paranormal stuff and another additional place would be the Philippine American Cemetery. Located on a flat portion of Loakan Road sorrounded by tall pine trees, it will surely give someone goosebumps especially on a rainy and foggy day. I can't really tell if someone lies in there or not but no matter what it can really stir up your spooky imagination. HYATT HOTEL BAGUIO LOCATION: OUTLOOK DRIVE, BAGUIO CITY Back in its glory days, The Hotel Hyatt Baguio was one of like the outstanding if not the best hotel in the city has to offer. VIP's and other big shots in the Philippine society never missed out on staying in this hotel whenever they have an important function or just for vacation in Baguio City. I was very lucky that I got the chance to visit Hyatt when I was an elementary school kid and it didn't failed to impress me with all its grandeur. It was also my first time to ride an elevator in that hotel. Unfortunately during the July 16, 1990 earthquake, Hyatt Hotel was one of the many structures in the city that was toppled together with many of its staffs and guests. Some of them died instantly while some was trapped for a few days and weeks but luckily has been pulled out and made it alive. Today, Hyatt Hotel Baguio is just a grassy and vacant land. The land is a mute witness to its former glory but a grim reminder of the destructive power of the 1990 earthquake. Some Baguio people shared some stories of hearing voices-pleading and sorrowful voices of the victims who were buried alive in the hotel. THE DIPLOMAT HOTEL LOCATION: MIRADOR HILL, BAGUIO CITY Much has already been said about Diplomat Hotel as a favorite ghost hunting spot here in Baguio City even when I was still a high school student. Maybe or maybe not that some people who went there experienced some uneasy feeling about the place or have seen some unseen entities but let's check first the history of Diplomat Hotel. There's a lot of story about what was Diplomat Hotel before and how it came to be what it is now. Some local Baguio folks shared that it was an old convent where many nuns and priests were tortured and beheaded by Japanese during the World War 2 hence the legend of a headless priest making its rounds in the hotel. Some also said that it was also used as an evacuation place of Baguio people during the bombing of the city. The hotel was not spared from the bombing and a lot of people died inside it. The property was bought by a psychic surgeon and converted it to a hotel cum clinic but unfortunately the owner died in 1982 and was abandoned. Whatever maybe the story, the Diplomat Hotel is still a top tourist destination in the city both for the weak and brave of hearts. There are more scary Baguio stories and haunted places to be told. There will always be one for the playful minds and imaginations. True or not true, let's not forget that these entities are also part of this world. In this coming All-Saints and All-Souls day let's us offer a silent prayer in remembrance of them.
2 Comments
7/31/2019 07:09:10 pm
Baguio city is the dream of every passionate traveler to explore the beauty of this wonderful city as it is well-known for it's cool weather, friendly nature and the amazing food along with this is very popular for it's ghost stories and haunted places which most of all are unaware about the places as you can explore the truth of the laperal white house.
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Baguio Family Time
8/1/2019 05:49:58 pm
Thank you so much for your great comment. Come and explore now the mysterious side of Baguio City.
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