Balete Drive's Background
Balete Drive is a two-lane undivided street and main thoroughfare in the New Manila District, in Quezon City, in Metro Manila, Philippines. The road is an undivided carriageway, that is, a road without median. The road is a major route of jeepneys and cabs, serving the New Manila area, connecting Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard and Nicanor Domingo Streets in Quezon City. The road is famous for the antique and century old Spanish houses and Balete Trees that line the road. The road is also notable for the haunting legends that it had. - Wikipedia
In present times, its easy for anyone to assume that the Balete Drive is far from making any person shudder in terror due to the street being well-lit with bright street lights. Little did they know that in the earlier days, the street was linked with massive balete trees that contributes in darkening the place, which makes it more creepy to get into. Balete Drive before is known for numerous Balete trees that flock all over the street. Balete trees ( also known as Ficus benjamina) are considered as home for variety of spirits, elementals and mythical creatures. Fairies and elementals live inside the balete trees, that's why anyone is warned and forbidden to point their fingers at any balete trees as the creatures living in it may get insulted and give you a curse. You aren't advised as well to cut those trees since the creatures who inhabits at the trees will seek revenge. Also, if you happen to eat any fruit that's hanging from the tree, you will be forever trapped in the mystical world of the mythical creatures. Some say that it is a way for them to lure people who they want to be part of their world. Those facts alone makes Balete Drive all the more frightening, right?
Urban Legends Revolving Around The Balete Drive
Aside from mythical creatures living in the trees, Balete Drive is also reported to be haunted with shocking tales that circulated since the 1950s. Some of it includes the stories of old Spanish homes in the area were haunted by their former, Spanish owners who are still in the realm of the living instead of going to the paranormal realm. But the most famous urban legend revolving the street is the story of a "White Lady" frequently being seen in that place.
Here are some of the famous tales from the Balete Drive:
One famous story would be the white lady whose from a student of the University of the Philippines. According to a certain barangay security officer who resides in Balete Drive, the victim was allegedly molested by a taxi driver on her way home from school. The abuser then threw her in a dark pit beside a balete tree in Balete Drive after raping and killing her. Since then, the spirit of this young girl have been haunting the streets of the drive, looking for her murderer. - magandafilipino
The ghost is said to be a victim of her own family’s cruelty. At 3am, the white lady appears to lone drivers passing her house in order to seek their help or to run away from home. Some taxi drivers claim that they have experienced to drive for hours along the same street where the mansion was located. They can only get out of the loop after saying several prayers and wearing their shirt inside out. Because of this mystery, taxi drivers evade this route during midnight to dawn. If ever they need to pass the said area, they will blow their horns as a pasintabi (plea to pass) to the white lady. - magandafilipinoHere's a YouTube video that airs someone's alleged true story regarding the haunted street:
If you are already forbidding yourself to step foot or even drive thru the famous haunted street, this tidbit could help you shake off that fear. There were also beliefs that the White Lady from the Balete Drive is just a product of a playful imagination from a writer whose being pressured to come up with a viral and interesting story during the 1950s. People read the article and the notion that the White Lady haunting the place spread like wildfire.
Conclusion
May it be an urban legend, hoax or a lie, The fact that people still have that cautious behavior whenever they cross the Balete Drive up until this current age of technology, etc. is a strong evidence that the impact of the stories really got instilled into the Philippine culture.The mystery and terror of the Balete Drive is sure to remain and its numerous urban legends will still be passed onto next generations.