Ed Caluag

Ed Caluag is a Filipino paranormal investigator and exorcist renowned for his expertise in supernatural phenomena, including ghost sightings, poltergeist activities, and exorcisms. He has gained national prominence through frequent television appearances, particularly on GMA Network's Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), where he conducts on-site investigations of haunted locations and assists individuals tormented by paranormal encounters.^[1] Born into a poor family as the son of a carpenter, Caluag endured a challenging childhood marked by polio and rheumatic heart disease, which left him bedridden and isolated at home for two years without access to medical care. At age seven, while watching other children play from his rocking chair, he began befriending invisible companions, only to later realize—through his mother's inability to see them—that these were spirits. This early exposure to the unseen world shaped his lifelong sensitivity to paranormal entities.^[1] Facing bullying and skepticism for sharing his experiences, Caluag taught himself Latin to perform protective rituals and spells, transforming his abilities from a source of fear into a tool for helping others. After working as an elementary school teacher for a decade, he transitioned into full-time paranormal investigation, achieving viral fame with KMJS episodes such as a 2019 probe of a haunted ship in Siquijor and explorations of sites like Manila City Hall. He views his gift as both a blessing and a burden, emphasizing empathy and understanding in his work rather than judgment.^[1] Caluag remains active in the field, offering insights on phenomena like doppelgangers—etheric doubles that mimic the living—and poltergeists capable of manipulating objects, as seen in his ongoing media contributions.^[2]

Early life and education

Childhood and family background

Ed Caluag was born in Malolos City, Bulacan, into a modest family in the Philippines, where he was the son of a carpenter whose trade supported the household in a provincial environment.^[1] Neighbors affectionately referred to him as "Boyet" during his childhood.^[1] In this setting, Caluag's early years were influenced by the rich tradition of local folklore and supernatural tales prevalent in his surroundings, fostering an initial fascination with the unseen world. He recounted playing with invisible companions as a child, experiences that hinted at his budding sensitivity to paranormal phenomena and set the stage for his lifelong interest in such matters.^[1] These formative encounters occurred during his health challenges.

Health challenges

Ed Caluag was diagnosed with polio during his childhood, a condition that severely limited his mobility and confined him to his home for approximately two years.^[1] The disease caused significant pain and difficulty in walking, often leaving him reliant on a rocking chair for support and preventing him from engaging in typical play with peers.^[3] Due to his family's poverty, no formal medical treatment was available; instead, his mother provided basic care using traditional remedies such as orange juice and wiping his body with wet towels to alleviate symptoms.^[1]^[3] Later in childhood, Caluag was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease, which compounded his physical vulnerabilities and further restricted his activities without access to professional medical intervention.^[1]^[4] These untreated conditions resulted in lasting mobility impairments, including ongoing challenges with walking that persisted into adulthood.^[3] The health struggles fostered emotional isolation, as Caluag was unable to join other children, leading to feelings of loneliness and bullying from peers who dismissed his experiences with unseen entities.^[1]^[3] Despite this, he developed resilience, later viewing his perseverance as a source of inner strength; he had foreseen his father's death by choking on a mango but was unable to prevent it.^[3] His family's support, though constrained by financial hardship, centered on his mother's dedicated home care, which emphasized emotional encouragement alongside the limited folk remedies.^[1] These early illnesses heightened his sensitivity to spiritual forces, as he began interacting with supernatural playmates during periods of confinement.^[1]

Academic achievements

Ed Caluag pursued higher education with determination, completing a Bachelor of Elementary Education that equipped him with the foundational knowledge for his teaching career. This academic pursuit allowed him to develop skills in pedagogy and classroom management, essential for his future role as an educator.^[5]^[3] Despite facing health challenges from an early age, Caluag excelled in his studies and attained the status of a licensed professional teacher, a certification required for practicing educators in the Philippines. This achievement marked a significant milestone, validating his perseverance and commitment to the field of education. His certification affirmed his competence in elementary education principles and practices.^[6] During his academic journey, Caluag engaged in practical training that honed his instructional abilities.^[1]

