5 Unsettling Horror Stories from Philippines
1. Maria, 28, Ilocos Norte – The Ghost of the Old Church
Profile: Maria is a schoolteacher from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte. She grew up in a quiet, rural area and had always been skeptical of supernatural events. Her story takes place in a centuries-old church near her hometown.
Story:
It was a warm, quiet evening in Ilocos Norte when I decided to visit the old church by the river. I had always admired the architecture and history of the church, which was built during the Spanish era. That night, I went alone, hoping to capture some photographs of the church for a local history project.
The moment I stepped inside, a chill ran through me. The air inside was dense, and the only sound was the echo of my footsteps on the cold stone floor. I dismissed it as the natural stillness of an old building, but something felt off. As I moved towards the altar, I noticed a figure standing in the far corner of the church. At first, I thought it was just a shadow or a trick of the light. But as I got closer, I could see that it was a woman in a long white dress, her back turned to me.
I called out, but she didn’t respond. My heart began to race as I slowly approached. The woman turned around, revealing a face that was pale, almost lifeless, with hollow eyes and a mouth twisted in a silent scream. I froze in fear. The air around me grew colder, and the lights flickered. She took a step toward me, and I could feel her presence—heavy and oppressive.
I turned and ran, but the doors of the church slammed shut behind me. I fought to open them, finally bursting out into the night air. I could hear the woman’s footsteps following me, but when I looked back, she was gone. I never returned to that church, and the memory still haunts me to this day.
2. Andres, 35, Baguio – The Evil in the Forest
Profile: Andres is a forestry student from Baguio City. He is passionate about nature and often goes hiking in the surrounding mountains. His story happened during one of his solo hiking trips in the forests of the Cordillera mountains.
Story:
I’ve always loved the solitude of the mountains. The crisp air, the towering pine trees, and the tranquility of nature are unmatched. That’s why, on a weekend trip, I decided to hike alone through the dense forests near Baguio. The path I took was one that locals rarely used, a shortcut through the thick woods. It was an old trail, and not many people ventured there.
As I trekked deeper into the forest, the atmosphere grew darker and more oppressive. I noticed that the sounds of the forest seemed muted. No birds, no insects—just silence. The trees towered over me, blocking out most of the sunlight. I brushed it off, telling myself that it was just the dense canopy.
But then, I started hearing whispers. At first, I thought it was the wind, but the whispers were too distinct. They called my name, softly, in a voice I didn’t recognize. I froze, unsure if I was imagining it. I continued walking, but the whispers followed me, growing louder with each step. They were now accompanied by faint laughter, like children playing in the distance.
I started to feel a heavy presence, like I was being watched. My heart raced as I quickened my pace, but the laughter grew closer, and I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I reached a clearing and saw a figure standing in the shadows of the trees. It was a man, hunched over, with long, unkempt hair and dark, hollow eyes. His skin was pale and seemed to glow in the dim light.
I ran as fast as I could, not looking back. I didn’t stop until I reached the edge of the forest, where the whispers faded into silence. I never told anyone what happened that day, but I knew then that there was something sinister in those woods, something that still lingers in the shadows.
3. Tessa, 41, Quezon City – The Haunted Apartment
Profile: Tessa is a corporate executive from Quezon City. She moved into a newly built apartment complex a few years ago and had no intention of believing in ghosts or spirits. However, her experience made her question everything.
Story:
It was an exciting time when I moved into my new apartment in Quezon City. The building was brand new, with all the modern amenities I could ask for. I was looking forward to a peaceful life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. But things took a strange turn almost immediately.
It started with the lights flickering. At first, I thought it was a simple electrical issue, but then it happened more frequently. The lights in my living room would flicker, and sometimes, the TV would turn on by itself. I didn’t think much of it until one night, I woke up to a strange sound—soft tapping on the walls. It was faint at first, but it became louder as the night went on. I got out of bed and walked through the apartment, but everything seemed normal.
The tapping continued for weeks, getting louder and more insistent. One evening, as I was in the kitchen, I caught a glimpse of a figure standing in the hallway. It was a woman, dressed in white, with long black hair that covered her face. I froze in terror, unable to move. The woman didn’t speak, but I could feel her presence—cold and oppressive.
The next day, I spoke to the building manager, and he told me something that sent chills down my spine. He revealed that the apartment building had been built on the site of an old house where a woman had died under mysterious circumstances. It was believed that her spirit haunted the area. I never stayed in that apartment again. I moved out as soon as I could, but the memory of that woman still haunts me.
4. Joseph, 50, Davao – The Vanishing Passenger
Profile: Joseph is a taxi driver in Davao City. He has seen many things during his years on the road, but there’s one experience that still bothers him to this day. His story takes place on a quiet road just outside the city.
Story:
I’ve been driving a taxi for over twenty years in Davao City, and I’ve had my fair share of odd encounters, but nothing like the one that happened on a quiet night about five years ago. It was late, around 2 AM, when I got a call for a pick-up on the outskirts of the city. The area was quiet, with few cars on the road. I drove to the designated spot and waited.
A woman in a red dress approached my car. She looked beautiful, but there was something strange about her—her eyes were vacant, and her smile didn’t reach them. She asked to be taken to a remote area outside the city, near the mountain. I agreed, thinking it would be a long ride, and started driving.
The entire journey was unsettling. The woman didn’t speak much, and there was an eerie silence between us. As I drove up the winding roads, I could feel a strange chill in the air. The woman sat still, staring ahead. I tried to make small talk, but she didn’t respond.
As we neared the destination, I looked in the rearview mirror to check on her, but she was gone. The seat was empty. I slammed the brakes, stopping the car in the middle of the road. I looked around in panic, but there was no sign of her anywhere. I got out of the car and searched the area, but there was no trace of the woman.
I returned to the city in a daze, unsure of what had happened. The next day, I asked around about the area, and an old man told me about a woman who had died in an accident years ago on that very road. Her ghost, he said, had been known to appear to unsuspecting travelers.
5. Angelica, 29, Cebu – The Laughing Child
Profile: Angelica is a nurse from Cebu City. She had grown up in a traditional household and was always taught to respect the spirits of her ancestors. Her story occurred during her shift at a rural hospital in Cebu.
Story:
It was a quiet night at the hospital, and I was working the night shift in the pediatrics ward. The hospital was located in a remote area of Cebu, far from the bustling city. There were only a few patients that night, and most of the staff were in the break room, chatting.
Around 2 AM, I heard the sound of a child’s laughter echoing through the hallway. At first, I thought it was one of the children in the ward, but when I checked, all the rooms were dark, and the children were asleep. The laughter continued, faint but unmistakable, coming from the end of the corridor.
Curious, I walked down the hallway to investigate. As I reached the end of the corridor, the laughter stopped. I stood there for a moment, listening, but there was nothing. I turned to leave, but as I did, I caught sight of a small child standing in the corner of the room, facing the wall.
I called out to the child, but it didn’t move. Slowly, I walked closer, and as I reached out to touch the child’s shoulder, it turned around. Its face was pale, and its eyes were completely black, like two empty voids. The child grinned at me, its laughter now twisted and manic. I screamed and backed away, but the child vanished into thin air.
I told my colleagues about the incident, but they just laughed it off, saying that the hospital was built on old land and that the spirits of children who died long ago sometimes wandered the halls. To this day, I still hear that laughter in the dark corners of the hospital.
