Laperal White House

The Laperal White House was constructed in the 1920s by Don Roberto Laperal, one of Baguio's most prominent businessmen and landowners. Designed as a lavish summer family residence, the Victorian-style estate featured high-grade native wood, ornate decorative gables, and expansive gardens opposite Teacher's Camp. The Laperal family spent quiet summers in the cool mountain resort city, hosting gatherings for local elites and visitors from Manila until the outbreak of World War II dramatically altered the house's fate.

During the Japanese occupation of Baguio in World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army garrisoned the mansion and converted it into a headquarters, interrogation center, and military outpost. Local residents, suspected guerrillas, and political prisoners were interrogated, tortured, and executed within the home's secret rooms and basement chambers under harsh wartime conditions. Following the war, the traumatized Laperal family returned briefly but eventually vacated the property due to dark memories associated with the residence. In 2007, Philippine tycoon Lucio Tan purchased the estate through Tan Yan Kee Foundation, meticulously restoring its wooden facade and reopening it to the public as a museum and gallery showcasing Filipino bamboo carving, local art exhibits, and cultural heritage.

Local folklore surrounding the Laperal White House is deeply tied to the war atrocities committed within its rooms during the 1940s Japanese occupation. Tense local tales describe how Japanese officers tortured suspected Filipino guerrillas and civilians in the dark basement rooms. It is said that several victims died slow, excruciating deaths, and their restless spirits remain permanently bound to the timber structural beams of the estate.

Another chilling legend centers on the Laperal family itself. According to neighborhood lore, a young girl from the family died in a tragic accident on the front lawn before WWII. Passersby along Leonard Wood Road late at night have claimed to see the spirit of a little girl standing near the front steps, holding a doll or peering through the upper window pane. Additionally, drivers passing the house after midnight report seeing a tall, mysterious woman dressed in white standing motionless under the garden pine trees, watching vehicles silently as they navigate the curve toward Wright Park. Local guards and caretakers also speak of a phantom gardener who tends to the lawns in the foggy early morning hours before vanishing into thin air when approached by observers.

Local residents also believe the spirit of Don Roberto Laperal still inspects his beloved home during midnight hours, ensuring that the restored woodwork remains in pristine condition.

A wide variety of supernatural occurrences have been reported by museum staff, security guards, and tourists at the Laperal White House over several decades. Caretakers have frequently reported hearing heavy footsteps walking across the second-floor wooden floors when the museum is completely closed, locked, and empty. The distinct sound of doors creaking open and slamming shut without any wind or physical intervention is also commonly observed throughout the upper floor hallways.

Taxi drivers traveling down Leonard Wood Road late at night frequently report seeing a pale white lady standing by the main gate or looking down from the attic windows. Inside the house, visitors have documented sudden drastic drops in temperature, unseen hands brushing against their shoulders, and an overwhelming feeling of being watched while viewing the art exhibitions. Mysterious shadows and anomalous glowing lights are regularly seen moving across empty rooms by night security personnel stationed on the estate.

The Laperal White House is an exquisite example of Victorian-influenced American colonial architecture adapted for the tropical mountain climate of Baguio. Built entirely from kiln-dried native timber, including premium narra and yakal wood, the two-story mansion features steep gabled roofs, decorative white wooden siding, and wide wrap-around verandas.

The interior features polished hardwood floors, ornate wooden staircase railings, high ceilings, and large bay windows designed to maximize natural light and ventilation. The basement level, constructed with reinforced concrete walls, served as the WWII holding area and cellar. The estate sits on a landscaped sloping lot framed by tall Baguio pine trees and manicured lawns.

The Laperal White House is open to visitors daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. An entry fee of approximately 50 to 100 PHP is charged at the gate, which grants access to the interior bamboo artwork galleries and historical exhibits. The house is conveniently located along Leonard Wood Road, directly across from Teacher's Camp and within short walking distance of Wright Park and the Mansion.

Public jeepneys and taxis pass frequently along Leonard Wood Road, making transportation straightforward. Visitors are asked to respect the art displays and refrain from touching the historic woodwork. Photography is allowed inside, though flash photography may be restricted near delicate exhibits.

The Laperal White House owes its haunted reputation to a combination of authentic wartime tragedy, striking Victorian aesthetics, and its prominent location on one of Baguio's busiest thoroughfares. Standing bright white against a backdrop of dark pine trees, the mansion visually commands attention. Countless eyewitness testimonies from local commuters and media coverage on Halloween television specials have solidified its position as one of the Philippines' most famous ghost-hunting destinations.