Do Animals have Ghost?

Christians, Jews, Muslims and others believe in the idea of afterlife. They also believe that each human have spirit and soul. So how about animals, Do you think, they have spirits and souls too?

Humans do have feelings and intellect. So as the animals too. Humans are created by God. So as the animals too. What I'm trying to say is, if each human has a life and a body, and each animal have them too. Therefore, if humans have spirit and soul, then animals should have them too. Right? Well, if you don't believe me with my simple arguement, I can't blame you. If animals don't have spirit and soul, then they have no afterlife. However, how can you explain the similarities of humans and animals? Animals are made up of the same energy that humans are. Both of them also need air to breathe, and food and water to survive. They also get sick and die the same way how humans do.

Did I convince you somehow?

By the way, if each human have spirit and soul; and spirits became ghosts if they remain on earth after death. Then, animals might have ghosts too. What do you think? My answer is a big, fat, YES . . .

This is my Halloween Special article.

Few days ago, I saw a video in the internet where animals are tortured, and literally being crushed with human feet to death. The first video I saw was an innocent white-with-black-spots puppy being crushed and kicked by three girls, as if they were just playing with a black and white ball. Another video I saw was a cat killed by an adult woman in the same manner as the latter, and then another one features an adult dog. After watching those short videos, I found myself crying, disturbed, and dumbed. When I woke up from being speechless, the first sentence I said, for what I remember, Do they want to feel the pain of being tortured? I would definitely do it specially for them. I even imagined to have the Death Note (Light Yagami's notebook in the anime 'Death Note'.) and the website Hell Correspondence (Ai's website in the anime 'Jigoku Shoujo'.) I may be exaggerated, but I really love animals. That's how I love them. I have a pet, a little cute gray cat, and he is cuddly. :)

About

Phantom pets often come back to visit former homes and owners.[1] That's what the book I found say about animal ghosts.

The common animal ghosts reported to be seen by humans are the dogs, cats and horses rather than goldfishes and mosquitoes. Humans may not see them but they might feel them the same way when these animals were still alive. For example, your dog often sleeps beside you, after he died, you still feel something moving in your bed then it seemed it lied beside you.

Unlike human ghosts who sometimes appear with eye sockets empty, rotted-flesh or no head, animal ghosts appear the same feature they look like when they were alive. So, they're not, or somehow a little bit, scary. Animal ghost usually don't haunt like what human ghost did. They may sometimes appear as friendly or sometimes not especially if they are guarding something. Just like how they act when they're alive. But like what I said, they don't usually haunt.

I am limiting the animal ghost in dogs, cats, and horses, because they're the only animals reported. Maybe because, these animals have connection with humans, and they are also intelligent.

Accordingly, man is the only species that some day realizes that he or she will terminate and leave this world. All other species simply exist from day to day and die without being able to communicate to us that possibility that they in fact are dying.[2]

One reason why there is an animal ghost perhaps because of the humans great love with them and/or constant grieving of the loss which may sometimes create an effect as to why humans became ghosts too - sudden violent or tragic death. For this reasons, animals go back for a short period of time.[2]

Reported Cases of Animal Ghosts

[Taken from a book:]

Australia, 1953 William Courtney was heartbroken when Lady, his greyhound, died. The next night, lying in bed in the dark, he heard a dog patter into his room and flop down on the floor beside him - just like Lady used to. When he turned on the light, the room was empty. Lady's ghost was gone.[1]

Conclusion

I can't wish animal ghosts to haunt humans. Some of us love to eat pork, beef and chicken. But it could be justifying to say that if ever they can haunt, only to those people who killed them in a wrong way.

Back to the ghost thing. If animals may became ghosts and/or have spirits too, then they share life after death with us.

