Tales from the great beyond

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW EMMANUEL BUHION San Juanico Bridge

Built in the 1970s, the San Juanico Bridge crosses the San Juanico Strait, bridging Samar to Leyte. The beautiful arch shape design allows it be the longest bridge spanning seawater in the Philippines, at 2.16 kilometers. San Juanico Bridge isn’t just famous for being a beautiful ribbon of road across the sea, but is riddled with paranormal activity.

Being a gift from the late President Ferdinand Marcos to his wife Imelda for her birthday, the construction was on a tight schedule. The first lady, being in charge, took it upon herself to consult a who is claimed to have told her the bridge would never be finished unless the blood of children were spilled on the foundations. To enact the pagan ritual, street children were said to have been kidnapped, their throats slit for blood, and bodies thrown into the river. So if you’re driving through the San Juanico Bridge late at night, don’t stop for the children, because we can’t assure the child you’re interacting with is real, or is avenging his or her death.

Concha Cruz, BF Homes

BF Homes is famous for a stretch of road that can satisfy any of your gastronomical cravings. Families and friends from the southern area of Manila use BF Homes as the usual meeting area, because of its convenience. Wide roads with entrances and exits to major arteries of the south make it ideal.

Even in the early 1980s, BF Homes became the place to be if you were a car guy looking to see some grassroots drag racing. Concha Cruz Drive, a quarter mile, became a drag strip for teenagers of the time, gathering at 9:00 p.m. drinking beers and blasting music through their stereo systems.

Eric (driver’s name according to legend) and his girlfriend Gem, were just cruising down Concha Cruz in his jet black Toyota Macho Machine, which was given to him by his father for his 23rd birthday. Bernard, a rival racer, pulled up next to the couple and challenged Eric to a race. Eric, upon the request of his girlfriend, tried to discourage Bernard to race, but it was too late. Provoked, Eric gunned it down from the starting line, while Gem was trying to put her seatbelt on, insisting Eric do the same. Too little, too late, the tire of Bernard’s car exploded, sending it car into the Toyota Macho Machine, which then sent the Toyota to the trees. Eric died instantly and Gem later expired from head trauma after making contact with the dashboard.

It is said that Eric and Gem pull up next to teenage drivers on Concha Cruz, revving the engine of the jet black Toyota Macho Machine, egging on a race. But to the surprise of the one challenged, the windows of the Toyota roll down revealing a bloodied Eric and Gem.

If you thought driving in the Philippines was challenging, I hope you have a broader idea of how much more difficult it is now. You’re not just threading your way through traffic, but also making sure nobody in this life or beyond gets into a road rage incident with you.