EPISODE 2: The Empty Chair at the Palatial Feast

The Palace sits heavy with history — and maybe something more. Tonight on Stories Philippines, we pull up a chair to Malacañang: a house of colonial beginnings, opulent banquets, whispered late-night councils, and the endless cycle of power that left wounds no architecture could hide. From the Empty Chair in the Ceremonial Hall to a Weeping Lady on the river-facing balcony, from Tikbalang-like hoofbeats along the old walls to EMF spikes in the Presidential Study, this episode asks: when the weight of history becomes unbearable, do its ghosts stay behind the curtains of power?Join me, Paul, as we trace the Palace’s passages — its colonial origins, the scandals and sorrow of modern administrations, the staff who witnessed strange phenomena, and the folklore and theology that give those phenomena meaning. We’ll weigh scientific explanations like infrasound and suggestion against cultural beliefs about pamana, spiritual debt, and communal sin. Is the Empty Chair proof of unfinished business, a moral indictment, or simply the echo of a nation’s conscience?DISCLAIMER 📢This episode might be ad-supported. You can support us by subscribing for as little as $5 a month on our Patreon page or through Apple Podcast Subscriber-Only Audio. 🎉Subscription Benefits 🌟Ad-free weekly podcastExclusive podcast promosEarly access to select episodes👉 Check our Patreon👉 Or subscribe using the Apple Podcasts appThank you so much for your generosity! 🙏Connect with Us📱Visit us on FacebookEpisode SponsorsNoota: The best transcription and AI Meeting Zoom alternative!Sign Up here