There world’s a big place, home to a plethora of bizarre and terrifying haunted sites. From the locations of strange tragedies to cities designed specifically for ghosts, the places on this list will take you on a complete journey through haunted places in the Philippines. Some of these haunted spots in the Philippines will intrigue you, others will have you slowly backing away, screaming.

Scattered among the beautiful attractions of Philippines are these unexplainable experiences. But are you brave enough? Brace yourself for strange temperature shifts, unexplainable wails, and possibly a shadow of a burnt face ghost staring at you…

1. Balete Drive

The Balete Drive is one of the famous terrifying places here in the Philippines located in E.Rodriguez Ave. Quezon City. From the name itself Balete drive, Balete drive becomes terrifying because of the balete tree in one of the streets that can be passed by cars or either walking people. Balete tree is known to be the house of some elements like dwendes, kapre, diwata, and other creatures that are really terrifying. People avoid this place especially when midnight comes. Based on the story of the people who surpasses the said street, especially the taxi drivers, when midnight comes, they see a lady in white standing near the balete tree, and ask for a ride. When the driver already accept the woman, after a short ride, the lady will be gone and the driver doesn’t even know how she escapes while the vehicle is moving. Though there are so much terrifying stories about the Balete drive, some still does not believe until they experience what the others had experienced. Some said that the lady near the balete tree targets those taxi drivers because of their suspicions on what she had been experience when she is still alive on that place.

-squamous

2. Malinta Tunnel

The historic corregidor hosts some of the most haunted places in the Philippines. Thanks to its bloody history that stretches through the World War II, some of the places here managed to fill up the spots in the most scariest places in the world. The Malinta Tunnel is one of the eeriest places in the island. Like any other tunnels that can give you an uneasy feeling of being confined, this tunnel is one of the places in the island where lots of soldiers died. Shadows, unexplainable noises, and even sudden draft as well as temperature changes have been reported to manifest here.

-kawakiki

3. Manila City Hall

Gusto niyo ba ng katatakutanng hindi malayo puntahan? Tara, at tayo’y dumako sa Manila City Hall. Nasasabi rito na sa pagsapit ng ala-sais ng gabi, mas maganda na raw na umalis na kung mahihina ang loob niyo. Base sa mga nagtatrabaho rito, ganitong oras nagsisimula ang katatakutan dito.

Ayon din sa kwento ng aking tatay, nagtrabaho siya roon at ang kagandahan pa rito, sa night shift siya naassign. Pagsapit ng alas-nuebe ng gabi, nagsisimula na siyang magikot-ikot sa buong city hall upang makita kung may tao pang naroon. Tuwing nagiikot siya ay palagi siyang may kasama kaya hindi siya natatakot pero noong unang gabi niya roon ay hindi sila nakaiwas sa nakakatakot na pangyayari. Noong nagiikot silang dalawa ay may narinig silang mga mabibigat na yabag ng paa na para bang nagmamartya sa hagdanan. Agad nabitawan ng kanyang kasama ang hawak niyang flashlight at dali-daling tumakbo papunta sa kanilang guard house. Siyempre, dahil sa takot ay agad ding napatakbo ang aking tatay. Pero para sa trabaho ay tiniis niya ang takot at gabi-gabing pagpaparamdam sa kaniya hanggang sa matalaga na siya sa ibang lugar.

Creepy Fact!
Kapag tumingin kayo sa taas ng city hall ay makakakita kayo ng krus na hugis kabaong. Nakakabilib, hindi ba?

-eking

4. Bahay na Pula

Just less than two hours from Manila is the Bahay na Pula, located in San Ildefonso in the province of Bulacan. It is a house that cannot be missed due to its proximity to the highway. Bahay na Pula, or The Red House, got its name from the hue that it exudes, which is as red as blood and rust. The house transports you to a location that you only see in classic horror films. It is considered as one of the tourist destinations in Central Luzon for ghost hunters, and its distinct feature cannot go unnoticed. It is believed that this ancestral house was the place where women were held captive during the Japanese era and where they eventually died during their stay. Some guerillas are also tortured and burned here. This is the reason why some visitors believe that the red hue of the house might be the blood that flowed within the vicinity, tainting it forever. Wailing sounds, screams, and temperature shifts, as well as the ghastly feeling of someone.

-amplomb

5. Manila Film Center

For people who like paranormal events, history and tragedy, and movies, The Manila Film Center is the perfect choice for you.