Professional career

Teaching profession

After graduating with a degree in education, Ed Caluag entered the teaching profession as an elementary school teacher in the Philippines.^[1] He focused on elementary education topics, delivering lessons in core subjects such as language, mathematics, and social studies to young students.^[5] Over time, he expanded his role to include high school teaching, serving in both capacities until 2010.^[7] As a licensed professional teacher, Caluag was recognized for his formal qualifications and commitment to education, though specific awards are not documented in public records.^[5] He employed straightforward, engaging methods to foster student understanding, drawing on his background to create relatable classroom experiences. However, early in his career, he began incorporating informal explanations of supernatural phenomena encountered in daily life, which occasionally blurred the lines between his teaching duties and personal interests.^[1] Balancing his teaching responsibilities with emerging paranormal activities proved challenging, as Caluag often experienced visions and auditory messages during school hours that disrupted his focus. He described the difficulty: "Mahirap kasi pagsabayin yung nagtuturo ka pero may nakikita ka, at may mga naririnig ka, may mga nare-receive kang messages na 'di ko naintindihan," highlighting the time management strains that ultimately led him to leave teaching in 2010 for full-time paranormal work.^[5]^[7] This period marked a transitional phase before his media prominence, where his pedagogical skills later aided in demystifying paranormal concepts for broader audiences.

Establishment of paranormal expertise

Following his childhood experiences and the death of his father, which Caluag had foreseen in a vision, he pursued self-directed training to harness his abilities. He independently studied Latin to perform protective spells and rituals, developing skills in spiritual healing and exorcism through personal experimentation and reading on paranormal topics.^[1] This phase of self-training evolved from private applications, where he used his gifts to heal individuals and resolve minor supernatural disturbances in his community, gradually building confidence in his role as a psychic consultant.^[1] In the early 2000s, Caluag founded the Philippine Paranormal Experts Society (PPES), focusing on investigations and exorcisms. He formalized his expertise by establishing the Paranormal and Wellness Solution, an institution dedicated to paranormal investigations, spiritual healing, and wellness practices, marking a structured approach to his work.^[5] Complementing this, he trained as an acupuncturist to integrate physical and spiritual healing methods. His transition from elementary school teaching to full-time paranormal investigation occurred after abandoning his educational career in 2010, driven by a commitment to apply his abilities professionally and help those affected by supernatural issues.^[5] This pivot was supported by his disciplined background in education, which informed the organized methods he employed in paranormal consultations.^[1]

Notable investigations and exorcisms

One of Ed Caluag's prominent investigations occurred at Manila City Hall in 2018, where he examined reports of strange occurrences including falling books, apparitions, and unexplained noises in the historic building constructed in 1941. Employing a dowsing rod to detect spiritual energies, Caluag first identified the presence of a deceased former employee and remnants of Japanese soldiers from World War II, before focusing on a female poltergeist in the clock tower revealed through a séance conducted with an administrative aide acting as medium. Candles were lit to signal peaceful intent and seek permission from the entities, aligning with his approach of respectful communication before intervention. Through prayers and guided dialogue during the séance, Caluag facilitated the female spirit's transition to the afterlife, attributing her unrest to wartime trauma where she was reportedly assaulted and discarded; post-investigation, affected areas reported fewer disturbances.^[8] In 2019, Caluag investigated a reported "ghost ship" off the coast of Siquijor, known locally as tayog-tayog, following accounts from residents and fishermen of a mysterious vessel appearing at night and vanishing upon approach. Collaborating with local authorities including the Philippine Coast Guard, he observed the phenomenon from a speedboat near the lighthouse, noting the ship's unnatural speed and sudden disappearance as it neared, consistent with eyewitness testimonies but without direct contact. This case highlighted his reliance on on-site observation and coordination with official bodies rather than invasive tools, underscoring the challenges of maritime anomalies in Philippine folklore. While no physical evidence was captured, the investigation corroborated the ship's elusive nature and contributed to public awareness of regional supernatural lore.^[9] A notable exorcism case involved assisting with alleged demonic possessions at Occidental Mindoro National High School in 2019, where 14 students exhibited symptoms such as convulsions, speaking in unknown languages, and aggressive behavior, leading to class suspensions. Caluag was called in after initial church prayers failed to resolve recurring incidents, using his expertise to identify malevolent influences and perform rituals to expel the entities, including invocations and protective prayers tailored to possession dynamics. The interventions, conducted in coordination with school and religious authorities, resulted in the students' stabilization and return to normalcy, with no further outbreaks reported; this marked one of his direct involvement in mass possession scenarios.^[10] Caluag's methodologies, blending indigenous Filipino spiritual practices with Western paranormal tools like dowsing rods and séances, emphasize non-confrontational engagement—such as lighting candles for permission and using Latin incantations for protection—before escalating to exorcism rites involving prayers and entity negotiation. In possession cases, he prioritizes assessing the entity's intent and origin, often incorporating holy water and crucifixes alongside psychological evaluation to differentiate supernatural from medical causes. Documented evidence from his investigations, including video footage of spirit responses and energy readings, has been archived through his Philippine Paranormal Experts Society (PPES) for research purposes. Over time, Caluag's investigative style has evolved from solo fieldwork in the early 2000s, rooted in personal psychic experiences, to more structured, media-supported operations by the 2010s, incorporating team collaborations and advanced recording equipment for verifiable outcomes. Early cases focused on haunted residences in rural Philippines, using intuitive sensing, while recent efforts integrate scientific skepticism, such as consulting historians for contextual validation, as seen in WWII-linked hauntings. This progression reflects his adaptation to public scrutiny and technological advancements, maintaining a success rate in resolutions where entities are either appeased or expelled without harm.

