GINES VIEJO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: THE DARK FILES

Modern times have witnessed a rise in the use of the term "myth" to describe
untrue stories, and this is currently its most prevalent usage. This is due to the increasing
influence of rational scientific worldviews. However, this definition of the term makes the
supposition that the most up-to-date scientific analysis techniques are the final arbiters of
what is and is not real. One of the examples is the hauntings of Gines Viejo Elementary
School. Located in the sweet city in the heart of Panay, it is a public institution wherein it
is subject to many prestigious awards, notable students and alumni, and outstanding
teachers, it is safe to say that the school is a haven for learning. However, despite its rich
history lies the dark side of its nature. According to my grandmother and my mother, the
school is haunted by numerous unexplained phenomena and inhuman beings from nearly
a century ago, such as the white lady, kapre, dwende, and poltergeists who are mostly
children, which are still active today. Thus, earning the reputation of being “mariit.” It has
been said that the students and staff encountered children playing, running, laughing at
night; a woman in white dress weeping for help, and a dwende walking in the stairs at
night. However, the school is popularized by a kapre living at the sambag tree near the
school’s dumpsite. Which is why until now, no one dared to cut it down. One of the
witnesses in the incident was my grandmother. She reported that about a year ago, while
cleaning her backyard at around 6:30 pm, she felt a sudden chill down her spine caused by
a cold breeze. She then saw a kapre, a tall, dark-skinned, goat-like creature with eyes as
red as blood, staring at her from the sambag tree. She panicked and fell to the ground, but
thankfully my uncle was nearby to help her. He too saw the creature, and they both ran to
the house as quickly as they could. Another witness, my neighbor Ala, reported hearing
children playing, talking, and screaming while walking home near the school's water tank
at exactly 11:00 pm. She felt as though poltergeists were chasing her, causing her to scream
for help until she reached her house. It has also been subjected to many exorcisms in the
past which is why during the COVID-19 lockdown, no one dared to stay at the school as
their quarantine area. Despite this, the school still provides a quality education. This
proves that supernatural beings exist even in the 21st century and these myths are a part of
our culture. Moreover, all we have to do is to respect them and try not to provoke these
forces, for we know how destructive and unpredictable they can be. The ordinary people,
places, things, and events that they and their audiences encountered on a daily basis were
also hinted at as having hidden connections to mythic realities that were invisible. The
distance between the unknown and measurable fact, however, is closing as science gets
closer to explaining ghosts, parallel universes, and unidentified energy. Regardless of how
accurate or inaccurate these myths may prove to be, no one can argue that they contribute
to the distinctiveness of our culture and society.