First Lady Imelda Marcos ordered to build the Manila Film Center to compete with Cannes, a city form France. Project cost was $ 25 million and she wanted the film center to look just like the Greek Parthenon. 4000 laborers worked non-stop just to finish the project on time, by January 1982.

On the night of 17th November, at 3 AM, tragedy struck. The upper scaffold collapse and all he workers that were on it fell into the wet cement. When first lady Imelda Marcos heard about the tragedy, she ordered Betty Benitez, who was on the site, to just pour more cement on top of the workers. She banned the media and the medical support, for 9hrs, from going near the site of tragedy. Some people believed that some of the workers were buried alive.
After the Film Center opened for the film festival, many movie stars came from all over the world walking on the red carpet not knowing that 168 souls were buried under the cement. The Film Center closed because Imelda Marcos lost the funding for her film festival. As for Betty Benitez, she died months after the tragedy. Many people complained about moaning sound inside the building, a medium was sent there. When he entered he said that there were 169 souls: 168 workers and Betty Benitez.
In our days, the Manila Film Center is used to exhibit the Amazing Show, which is one of the largest transvestite-performance in all Asia. A couple of years ago, several taxi drivers have all reported the same bloodcurdling experience on different nights. They would see a bruised woman, with blood on her clothes, wave at the taxi and ask to be taken to a hospital. But when they’d arrive at the hospital, the back seat was empty. A writer named Ken Summers investigated the occurrence and found out that in 2001, a lady-boy was killed in the area and dumped the body at the Manila Film Center. If you decide to visit the Manila Film Center, make sure that you don’t go in there alone and avoid the basement – that’s where the eeriest and most horrible things have happened.

-orpheus

6. Pindangan Church Ruins

It is located at Carmelite Monastery, Barangay of Parian, City of San Fernando, La Union, Luzon, Philippines. Only few minutes from the main road, Pindangan Ruins are absolutely magnificent and it showcases the beauty and history of the region better than just about any other site, I’ve visited. The reason is because the ruins is the vestige of the oldest church in the area, the Pindangan Church which was built in May 6, 1786.  The resulting village was named Pindangan, came from the Ilocano word Pindang— traditional way of preserving fish that were caught by the villagers. The church of Pindangan was built to celebrate the union of two sitios—San Vicente de Balanac and San Guillermo de Dalangdang. It was said that they were always attacked by the pirates from Cordillera. In 1759, the two community were united spearheaded by Jose Torres, Agustin priest. The result was Pindangan wherein it was renamed as Ministerio de San Fernando for honoring King Fernando of España. In 1892, an earthquake struck the church of Pindangan. In 1974, the Carmelite nuns built the monastery in the area and was the responsible of the ruins. At present, you can see the walls of the old chuch on the remains, and also an old well made of ‘batong tangrib at tisa’. Most of the remains enwrapped by numerous plants.

This urban legend have been famous for decades. Maybe some of you knew this one. The town of San Juan, in the province of La Union, west of Luzon, is a fishing before the coming of Americans. It has a number of ghost legends, including a headless nun, smoking faceless man and a mysterious smiling white lady at the old tower. Most tales are said to have originated around this time and handed down to generations. It’s still a quiet town, but pompous cottages and mansions have popped along its shores. Here’s the ghost legends in the said province: It was said that the nun was killed and beheaded by the Japanese in the old Hispanic convent, and her convent burned down. Till now the convent is still standing. If someone passes the ruins of the covenant on a full moon at midnight, an eerie bell tolls, signalling the approach of the nun from behind. First, you will feel a cool, creepy breeze. Then wavy long hair brushing against the nape. Looking behind, the victim would discover the spooky tale for himself. Until the present day, the nun is still haunting the old ruins. No one knows why she’s still there, but perhaps she wants to avenge her death.

The white lady is said to appear at midnight in the ruins of an old watch tower that dates to pre-Hispanic times, and is particularly likely to be seen by handsome young men. It was peculiar, “a ghost who only appears on handsome brave youths”. I wanted to laugh at it. Well, for those bored individual young man there, if you wanted to know if you’re handsome, the only place you can go and find the answer out is in the Bell Tower in La Union. If she will appear, then you’re definitely handsome. However, if you’ll tell anybody about her appearance on you, no one will likely to believe. I wonder why she laughs?

