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Ed Caluag has become a trending name online for his television appearances, but few people know about him beyond the small screen. Who is Ed Caluag? KMJS goes up close and personal with the paranormal investigator.
Produced for the web by MARISSE PANALIGAN | March 3, 2019
NEIGHBORS CALLED HIM BOYET. He was the son of a carpenter. He was sickly as a child – suffered from polio and later diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease – but he never received any medical attention because his family was poor. The lack of treatment made his condition worse, but his family could not do anything beyond giving him a bottle of orange soda to drink and wiping him with a wet towel.
Ed’s illnesses kept him home for two years. His life revolved around sitting on a rocking chair by the window, watching the other kids play. Eventually he got bored of being a spectator, so started slipping out to find friends.
“Gusto ko talagang lumabas, gusto kong maglakad, gusto kong maging normal, gusto kong makipaglaro,” he says. “So unti-unti, pag wala ‘yung nanay ko, bumababa ako du’n sa aking rocking chair. Humahawak ako sa mga gilid, pinipilit kong maglakad. As in talagang struggle, as in talagang masakit, mahirap.”
Interestingly, it was not difficult for him to find playmates. He didn’t know who the children were, but he simply assumed they were his neighbors, so he played with them.
They became his friends.
Ed Caluag as a child.
One day, while Ed was playing with one of the kids, his mother called him to eat. He wanted to invite his friend for the meal, so he talked to his mother.
“Sabi ko, ‘Eh ‘yung bata dito na natin pakainin.’ Sabi niya, ‘Sinong bata?’ Wala naman daw bata,” he recalls.
That was the moment Ed realized he was not normal. He was seven years old.
“Natakot ako kasi nagtataka ako bakit ako lang ‘yung nakakakita, sila hindi, samantalang magkakasama kami, tinuturo ko sa kanila, hindi nila nakikita,” he says.
Other children — the real ones — were not as kind as his playmates. They would start bullying Ed, saying he had connections with ET, the iconic alien movie character. They accused him of making up scary stories.
But over time, Ed slowly began to accept his “abilities.” He even learned Latin to be able to cast spells. And instead of seeking revenge against the kids who bullied him, he decided to use his alleged powers to try to help other people, to heal the sick, even to save lives.
DESPITE HIS ALLEGED POWERS, Ed could not save everyone.
“May series of dreams akong nakikita,” he says. “Napapanaginipan ko ‘yung isang event na parang maraming tao tapos maraming ilaw tapos may kabaong tapos may mga tao akong nakikita hindi ko pa kilala. Tapos nakita ko ‘yung tatay ko nadala ng ospital. Nakita ko ‘yung tatay ko inuwi sa bahay. Nakita ko ‘yung tatay ko, hawak-hawak ko, namatay sa kamay ko.”
It was a vision. And then it all came true. Everything would happen, exactly as it Ed saw it. He apparently had the ability to see the future.
His father was happily eating a mango, and then he suddenly choked. Blood came out of his mouth. And then he was gone.
Ed was there. Ed saw it all again. But he was not able to do anything.
“Sana man lang kako hindi ko na siya pinakain ng mangga,” he says. “Naisip ko bakit pinabayaan ko pa siyang kumain?”
Filled with regret and consumed with guilt, Ed’s perspective on his abilities changed.
“Parang ang bigat-bigat sa akin na pakiramdam ko ako ‘yung reason bakit namatay ‘yung tatay ko,” he says. “Du’n na ako nag-start, nag-seek na ako, nagsimula na akong maghanap, ano ba ang meron sa akin? Ano ba ‘to? Ability ba ‘to? Curse ba ‘to?”
Eventually, Ed found the courage pick up his life after his father’s death. His relatives thought he would never amount to anything, but he proved them all wrong.
He became an elementary school teacher. He married and had children. He separated from his wife, but later found the love of his life.
Ed Caluag with his wife.
ED WOULD MAKE HIS MARK as a paranormal investigator on television, including appearances on KMJS segments Bato-Bato Sa Langit, Manila City Hall from Gabi Ng Lagim VI, and Palaka. But his life took another turn after a KMJS episode on a suspected ghost ship in Siquijor aired. He became a viral sensation as audiences were torn — some people made fun of him, while others were more sympathetic.
Amid all this, he does not harbor any resentment toward KMJS. He has also let all the bashing go, the same way he let go of all they bullying he experienced as a child.
“Gusto kong pasalamatan ‘yung mga bashers eh kasi sila din ‘yung naging reason bakit si Ed Caluag ay kilala up to Visayas, Luzon, kahit saan ako makarating,” he says. “Naglalakad ako du’n sa palengke wala namang pumapansin sa akin eh. Ngayon, kahit sasakay ako ng taxi biglang ‘yung taxi bubuksan yung pinto, ‘Sir, pa-picture naman.’”
A two-part special about a supposed ghost ship in Siquijor aired on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.
Ed says he will always stand by his findings in investigations of allegedly otherworldly events, even though his opinions will differ from that of other experts.
“Parang ‘pag nag-consult ka sa doctor, doctor terms ang ibibigay sa ‘yo. Pag nag-consult ka sa lawyer, lawyer terms ang ibibigay sa ‘yo. Pero since I’m a paranormal investigator so ‘yung terms ko is all about paranormal,” he says.
He says he doesn’t want to change his stand just to please everyone. But he appeals for understanding before people jump to judgments about what he does.
“Try ninyo munang alamin ano ba ang nasa likod namin bago kayo magsalita, bago kayo magsabi na mali kami, na palpak kami, hindi kami tama,” he says. “Kilalanin ninyo muna kami.”