Sources:
[1]Informania: Ghost. Christopher Maynard. 2000. ISBN 0-7636-1114-X
[2]http://www.ghostresearch.org/articles/animal.html (Animal Ghost by: Dale Kaczmarek)
Image:
http://smartpei.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451db7969e2015438a34dd0970c-800wi

Maria Karamot

Her story was known in the province of Zambales. This was a folklore, however some people claim that they saw her in the shore till now.

Maria Karamot was born with mortal parents, Juan and Juana, and was snatched by the waves of the sea when she was seven years old. When she came back years after to her lonely parents who often wait by the shore, she was already transformed into a mermaid - a beautiful mermaid with long black hair, a set brown eyes, and tail of bangus (milkfish). However, she cannot remember her origin anymore. The reason was because of the King of the Fish - a bangus, who dealt with Juan in exchange of regular milkfish to them.

She often rose to surface of the sea admiring the beauty of the land. As the King of Fishes notices her sadness, he grant her with wish. Maria wished to walk on earth, but in one condition, that she can acquire feet every full moon. Then as she arrive in the pampang (shore), she met Ramon - secretly was a siokoy (merman) sent by King of Fishes. Then they became lovers and had one child - a boy. One night she saw many fishermen gathering in the net, and saw her child being hit by the paddles then was killed. Because of that, she avenged her child and drowns fishermen. Till now, it was still believed that she is the reason of death in the sea.

Story

[Taken from Internet:]

Once, there lived beside the sea a couple named Juan (Hu'wan) and Juana (Hu'wana). For a long time they were childless. When Juana was at last with child, they were quite happy. But in her pregnancy, Juana would become very restless if she did not have bangus (milkfish) to eat every day. So one afternoon, when Juan failed to catch any milkfish, he became very sad. Suddenly, Juan heard his name called. He was greatly surprised when he looked down and saw a shiny milkfish wearing a crown. The milkfish identified himself as the King of Fishes and he asked Juan, "Why do you fish only for milkfish?" Juan told him the reason, and his sorrow at the moment. The King of Fishes pitied Juan and promised, "I’ll give you plenty of milkfish everyday. But in return, you are to deliver your coming child to me when it turns seven years old." Because it was already getting dark and since milkfish was becoming scarce that season, Juan finally agreed. The King of Fishes was true to his word. Even after Juana had given birth, Juan continued to bring home milkfish from the sea. Their child was a lovely girl with very black hair. They loved her and were very happy with her. They called her Maria. When Maria turned seven, Juan went to see the King of Fishes and begged him: "Have pity on us. Can’t you possibly release me from my promise? We love Maria very much, and we can’t bear to part with her." But the King of Fishes was firm, saying, "A promise is a promise." With a heavy heart, Juan went home. Since that day, the couple and Maria never went near the sea. But one day, while Juan was on the farm and Juana was doing the laundry in the river, there came a big wonderful boat. The people immediately flocked to the shore to see it. Maria was alone at the time and was looking out the window. She became curious and joined the rest on the shore. While she was watching the wonderful boat, a big wave rushed up and dragged her to the sea. Immediately, the neighbors told her parents of the incident. Juan and Juana ran to the shore but they were too late. Maria was gone! Every evening after that, the couple would stand by the shore and stare at the deep. They kept hoping that Maria would return. Years passed and still they failed to see her. But one moonlight night, there appeared before the old couple a lovely creature. She had very long black hair, but — while half of her body was that of a beautiful girl, the other half was that of a milkfish. Then they knew that it was Maria, now a mermaid. Maria grew up to be a very beautiful woman with long black hair and expressive set of brown eyes. She cannot remember that she once was human for the King of Fishes took away all trace of her memory when she was taken suddenly many years ago. She grew up with other mermaids of her kind at the bottom of the sea who took care of raising her as their own. But every full moon she would rise up to the surface to admire the beauty of the earth which she found herself unexplainably drawn into. The King of Fishes noticed Maria's restlessness and tried to cheer her up by promising to grant whatever wish she wanted. "I would like to be able to walk like the humans," she asked in earnest. The King of Fishes replied, "I will grant your request to walk like the humans but only while the moon is full." And so it was that Maria was able to walk on the "pampang" during full moon. It was during one of her walks that she stumbled upon a young man who was walking alone in the night. She was not aware of her nakedness and the man was surprised to see her. He didn't seem to mind her nakedness too but instead asked her who she was, and where she was going. That was the start of the friendship between Maria and her male acquaintance whose name she later discovered as Ramon. Unbeknownst to her, he was in fact, a siokoy - a male sea creature (merman) sent by the King of Fishes. Their friendship quickly blossomed into a romantic relationship and not long afterward, Maria conceived and gave birth to a healthy baby boy who looked very much like his father. They were very happy and would often swim together especially on bright moonlit nights. Maria forgot her sadness and was completely happy. One night when the full moon was incredibly bright yellow in color, Maria was aghast to see a crowd of fishermen gathering around a huge fishnet where to their surprise they have caught a most amazing creature - a boy covered with fish scales and terribly distraught. Maria hid herself behind the bushes where she saw the fishermen lift their prize catch to the shore. To her great shock and horror, they started to hit the creature with their paddles and sticks until the poor thing stopped moving. Maria saw everything but cannot believe what happened. They killed her little boy. Sometime at midnight, the people of the small fishing village were awakened by an eerie wailing coming from out of the sea. It was so haunting and spine-tingling that nary a soul was able to get to sleep for the rest of the night. The following morning, the villagers were shocked to discover the lifeless body of one of the fishermen along the seashore. His body bore scratch marks all over. He apparently drowned the night before while relieving himself after a drinking session with his friends. Thus the legend began of Maria Karamot as she was henceforth known because her victims bore scratch marks in their bodies. Every now and then, the sea will claim its next drowning victim for no logical explanation. Sometimes, excursionists and out-of-town vacationers will for no reason become the next unwitting victim of the pristine and inviting sea that carries with it the sorrows and pains of a grieving mother still trying to understand why her child was taken away from her. --------- Edgar Millan

