As the sun sets and night embraces the city, uncanny beings emerge from the darkness and silence to roam the earth in search of something that will help them pass peacefully into the next life — or so some believe.
Stories featuring supernatural encounters usually become popular close to Undas, but first-hand experiences show they happen anytime and anywhere.
PTV Digital Media talked to several workers in the fields of healthcare, media, hospitality, and education about their strange and unexplainable experiences. Here are their stories.
(The names of the offices and exact locations have been withheld.)
Jer: Administrative staff, government media office in Quezon City
Government offices are popular subjects of spooky stories. An office in Quezon City is said to have the presence of children playing. This is when workers are on a break or when only a few are physically reporting for duty.
Jer said a janitor on weekend duty in 2019 was cleaning the administrative office alone when he heard children making noise and running behind him.
“Hindi niya natigilang tumakbo papalabas ng opisina. Hindi lang siya ang unang nakaramdam nito, mga empleyado mismo na naka-assign sa opisina ang nakakasalamuha ng mga bata,” he said.
“Minsanang nagsisibagsakan ang mga gamit sa likuran ng opisina ng sobrang lakas, ngunit wala namang tao dito. Minsan nama’y may nanghahawak at lumalapit sa mga natutulog rito,” he added.
“Hindi naman sila nang-a-away, madalas lang silang nakikipaglaro. Nabansagan namin silang ‘playful spirits in the office.’”
Em: Teacher, public school in the Cordillera Administrative Region
It was around 6:30 a.m. on an October Wednesday when she was watering plants in front of the first floor classrooms when she heard the sound of plastic chairs being dragged from the second floor.
Without giving any attention to the noises as she continued with her activity, she heard another similar sound. There were no students yet as classes remain limited to distance learning.
She said there have been some unusual happenings within the school premises, with several teachers hearing chattering after school activities. There were also instances when random board tapping sounds were heard.
In the late ‘90s and early 2000, some people offered food and rice around the school vicinity when some of their children or relatives became sick.
Pipay: Medical technologist, hospital in Olongapo city
Medical technologist Pipay was an intern and on a November graveyard shift when she was tasked to make ward rounds from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
“Nag-ikot na ako ng bandang 1:55 a.m. kasi peak season din ng delivery room. Noong natapos na ako mag-ward, doon ako sa may creepy na hallway dumaan malapit sa isolation ward, shortcut na kasi ‘yun pabalik ng laboratory,” she narrated.
“Nakita ko sa hallway may tambak na wheelchair, so habang papalapit ako, biglang gumalaw ‘yung wheelchair papalapit din sa akin.”
She said hospital personnel have reminded them to prepare for the presence of the unusual during this Undas season.
“Madami pa akong experience doon, halos lahat kaming mga intern… minsan may umiiyak na bata, may maririnig ka na footsteps kahit walang naglalakad, nahuhulog na sample tube kahit walang hangin…masasanay ka na lang kaya dinededma nalang namin,” she said.
Pat: Writer, newspaper company in Intramuros
Pat was on his first week at work when his coworker asked whether he was waiting for someone, and if he could see an old male figure near him.
“Lumipat ako sa area niya (coworker), tapos ikinuwento niya sa akin na mayroon daw siyang nakitang nakatayo sa harapan ko na matanda… Basta nakatayo raw sa harapan ko, parang pinapanood ako habang nagwo-work,” he said.
He said there have been many unusual cases in the old building in his two years as a writer, including a falling industrial stapler while there were only three persons in the newsroom.
“Habang nagkukuwentuhan kami [ng night editor], biglang may lumipad na stapler. Parang ‘yung industrial stapler – malaki at mabigat na stapler talaga,” he recalled.
“May nambato sa kanya, may nambato sa amin ng stapler. Imposible naman na ‘yung natabig lang ng daga doon sa desk kaya nalaglag tapos tumalbog,” he added.
