A meeting suddenly shifted focus on buangs (mentally ill) when an old resident of Burgos Street in Tagbilaran City asked everyone of us for ten pesos. I was amused because they also gave him the money. Interested, I asked the group who was the man and why were they shelling out tens.They gave me this story instead.
Myth- The big acacias in Burgos Street (now Venancio Inting Avenue) in Tagbilaran City were occupied by engkantos of different kinds. A familiar story told amongst residents was whenever the roots of the trees extend to the houses in the area, somebody from that house would lose his mind.
Fact- Burgos Street is the home of the original drug addicts in Tagbilaran. Long before drug addiction is considered a nuisance, some of these people have concocted unimaginable drinks to get high. One story they told me is a lapad of gasoline mixed with one liter Sprite will bomb you out. Of course the katsobong is no longer fashionable but they mixed it with another potent ingredient.
Creepy, indeed.