Another myth is about the smoking faceless man. Before the war, (perhaps the WWII) youths were used to smoke cigars in an abandoned man-hole at midnight. Once, a stranger came, face overshadowed by a straw hat, asking for light. When they lent a lit cigar, the man looked up to light his, showing a spine-chilling blank where a face should have been. The faceless man allegedly still shows up, though rarely, because he prefers unbranded, native tobacco to imported ones. Who could be that faceless pal?

Pindangan Ruins this is the home of the headless stabbed priest whose sole ghost prowls at night, either carrying his severed head or searching for his head. Some report hearing his head calling out for his body to find it. Many say EVP’s happen here all the time and the wind is known to whisper strange malediction to those that disrespect the location. Pasatsat is word rooted on the Pangasinense word satsat, meaning “to stab”. Pasatsats are ghosts of people who died or were killed in the Second World War. Coffins during the time were so expensive, so the families of the dead wrapped the corpses in reed mats or icamen. The dead were buried in places other than cemeteries because tomb robberies were rampant during that era of extreme poverty. These ghosts usually show up in solitary paths and block passersby. To get rid of such a ghost, one needs to stab (hence pasatsat) the reed mat and unravel it, but doing so will show no presence of a corpse, although the mat will emit a noxious odor, much like that of putrid flesh. In 1898 during the latter days of the Philippine Revolution, the whole of San Juan was razed to the ground by a great fire. Many ghost from this period are said to roam the streets. The town of San Juan, La Union has a considerable amount of ghost encounters, sightings and many many paranormal monsters and legends, including a headless nun and a smiling white lady at the old tower.

Another strange ghost is that of Devil Cigar Man or as many call him just the Devilman. In the months just before the war, young men from the town would all go around an abandoned man-hole, there they would smoke cigars and speak of the goings on of the day then one night at midnight something strange occurred. Once, a stranger came appearing strangely with his his long well combed black slicked and straight and braided beard is his most striking feature for his face is always overshadowed by a large brimmed straw hat, he came to them asking for light. When they lent a lit cigar, the man looked up to light his, showing a spine-chilling blank where a face should have been. The faceless Devil man allegedly still shows up, because he prefers unbranded, native tobacco to imported ones. And if you don’t give him a light he will drag you straight to hell are strike you deaf and dumb on the spot. Another strange haunted tale is about finding the the Devilman’s large brimmed straw hat. If by chance you see a straw hat of or hat of any type of hat or head gear on the side of the road by no means touch it. Because if you dare to do so of God forbid to put it on your head. To do so will bring you straight to hell. The tale of the strange ghost nun that was beheaded by the Japanese, and her convent burned down is a very weird ghost story. If someone passes the ruins of the covenant on a full moon at midnight, an eerie ghost bell tolls this is the signaling of the approach of the nun’s ghost.

One of the many tales tells that the old historical ruins of a Spanish convent were burned by the Japanese and a pious chaste nun was beheaded as an example for all to see. 1582, San Juan was proclaimed a mission station under the authority of the Augustian Order, as recorded by the Nueva Segovia Bi-centennial souvenir booklet dated April 25, 1587. By 1586 the town had become the center of the parish, and was renamed San Juan by the Augustian Fathers after the Catholic Patron Saint of San Juan Bautista. The town boasted an Augustinian convent and a population of 6,000. Its first priest was Friar Agustin Niño. The center of the parish was subsequently transferred to Bauang, with San Juan sometimes being an out-station (visita) of Bauang and sometimes of Bacnotan. In 1707 the Church of St. John the Baptist was constructed at San Juan. In 1772, the mission station was placed under the authority of the Dominican Order. In 1807, San Juan was established as a parish in its own right.The old ruins of the covenant still stand. On some nights when an unfortunate person happens to pass by on a full moon at midnight, some spectral bell would toll from the netherworld. It supposedly signals the approach of the ghost nun who will slowly creep up on you from behind. They say she is looking for the man who killed her or his descendents to take her exacting revenge. Many say several daring people have died from fright others driven mad when being touched by her on the left shoulder. The white lady another ghosts not to be confused with the ghost nun or the Balete Drive specter, is said to appear at midnight in the ruins of an old watch tower that dates to pre-Hispanic times, and is particularly likely to be seen by many individuals. In recent times, she is often called the laughing white lady is said to have been showing herself periodically in the old historical ruins. The ghosts of this woman is said to appear often and her disguised appearance is said to be very frightening for she has no eyes. Only gaping sockets which glow with an erie spooky ghost light. Many report they hear her maniacal ghostly laughter and would rather run the see her eyeless ghosts. One of the hitchhiker stories tells of three boys who pick up a girl near a cemetery and take her to a party. this is very similar to the tales of Resurrection Mary in Chicago USA. On the way back, the girl complains of the cold and borrows a jacket. The girl disappears near the cemetery, and the boys find the jacket neatly folded on the headstone of her grave. Or that of a freshly dug up grave where the body has been pulled from the earth and partially eaten. Many believe her to be a real ghoul like creature. A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead.