On a separate occasion, past dinnertime, a heavy wooden chair suddenly moved when he was cleaning the area.
“All of a sudden, ‘yung upuan, biglang umusog – kasi nakaatras siya, biglang umabante iyung upuan. As in iyong kumalabog na tumama iyong upuan sa lamesa. Wala nang tao noon sa lamesa.”
Jan: Former intern, hotel in Baguio City
His experience took place at around 11:50 p.m. when he was on his on-the-job training at a hotel in the summer capital several years ago.
“There was a crying lady at the function hall (4th floor) of the hotel… Basta umiiyak. ‘Di ko nakita, walang tao doon,” he said.
He said this was a one-time incident and that he has “no interest in experiencing it twice.”
Christina: Former nurse, private hospital in Quezon City
It’s said that there are always spirits lurking around hospitals and this major hospital is no exception.
Christina, a former nurse, had been doing her rounds one night when she had an eerie encounter.
She entered the ICU ward, tasked with the duty to count how many patients were currently there.
“Noong pagpasok ko sa ward, ang nabilang ko ay 16 patients. Naalala ko, inulit ko pang bilangin,” she said.
When she headed back to the nurse’s station to inform the other staff, she was faced with a spooky surprise.
“Sabi n’ung ibang staff na 15 lang dapat iyong mga pasyente sa ICU. Pero ang bilang ko is 16. Pinilit ko pa na 16 pero 15 lang daw talaga ang andoon.”
Ralph: Medical technologist, private hospital in Quezon City
Ralph was on night duty when his encounter occurred.
He had been called into the nurse’s station to help with a patient. It was a long walk from his station to his destination. He would have to pass a dark hallway to get there.
While walking, Ralph put on earphones to listen to music and to not feel alone.
When he arrived at the nurses’ station, the staff saw him looking rattled and panting as if he had run to the station – which he had.
“Tumakbo ako agad papuntang nurse’s station nung may narinig ako. Naiwan ko rin kit ko sa sobrang takot,” he said.
“Naglalakad ako sa may madilim na hallway, naka-earphones at mag-isa lang nang biglang may bumulong sa akin–’Lilingon na iyan.’”
Jake: Employee, major media agency in Quezon City
“It was a Saturday noon sa office, pandemic na. Everyone in our department was at home but because I needed to go to work after my computer broke down, I had no choice but to report physically,” Jake said.
He was alone at the time. It was around 11:00 p.m.
“It was eerie and I noticed na may nagta-type somewhere sa room ng boss namin. The room was locked, and I swear walang tao. The typing did not stop so I decided to check it myself,” he said.
But upon entering the room, he found that it was empty. But the typing sounds continued.
It was when he started walking around the room that the typing sounds stopped.
“I messaged my workmates and they said it might be the spirit of their former boss who died months earlier. They said she was a workaholic.”
Andrew: Employee, major media agency in Quezon City
Andrew was in the second floor comfort room when his spooky encounter happened.
It was at the beginning of the pandemic so few employees were going onsite for work.
“I was washing my hands when a person in blue walked inside and went straight to a cubicle,” Andrew said.
“I realized na wala namang maingay sa mismong cubicle so I got curious. When I looked at the cubicle, wala namang tao. I immediately scrambled outside.”
Lanih: Bank executive, Dagupan City
In 2015, Lanih experienced something bone-chilling that she will never forget.
She was about to enter their building for work when the head guard, who was responsible for logging in the times employees go in and out, stopped her at the entrance, looking confused.
“Nalito siya. Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Ma’am, na-log in ko na po kayo kaninang 6:45 a.m.’ Tapos nagulat ako kasi kakarating ko lang ngayong 7:40 a.m.”
“Mas lalong nalito iyong guard. Sabi niya naka-blue daw ako, eh white ang suot ko that day. I remember getting goosebumps at the idea that my doppelganger was here.”
(PTV Digital Media)/ PG, AG – jlo
