‘Real white lady’ unmasked

From time to time, stories about the “white lady” appear in print. As far as I can recall, these stories started as early as the 1950s. I was then a junior officer at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, where I was assigned up to the 1960s.

There are two cemeteries along Loakan Road from Fort del Pilar to the city and I do recall enjoying with colleagues the joke about meeting this lady on this road. But my commander, a colonel, was deathly afraid to pass by the two cemeteries. He would rather use the other road even during daytime.

The white lady of Baguio is, of course, only one of many white ladies said to be making their appearances in some places in the Philippines, although I have yet to hear of any white lady appearing in other countries.

The original and “real” white lady is said to be in Quezon City’s Balete Drive where wealthy families reside. A lady colleague of mine at the UP Royal Diamond Jubilarians revealed to me, only this year, that there is a real white lady. Not only does she know her. She is a neighbor-friend from early on. Her name is Adele Planas (now married) and she is the sister of Carmen and Charito Planas. My source says that in her younger days (1950s?), Adele used to walk in the evenings along Balete Drive, all in white down to the legs, with long hair flowing down to the waist, and savoring the cool breeze in the dark. To my “informer’s” and Adele’s families, nothing seemed noticeable about her nightly walks and nothing seemed worth commenting on.

By the way, my informer and I are members of an organization composed of UP alumni who graduated in 1947 or earlier. We named our group the “Royal Diamond Jubilarians.” We are either past 90 years old (one of us reached 100 years last June) or nearing 90. We lunch or dine together once a month, with a member as host to savor our experiences and hopefully live longer. I suppose the Quezon City police captain’s account and the other white lady stories, especially those spread by taxi drivers, are based on real experiences.

—FLORENCIO F. MAGSINO,

retired brigadier general,

Armed Forces of the Philippines