Edgar Millan is a native of Olongapo City and presently residing in Leamington, Ontario with his wife Gemma. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1990 finishing B.S. Agriculture. He migrated to Canada in 1995 and presently works as a production manager for a Belgian company involved with biological systems. He is an aspiring freelance writer who with his wife is active in church and volunteers in worthwhile activities in their community. He is presently writing a collection of short stories and poems for future publication. Edgar is one of the three ZambalesForum (ZF2) discussion group moderators.

* I don't know who actually was the author of the story above. I found another source that Russel Quinto was the writer of the same story.

Actually, not only the people of Zambales claim they saw a mermaid in the sea. Well, the large part of the Philippines is water, so it is normal for people to hallucinate or make stories about sea-creatures in their place. And even, explaining mysteries in the water connecting it to some monsters in the sea, which might not exist.

Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/on4/zambalesforum/maria_karamot.htm
http://members.enchantedfolk.com/isabellasart/blog/cat/general *
[Picture from:]
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaf6CTugffv5nlUWNsM5MeXwk25NzeGpNYWWWHapgEKxWz7IiBJWPoGYy9S6BahyphenhyphengaPPx7pRVvsulgAiaYb8YkCuDup1rXcQmBK3d546p4YE3tsfmOZtXf4wa__HHbxFXWJg9mAKXEcM/s1600/zeemeermin.jpg

Mermaid in the Philippines

Philippines is an archipelago, with 7,107 islands, covering 115,831 square miles. Obviously, the country is surrounded by water - the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Sea and the Sulu Sea. Actually, by looking the map of the country, you'll notice that the widest area covering the nation is water, not the land itself. Well, it is also obvious that the people here believe in sirena (siren; mermaid) and siyokoy (merman). That's why, there are urban legends connected with the sea.