Media and public appearances

Ed Caluag first rose to prominence in Philippine media through his recurring role as a paranormal consultant on the GMA Network's Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), debuting in an October 2018 episode where he analyzed supernatural claims.^[11] Since then, he has appeared frequently on the show throughout the 2010s and 2020s, investigating viewer-submitted cases of hauntings and possessions in segments such as Gabi ng Lagim and Bato-Bato Sa Langit, often using specialized equipment to detect spiritual presences.^[1] These appearances, including a viral 2019 two-part special on a suspected ghost ship in Siquijor, established him as a household name in discussions of the occult.^[1] Beyond KMJS, Caluag has featured on other GMA programs, such as the January 11, 2020, episode of Magpakailanman titled Sa Aking Mga Mata: The Ed Caluag Story, hosted by Mel Tiangco, which profiled his journey into paranormal expertise.^[12]^[13] His media presence extends to endorsements of supernatural-themed content, notably approving the authenticity of paranormal elements in the 2024 film Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital.^[14] In recent years, Caluag expanded his reach via digital platforms, launching the YouTube channel @EdCaluagOfficial around 2020 to share original content.^[15] The channel, centered on the series The Ed Files, features full-length videos of investigations, exorcism explanations, and spiritual advice, amassing over 183,000 subscribers and millions of views as of November 2025 through themes of entity identification and afterlife communication.^[15] He has also engaged in public interviews, including a November 1, 2025, episode of Toni Talks where he recounted personal encounters with malevolent spirits.^[16]

Personal life

Relationships and family

Ed Caluag was previously married and has children from that marriage, though he maintains privacy regarding them. He has been in a long-term relationship with his partner, Mira Belle, for over seven years as of November 2025. The couple's partnership was publicly revealed during Caluag's appearance on the GMA Network cooking show Lutong Bahay in October 2024, where he introduced Mira for the first time to host Mikee Quintos.^[17] Prior to this, Caluag had kept his personal life private amid his high-profile career as a paranormal investigator.^[18] In interviews, Caluag has shared intimate details about their bond, noting that Mira appeared in his recurring dreams during high school and college, where he recognized her by her distinctive hair and build despite her face being blurred. He describes their relationship as deeply fulfilling, with Mira affirming their strong connection and mutual happiness after over seven years together. Caluag expresses affection through simple gestures, such as preparing coffee for Mira in the mornings, a routine that highlights their everyday companionship.^[19]^[18] While Caluag maintains privacy regarding extended family involvement, he has occasionally referenced his father's influence on his life, including sharing family recipes like Ginataang Ayungin during public appearances with Mira. Their relationship provides a stable foundation that supports Caluag's demanding schedule, though specific details on balancing paranormal investigations and media commitments with family life remain undisclosed in available accounts.^[17]^[1]

Beliefs and spiritual practices

Ed Caluag views clairvoyance, often referred to as the "third eye," as a divine gift rather than a curse, emphasizing that individuals awakening to such abilities should embrace them without fear. He attributes this sensitivity to a higher power, describing it as a blessing from the Maykapal (Creator), which aligns with his Filipino Catholic-influenced worldview. This perspective stems from his early life experiences, where sensitivities to the spiritual realm first manifested during childhood health challenges.^[5] In his understanding of the spiritual realm, Caluag believes the afterlife involves spirits of the deceased who can manifest in the physical world as ghosts, appearing in various forms to interact with the living. He distinguishes between ordinary ghosts, which are remnants of departed souls, and more disruptive poltergeists capable of causing physical disturbances, such as object movement, as well as doppelgangers or etheric doubles of living individuals that project as apparitions. These entities, he asserts, are active year-round, though societal focus intensifies around occasions like Undas due to heightened collective awareness.^[2] Caluag integrates elements of Catholic spirituality into his approach, incorporating prayers and rituals like lighting candles during spiritual engagements to invoke protection and guidance. This blend reflects broader Filipino folk traditions, where Catholic rites coexist with indigenous beliefs in ancestral spirits and the unseen world, forming the foundation for his ethical stance on respecting spiritual boundaries in investigations.^[11]