Wake-uppers:
Scene: Senior Girl Scout Nettel
Peñaranda Cabalit, 14, and a Grade 8 learner of Tagbilaran Grace Christian
School recently received the GSP’s Highest and Most Prestigious Award for
having developed a sense of responsibility towards herself, and her community,
and having worked determinedly on the Ecology Development Project when she
spearheaded the construction of a concrete water tank as rain collector for the
island folks of Mantatao, Calape, Bohol.
The project had been turned-over to the Barangay Captain Federico Flores
last June this year. The 41st CGSM Awarding Ceremony was attended by the 735
awardees and the GSP national headquarter dignitaries, regional directors,
council executives and troop leaders all over the country. Cabalit together with her school field adviser
and trainer, Myrna Thea Garsuta-Hontanosas,
received the Chief Girl Scout Medal, pin, and certificates at the Plenary Hall
of the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City last October
20. Cabalit is the eldest daughter of
Noel and Nannette of Barangay Taloto this city. “I would like to thank everyone
for all their help especially my family and relatives, my Troop Leader- Ma’am
Thea, my school- TGCS and all the good people of Mantatao. Above all, to my
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you are all part of my great success,” she said.
 |
Girl Scout
Nettel Cabalit with her school field adviser
and trainer Myrna Thea
Garsuta-Hontanosas. Contributed Photo
|
Scene: The surgeons at Gov. Celestino
Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) were stepping up after some women went in
for a routine checkup and were diagnosed with breast cancer. In an effort to
help with their unexpected medical bills,
the surgeons hosted “Acoustic Night,” a benefit event last Oct. 26 held at Tablea de Maria Clara in Tagbilaran
City. The event featured the surgeons
and volunteers! The proceeds from the
entire night donated to the Pink Fund to help the patients.
Seen: Spotted in Bohol last Saturday were celebrities
Troy Montero and Aubrey Miles.
***
Bohol province
seems to have its fair share of hauntings, and the villages where 11 Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG) members were killed in
separate encounters in Bohol early this year offers some of the strongest
chances for having a paranormal experience.
There are a
number of famous locations where ghostly activity has been reported, as well as
a few lesser known locations where residents have also reported unexplained
occurrences.
The battlefield
in Barangay Napo in Inabanga town is arguably the new haunted place in the
province. It makes sense given its angry, bloody war history where the ASG
members were killed by government troopers.
There are
stories of reported paranormal sightings here.
Some residents
claimed seeing ghosts and shadows as well as heard agonizing screams from
unseen beings.
 |
The battle
field where three of Abu Sayyaf members
were killed in Barangay Caboy, Clarin
town, which is now covered
with tall grass and the coconut trees still carry
the battle scars, has
ghostly apparitions. Photo by Leo Udtohan
|
The house which
has bullet holes during the intense gunbattle still stands today, and locals
claim to hear sounds of scratching coming from inside the walls. Residents have
also reported screaming coming from inside the house as well as silhouettes of
figures moving around, even though it's been vacant for months.
In Barangay
Caboy in Clarin town, fear pushed residents to avoid the area where the bandit
group had fallen due to alleged paranormal activities.
Cresencia
Revilla, 86, and her sister Primitiva, 76, said their niece Antonia heard
ghastly voices in the area.
The place is
now covered with cogon grass although some coconut trees still carry their
battle scars –. “Makadungog siya usahay, pasagdan ra niya (She heard ghostly
voices, but she just ignored these),” said Primitiva.
Sometimes, she
added, Antonia heard ghostly screams coming from the vacant lot especially
during rainy days.
There were
times that Antonio heard someone crying.
“Ingana tingali
na kay wala pangajii (May be these happen because no one prayed for their souls),”
said Cresencia.
Primitiva said no one also dared to walk
around the area after some residents reported sudden gush of cold area crawling
their spines.
In the hilly portion of Barangay Tinibgan in
Calape, some residents claimed seeing strange flashes of light near at the
graveyard where the two ASG members were buried.
 |
| Every year,
come November 1 and 2, cemeteries all over the country come to life when the living visit their dead in what has come to be known traditionally for Filipinos as All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day. Photo by Leo Udtohan |
The graveyards
of the ASG members have become unwitting tourist attractions. Curious
individuals flock to the public cemeteries of Inabanga, Clarin, Calape and
Tagbilaran City to check out the unmarked gravesites of the 11 Abu Sayyaf
members.
Some were also
apprehensive that they might be mistaken as part of the Abu Sayyaf.
Only the grave
of Joselito Melloria who brought the terrorists to Bohol was marked with a
cross. The others didn’t even have a tombstone.
The graveyards
in U-og Cemetery in Inabanga, Clarin and Calape had been covered with tall
grasses and other plants.
In Tagbilaran
City, the Marapao Street apparently has several ghostly residents. People share
that they see “white ladies” and “pantasma”, a giant ghoul with chains on its
arms and legs with fire and other strange creatures at night.
The Old Capitol
building is also scary. Strange noises and infamous headless apparitions of
priests are reported to be seen in this building.
It is believed
that the headless ghosts and noises are from the priests and prisoners beheaded
during World War II. Some workers say they don’t hear anything unusual, but no
one works late.
The Binayran
Road in barangay Dampas is said to be the most haunted road in Tagbilaran City.
Drivers have reported everything from strangely dressed wanderers, to ghosts,
to phantom vehicles that chase them to its end.
Habal-habal (motorcycle for rent) drivers have already
encountered “agta” and big black dog including this woman who would walk to the
middle of the road to stop a passing vehicle. Naturally, a driver would stop to
avoid hitting her. She would then ask to be brought to the water reservoir, but
would disappear before getting there.
The tragedy
that took place years ago where a family died has contributed to its haunted
reputation. Strange sights and sounds are reported at the crime scene.
Schools in
Tagbilaran especially those that have seen and survived the war have stories of
haunting. And most of the schools in
Tagbilaran City were built on what used to be cemetery grounds.
Students and
teachers often report sudden cold chills, odors with no discernible origin,
phantom footsteps, and strange apparitions at Dr. Cecilio Putong National High
School.
An unidentified
girl showed up in a photo taken inside the classroom, no one can identify the
blurry girl who appeared in the photo. Some
students and teachers claim to hear basketballs bouncing against the court and
hoards of people cheering, but when they peer into the gymnasium... no one is
there. The Imelda Building is famous for the apparition of the white ladies and
duwendes. Until now, stories of
strange apparitions and aromatic smell coming out of nowhere are consistently
reported.
Sightings of
the mysterious headless nun are reported by students and teachers of the
abandoned Holy Spirit School. Early
morning joggers say that you can hear people inside the elementary building
though clearly nobody is inside and all lights are off. A mysterious headless
nun is said to haunt near the library.
There were also
reported appearances of a white and red ladies at University of Bohol. Ghosts
and wailing voices are heard from the school’s ST Building.
The Holy Name
University in Lessage Street was famous for “ghostly apparitions” before it was
abandoned. Since, the school was
demolished, the mysterious lady at the 4th floor and the giant dog were roaming
around perhaps looking for a place to stay!
In Inabanga
town, the Macaban Cave is known as the city of supernatural beings or engkantos.
Stories of
angry spirits, unexplained orbs, pantasma
and black ladies are reported along the national highway on Barangay Pig-ot in
Loon town. The hilly part of the said barangay is a public market and a
cemetery of the engkantos.
***
Thanks
for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at
leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.