Stories

[Taken from Internet:]

It was believed by the folk that when a mermaid is captured (and held captive), it results in a big flood. After "Ondoy," it is said that more people went to the Manila Aquarium than usual to check whether a mermaid was, indeed, in one of the display tanks. Two friends who regularly go to Dumaguete, and one who lives there, also relate that when the seaside city went underwater from heavy rains four years ago, fishermen up and down the coast marched angrily to the Silliman Marine Science lab armed with oars. They were soon joined by farmers carrying pitchforks, whose farms had been inundated. They demanded the release of the mermaid that the marine biologists had purportedly been keeping in a tank (for study?). Poor director Alcala of the marine science department had to rush to the scene in his pajamas to open the tank area! Only then would the folk believe that there was no mermaid imprisoned there. In Dagupan, Pangasinan, a mermaid statue with a fountain used to be in front of the old City Hall until it was torn down during a remodeling. "Mermaids were part of our childhood and our history," says Norma Liongoren. "The rivers criss-crossing Dagupan were said to be her tears. The sirena was the bogey we were frightened with to make us obey." One of the Hundred Islands of Alaminos was the location of the first "Jezebel" movie (which has had many incarnations). A mermaid statue still exists there. Legends about mermaids are prevalent all over the Philippines. As in Angono, sightings are still reported-of a mermaid with long hair, perched on a rock, luring sailors and swimmers with her singing, then drowning them. (The dugong, says John I. Teodoro, with its hairy body, looks very much like a fat mermaid.) A science (?) education (?) building under construction had a glass dome, it was rumored, to become the tank for a sirena. This was a news in yahoo.com by Gilda Cordero-Fernando in Manila/Philippine Daily Inquirer | Asia News Network – Sun, Dec 18, 2011 Here she summarized the urban legends about the mermaids captured here in the country.

Merman / Mermaid Carcass Found on Beach Emailed photos purportedly show the carcass of a merman (or mermaid) washed up on a beach variously said to be located in Venda, South Africa; Cebu, The Philippines; Malaysia; and Fort Desoto Beach, Florida. Description: Viral images Circulating since: July 2006 Status: Fake Example: Email contributed by Anil R., Aug. 24, 2006: Fwd: FW: believe it or not Good morning all.............. THIS IS FOUND IN THE PHILIPPINES SHORE OF SORSOGON. AND THIS IS FOR REAL, WE DO HAVE THIS KIND OF CREATURES IN THE PHILIPPINES. BELIEVE OR NOT ITS UP TO YOU!!!!! This creature was found along the shores of Sorsogon.

Mermaids were very controversial. No one knows the truth if they definitely live or they were just a product of imagination and folklore. Many say they're real but some says they don't. The AAH (Aquatic Ape hypothesis) is one explaining the origin of these creatures. That, some time in the past, some of our ancestors adopted the wet area than the dry ones. It also explains the possibility that some of our body parts were connected with them. Example, our hairless body, unlike the other terrestrial mammals, we're not covered with fur, just like the other mammals who evolved from aquatic ancestors, and even with dolphins and whales. There were many explanations, though I can't enumerate and explain them clearly.

Actually, their was this rumor from overseas, about the Discovery Channel's documentary concerning mermaids which was entitled Mermaid: The Body Found. It was a part of Animal Planet's Monster Week. Although, this is not connected to the legend I had posted above, still it deals with mermaid. This is for the sake of the other people who haven't heard or read the truth yet. [Click Here[1][2]]

Source:
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippine-urban-legends-093005285.html
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_merman_carcass.htm

Sigbins are the cure for AIDS

About

The Sigbin is a mythical creature that's more popular in Visayas and Mindanao. Old folks say that the sigbin walks backwards with its head tucked between its hind legs and that it "resembles a hornless goat, emits a very nauseating smell and possess a pair of very large ears which are capable of clapping like a pair of hands." They also say that it ventures out of its lair during Holy Week in order to "look for children that it will kill for the heart, which is made into an amulet." For some reason, the story about it being the cure for AIDS spread like wildfire in the late 1990s even if nobody really knew what a sigbin looked like. Some drawings actually make it look like a kangaroo.