In another story, a male hitchhiker asks to be taken to a given address. When they arrive, the hitchhiker has disappeared, but it turns out that he used to live at that address and this is the anniversary of her death. Stories tell that this young disfigured man appears as if he was just in some terrible accident with blood on his clothes.

-watermelon

7. Mt. Cristobal

In the Philippines, there’s a Mountain that’s said to be a mountain for the devil or being owned by the devil himself. The said mountain is named Mountain Cristobal. The mountain is located in n Dolores, Quezon along San Pablo and Nagcarlan, Laguna which was named after San Cristobal. San Cristobal is known as the patron of travelers in the Greek and Latin culture.

The mountain was tagged as creepy, dark and haunted. But before the Philippines got its independence, Mt. Cristobal was considered as a holy mountain. But when the Chinese came as well, they said that the mountain is a perfect example of yin ang yang. It’s beautiful but it also has its dark side. Until now, the mountain is still being visited by tourists and others. It is also used for the pilgrimage during the lenten season. But for some, They go to the mountain to challenge the “devil.”

The terror of the mountain spread through the internet, email and text messages. They said that the mountain fools and lures it’s victims by appearing to be a local resident or worst, they copy the appearance of your companion while hiking. Just like this story:

There was this couple who went on midnight hike in Mt. Cristobal. They took accidentally an unusual trail of the mountain which at that time, was not yet known. Even if the weather is threatening because of a storm and there was a zero- visibility, they still continued their hike. They got lost when they arrived in a point where there was a dividing trail. They took the left way of it. At that time, it was not yet known that the proper trail to take is the right one. The left trail is a deadly trail, thus they never made it to the campsite. Because they made on a midnight hike, the registration was closed. According to local folks, the two were not found till now. No one even went there to find them as well.

The story of this couple got a spin-off to other stories depicting the mountain’s devilish ways. There are stories that the couple was used by the devil to attract more victims and trap them into the mountain.

The mountain that was named by a Patron can truly give us a comforting and spiritual feeling but let us not forget that this mountain was also tagged as the devil’s mountain. Looks like it is truly a mountain of Yin and Yang then, right?

-abbybunny

8. Clark Airbase Hospital

9. Diplomat Hotel

Built on a hill with a panoramic view overlooking Baguio City, the Diplomat Hotel is considered one of the most haunted places in the Philippines. Its history dates back to 1911 when it was constructed as a retreat house by the Dominican Order in a 17-hectare land previously belonging to Americans. 

From its inauguration in 1915 and for 2 years it was used as a college “Collegio del Santissimo Rosario”, but due to lack of students it was converted back to a retreat house. During World War II, the building gave refuge to people fleeing from the Japanese who bombed it and its surroundings. 

After the war, the old convent underwent a reconstruction which finished in 1948 when it opened as a 33-bed hotel, while retaining some components from the past, like its large white stone cross. During the 1970’s the hotel was managed by Antonio “Tony” C. Agpaoa, an entrepreneur and faith healer who used the hotel to treat patients using psychic surgery, “operating” on his conscious patients with his bare hands, without leaving a trace of any incision. While some considered him a fraud, people from all over the world would visit Baguio City to be healed inside the Diplomat Hotel. 

The hotel finally shut down and left abandoned in 1982 when Agpaoa died at the age of 42. Even since the Diplomat Hotel was open, people would report hearing strange noises and seeing headless apparitions and those sightings would continue after the hotel shut down, giving it the reputation of one of the most haunted places in Baguio City. People would experience screams, rattling and clanging sounds alternating with total silence while the derelict condition of the hotel added to the eerie atmosphere. Some said those were the spirits of Agpaoa and his patients while others believe it were the restless spirits of those killed in the war such as beheaded priests and nuns.

Since 2005,the Diplomat Hotel belongs to Baguio City which began a restoration project for the building and the surrounding area. In 2013 it was declared a historical site and today it can be rented for weddings and other events. 

-zptmfj