Description

Season 4 • Episode 3 — The Traveler’s Mark.

Please be advised: this episode explores themes some listeners will find profoundly disturbing — abduction, loss, and the exploitation of the vulnerable. Proceed with caution and take care of yourself as the tale unfolds.

A white van rolls through the empty streets at midnight, headlights briefly slicing the dark. To some it’s just a vehicle. To parents awake with worry, it becomes a question that won’t leave them: What does fear look like when you can’t see its face?

Jessica investigates the modern Philippine legend of the Manunupot (also known as Waway), the “taker in the white van.” Through firsthand accounts, local memories from Tondo and Pampanga, and a look at how rumors harden into folklore, the episode asks whether the legend protects communities or distracts them from deeper issues. Listeners hear how fear travels—via text threads, parent warnings, barangay patrols—and how real crimes, moral panics, and older superstitions converge into one chilling narrative. The story ultimately questions how communities can stay vigilant without turning suspicion into harm.

Listen for haunting eyewitness recollections, cultural context from the 1990s spike in disappearances, and the ways a single rumor became social glue and social fracture. This is a story about missing children, community vigilance, and the price of living with fear.

If this episode resonates with you, share your memories and family legends — submit them to storiesphpodcast@gmail.com. Find show notes, support options, and exclusive content links in the description.

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