Story

Rich government officials in Mindanao who lived in mansions or large estates were believed to be raising sigbins. They were accused of being too greedy to share the wealth with the people. The blood of the sigbin, its meat, or its oil was supposed to cure AIDS within seconds.

Fact

There are no words to explain just how ridiculous this story sounds and the fact that many people actually went sigbin hunting. Many hapless people who wanted to make a fortune by catching the animal that would cure AIDS were said to have been shown pictures of albino animals that the con men passed off as genuine sigbins. Many of those who wanted to try their luck at sigbin hunting were asked to pay a fee for the privilege of being part of the sigbin hunting group.

Sources:

http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/41192/urban-legends-that-drove-pinoys-crazy

The Robinsons' Half-Human Half-Snake

The belief of a snake twin is very old, way back 17th century, when Fray Ignacio Francisco Alzina's 1668 History of the Bisayan Islands mentioned about it. Remember Amaya - the main character in GMA Channel 7's TV series entitled Amaya herself? The idea of snake twin of Amaya came from him.

While for Chinese, snakes are good-luck charms for businesses, that's the reason why some of them keep snakes in their house, more especially in bodega. Well, animals should be fed. (You'll know what I mean.)

An undying famous Philippine urban legend rose from no where. It was about a half-human half-snake son of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese tycoon. The rumor started sometime in the mid or late 1980s and sometime in 1990s (but these dates are not absolute). It made a stir in the public and it's still existing in the present Filipinos' minds. Because of the legend, Filipinos avoided going to the said mall and even in other different malls. Whenever, they need to go there, people avoided going to the fitting rooms.

The Legend

[Metro Manila Legend:]

A famous Filipino-Chinese tycoon had twin children - the one was a normal baby girl, and the other was a strange humanoid creature. It was said that this baby is a half-human and half-snake. No one knows what it trully looks like, if the upper or lower limb is either a snake or human. They hid it from other human's eyes to protect the family's reputation and to protect the child himself. They even pay those people who saw him to put it in secret. The child fed in animals' fresh meat, not in humans' at first. But one time, he tasted a human blood and he seemed to like it. He grew inside their house without any problem; however, he grew in an enormous size that the house's space is not enough to support him. In addition, his appetite to human flesh became very dangerous. Thus, a plan was made to still hide him from human's hazardous attitude. The plan was to create a shopping mall in the city with a very large chamber under it that can support the creature. The architects who constructed the secret dungeon was hired from abroad. He was placed there after the completion of the building. And for feeding him, few of the girl's dressing rooms was customized. Some spy cameras were installed in those fitting rooms, and the floors are remote-controlled that can be opened by someone handling the remote. Or should I say, girl's dressing rooms are traps. According to rumors, the creature was enamoured with beautiful women, thus only pretty girls were victimized. Some sale's ladies were rumored to vanish suddenly. Their parents went to the mall to find out and ask them where their daughters go, and why they didn't go home anymore. Their managers just replied they don't know. When they checked the time cards of the lost employees, they found out that they didn't go out of there work yet. No one knows what happened next. One day, a beautiful actress happened to go in the said mall for shopping. Unfortunately, she entered the wrong dressing room, and the creature saw her and fell in-love with her. He opened the floor so he can have her. Luckily, she didn't slid straightly to the creature's hands, though she saw him, she was able to escape from the nightmare. The media learned her bad fate in the said mall and she was flocked by newscasters. One TV show made an interview with her asking about the incident, but before she was able to answer the question, the TV show was cut on air. When it came back, the actress was no where in the show anymore. Because she survived such bad fate, the father of the creature ordered their lawyer to settle the case. They paid the actress a lot of money and told her to go out of country till the news was forgotten by the public. Starting that day, her mouth was shut for answering queries about the same subject. Another actress was victimized. She was unlucky because she slid directly to the creature. The actress was one of the famous celebrity that time. Because of it, the father ordered someone to change her face to the face of the celebrity, so no one will wonder and question her sudden disappearance. The creature lived a long life and he died with public not knowing him.

