Ghost hunting is one of the popular pasttimes for many during the Halloween season. People often head to supposed haunted places just to see if there are indeed ghosts there. And as it turns out, there are a lot of these in Metro Manila, each with its ghastly tales. Here are some of the spookiest places in the city that you might want to dare visit.
Haunted place no. 1: Manila Film Center
The Manila Film Center is a building located in the southwest end of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex. During conceptualization in the early 1980s, former First Lady Imelda Marcos wanted it to be the Philippines’ national film archive. The center was even going to host the first Manila International Film Festival in 1982. However, a tragic accident soon overshadowed that grand vision.
On November 17, 1981, the scaffolding that supported the film center’s ceiling collapsed, trapping at least 169 workers. Many of the workers got buried under fresh cement. Because of these, rescu9ers had a hard time reaching them. They also got into the site nine hours after the accident due to authorities restricting them. The government also ordered a news blackout, further hampering rescue efforts.
To meet the deadline for the Film Center’s ope3ning, Imelda reportedly ordered the construction crew to pour new cement over the dead bodies. According to some accounts, there were also people still alive among those entombed. The MIFF went underway at the center two months later without any mention of the tragic accident.
After the downfall of the Marcos dictatorship, the Manila Film Center remained in use. At this time, stories about the Film Center hauntings started to emerge. During its time as a Department of Foreign Affairs office, for instance, employees claimed that they heard strange sounds when no one is around. Many also claimed to have seen apparitions believed to be the ghosts of the entombed workers.
Haunted places no. 2: UP Manila and Diliman campuses
Being one of the oldest schools in the country, The University of the Philippines has its fair share of history. During World War 2, the Manila campus was severely damaged by aerial bombings. Meanwhile, the UP Diliman campus was at the forefront of the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship during the Martial Law years.
It is no wonder that the university also has its own collection of ghost stories. The Diliman and Manila campuses, in particular, are often touted as some of the spookiest places in the metropolis.
Ghost supposedly make their presence felt in UP Manila’s College of Arts and Sciences Students and faculty reportedly felt a strange presence in some of the toilets and the chemistry laboratory. Meanwhile, the ghost of a janitor who committed suicide supposedly haunts the nearby Gusaling Andres Bonifacio.
The UP Diliman campus has its own set of chilling tales. Here, many consider the College of Education building, or Benitez Hall, as one of the most haunted. In one story, a painter purportedly mixed the ash of a dead dean to the paints used to make his portrait. The dead dean would then supposedly get down from the painting at night and roam the halls of the building.
Another popular story is that of two instructors who were caught in the middle of heavy rains. They decided to take shelter at the Benitez Hall. The guard let them into a room and left. Suddenly, the instructors heard a loud knocking sound at the door. Thinking that it was the guard, they peeped through the keyhole. But all they saw was a bright red color. The guard later told them the story of the ghost with red eyes that supposedly haunt the building.
Haunted places no. 3: Capitol Medical Center, Quezon City
Hospitals are always popular candidates as some of the most haunted places. The Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City is certainly no different. This average-sized hospital turns out to have some creepy tales waiting for staff and visitors alike.
In one of the more popular stories, veteran hospital staff supposedly never used a certain elevator in the building. Doctors say that a hospital attendant died in the said place after they accidentally walked into an empty elevator shaft and fell.
One visitor who was not aware of the story rode the elevator with their father and sister. Alongside them was a man dressed in slacks and a long-sleeved shirt. The attendant and their companions were supposed to get off the second floor. But the elevator mysteriously continued to the basement.
When the elevator reached the basement, the man in slacks got off. Thinking that the man knew another way back up, the family followed him. When the man turned to a corner, they followed. However, they ended up at a dead-end. Meanwhile, the man seemingly vanished into thin air.
The attendant and their family quickly ran back to the elevator only to find it closed. They had to slam on the door before it finally opened. The family learned later that the basement was previously a morgue.
Creep yourself out in these haunted places in Manila
The stories surrounding the haunted places listed above will surely terrify and fascinate anyone who dares visit these places. And while there is no real evidence to say that these tales are real, it won’t stop amateur ghost hunters. Check them and other spooky places out this season for one spooky adventure.