The above story was a reconstruction of the rumored story of the Robinson's Half-human Half-snake. But before I give the rumored names of the above characters, here's the short story of another version.

[Metro Davao Legend:]

According to legend, there was this pregnant woman who was cursed for unknown reason. They went to Davao City for safe living. She gave birth to twin children - the other one was a normal baby, while the other one was a half-human half-snake. In spite of the child's strange and horrible appearance, they still accepted the baby. Both grew in a secret life; however, when the monster grew up, it became gluttonous. It always find something to eat. But because the family owns a department store in Davao, they imprisoned it under the fitting rooms so that whoever enters on it will be victimized.

The two versions were actually identical, except that in the Metro Manila version the legend was added up with some spice. I can't find a reliable source telling who among the two is the first to spread, but other source claimed it was the Metro Davao version.

The Rumored Names

According to legend, the famous Filipino-Chinese tycoon and family was Mr. John Gokongwei, owner of Robinsons and Universal Robina Corporation. He was the rumored father of this creature. Its twin sister was Robina Gokongwei, the daughter of John Gokongwei.

The actress number one who escaped from the terrible fate was Miss Alice Dixon. During that time, she's in the peak of her popularity. Accordingly, she was paid to go out of country, and she lived in Canada. There is no assurance if the story about Alice is real or not, but the fact that she's silent about the issue, makes it speculative. Alice Dixon never confirmed this story in every interviewed about it.

The lawyer allegedly hired to settle the affair was Atty. Solicitor Frank Chavez.

The actress number two was Miss Rita Avila. The Rita Avila we see on TV was allegedly fake and the true her was is dead.

The mall was named Robinsons Galleria in Ortegas. Other rumor has it that Robinsons Place Manila was the correct mall. Another one has it, that the mall was the one at the corner of Boni and EDSA. It was not named, and I would prefer not to name it.

Accordingly, the foreigners who were hired to create a plan for a secret chamber came from Germany and Great Britain.[1]

Variations

Like other famous urban legends out there, it also has variation of stories.

The reason why the R of the Robinson's logo is in the shape of a snake.

Instead of a spy camera installed in the fitting rooms, the mirrors were allegedly one-way windows, from which the snake-man could view its prey before activating the trap door.

An earlier story has it that the Gokongwei son, Mr. Lance Gokungwei was the twin of the snake, not Robina herself.

Mr. Lance Gokungwei, rumored to have scales in his arms.

The half-human half-snake was not actually John Gokunwei's son, but only his pet.

Other version said that it was actually not a monster, but just a giant snake - a python or boa perhaps.

Others

I am not sure with this, but people said, the tabloid news papers really started to spread this story. I also found this which could help us identify the time when this rumor started to spread:

[Taken from Internet:[2]]

She hatched in the dank Basements of our gullibility, Warmed in the gasp of our telling. Curling in the tongues Of housewives and clerks. We gave her a body half-serpent, Half-voluptuary, and a taste For maidens and movie stars Who began to vanish mysteriously Behind the curtains of boutique Fitting rooms and water closets, Never to be seen again, Or only to be found in the parking Cellars, wandering dazed Into the headlights of shoppers' cars. How she fed on our thirst For wonders, fattened on our fear Of vacant places. Slowly We embelished the patterns On her scales and admired The sinuous grace of her spine. Avidly we filled our multifarious Hungers at belly, and lapped The marvelous tales of her forked Tongue. And as the gleaming temples Of her worship rose in the midst Of our squalor, how we trembled At the seduction of her voice, O what adoring victims we became. -----------Marne L. Kilates, January 23, 1993

The poem is impressive.

Afterword

I would prefer not say anything about this. I cannot even approve if its existence is true or not. It's up to you if you wanted to believe it or just ignore it. If at first, I told you it wasn't true, now I'm in between but I don't really believe on it.

By the way, the Robinsons Galleria was built in 1990. It was said that the urban legend circulated some time in 1980. But to my research, the rumor really started in the early 1990s in Metro Manila - not 1980s. As you notice, 1990 is in the middle of the years 1980s and 1990s. If it's true that the rumor originated from Davao, then the legend possibly started to spread in 1980s.

Actually, this urban legend created another urban legend from itself.

The first one is about the two-way mirrors of the dressing rooms. According to rumor, behind those two-way mirrors are lecherous people watching someone, instead of the rumored monster.

The second one is about the origination of the rumor. No one knows who really started this legend. But according to an urban legend, the rumor was started by UP (University of the Philippines) Diliman Mass Communication Department to scientifically study how fast the rumors could spread. They actually spread many rumors, but this one became popular.[2]

Last Updated: February 03, 2014

Sources:
[1] Contributed by: Andrew Barrientos
[2] http://www.reddit.com/r/Philippines/comments/1g18fh/filipino_urban_legends/
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2363214.aspx
http://www.gl3nnx.net/blog/urban-story/robinsons-galleria-snake-a-half-snake-half-human.htm
Roseann Coscolluela
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippine-urban-legends-093005285.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinsons_Galleria

A jellyfish attack causes a Luzon-wide blackout

Jellyfish is not actually a fish but a soft-bodied, stinging sea animal. Well, I think, explanation about what jellyfish is is not needed anymore.

By the way, the event really happened. It is true that jellyfishes caused a massive black out in the Philippines. What brought it here is the rumors.

The Story

On the night of December 10, 1999, most of Luzon's lights went out, especially NCR (National Capital Region) or more commonly known as Metro Manila. Some 40 million people abruptly lost power. Malls full of Christmas shoppers plunged into darkness. Holiday parties ground to a halt. President Joseph Estrada, meeting with senators at the time, endured a tense ten minutes before a generator restored the lights, while the public remained in the dark until the cause of the crisis was announced, and dealt with, the next day.

The reason of the black out is a large number of jellyfish (50 truck loads of jellyfishes) which was sucked in a cooling pipes of a coal-fired power plant, causing a cascading power failure.

The Rumor

Rumor has it that the jellyfish were giant mutant ones.

It was the height of President Joseph "Erap" Estrada's notoriety so a lot of people thought that another coup d' etat was brewing.

Some also thought it was the early manifestation of the Y2K Bug.

Sources:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/40th-anniversary/Jellyfish-The-Next-Kings-of-the-Sea.html?c=y&page=1
http://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/41192/urban-legends-that-drove-pinoys-crazy

Cat - As the Main Ingredient of Siopao

Fact

Cat meat is eaten as part of uncommon cuisines of Cantonese in China, Vietnam, and some rural Swiss cultures. In desperate times, people of other areas have been known to resort to cooking and eating cats. Cat meat was eaten, for example, during the famine in the Siege of Leningrad. In 1996, a place that served cat meat was supposedly discovered by the Argentine press in a shanty town in Rosario, but in fact the meal had been set up by media from Buenos Aires.

Legend

In the Philippines, there is an urban legend (and also considered a joke) that some vendors use cat meat to make siopao (steamed bun), leading some Filipinos to name their pet cats "Siopao". The story tells that one of the restaurants in Quiapo, Manila City was caught throwing cut heads and body parts of street cats at the back. Some versions also said that they actually saw them cooking it. This urban legend began way back during the Japanese time when there was a scarcity of meat and lots of cats on the street.

Interpretation

The urban legend is just a kind of business technique of winning customers' favor over the said restaurant above, thus they told false stories circulated in the city.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo_food_and_drink#Cats
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/philippine-urban-legends-093005285.html