My family and I celebrate Holy Week (for non-Catholics, holy week is where we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) in my dad's province in Quezon. We have a beach house there and we only get to go and stay there during holy week.
Back in 2006, my family and I went there with my cousins from my mother's side of the family. Since this is the first time that my cousins went to our beach house we decided to have fun while contemplating on our sins. On Good Friday, we decided to build a bonfire by the beach and drink a couple bottles of beer. We were also talking about funny stories when my cousin asked me if there are ghosts in the area. I said I don't know and I said let's see. So I said "Kung may multo talaga dito, magblack out nga" (If there ghosts here, there would be a blackout).
Right after I said that, all the lights in the two houses went out, not only the lights also the electricity. The only light that we had was the bonfire. Then suddenly it became very cold, and I know that it wasn't the wind (My cousins and I are very sensitive when it comes to paranormal things). Since we had beer that time, one my cousins taunted whatever or whomever put out the lights. He said "Magpakita ka sa amin kung meron talga" (Show yourself to us, if you really are true) Again we felt the temperature drop. I was so scared out of my wits that time, I was already crying when my cousin told me to stop because he told me that they get attracted to fear.
The whole time I was praying the Apostle's Creed but the feeling won't go, and I knew for a fact that there was one spirit beside me. My other guy cousin, who is the most sensitive of all when it comes to paranormal stuff decided that we pray the Apostle's Creed/Lord's Prayer in Latin so we all followed him.
After praying, I also apologized to the spirits that I've offended that night, and that I won't taunt them again. After 15 minutes or so, we all felt that the temperature went back to normal and all the lights/ electricity is back on again. The minute the power went on, we put off the bonfire, and we ran like crazy going back to the guest house.
I still have a lot of experiences, but I'll just share it next time.
I'm a believer in ghosts/spirits and have quite a lot of experience with them. I always try and find a logical explanation when physical things happen (Noises, movement etc). Sometimes I find an explanation, sometimes not.
I have relatives in the Philippines and my wife grew up on the Pacific coast. She's experienced paranormal in the form of noises, 18th century couples walking down the path in front of her house, floating torsos of ladies and even a glowing Spanish gallion with full sail rigging.
Last time we visited was 2001 and I myself along with many others experienced many strange things.
I do know that much of the power grid in the Philippines is extremely fragille and brown outs are very common. I've seen major load bearing electrical cables held together with carpenters "C" clamps and the power designed to handle one house be tied into several homes in a string.
I certainly don't mean to take anything away from your experience but I suspect the brown out was probably coincidence.
Your fear was very real and I agree with your friend that some spirits use fear to interact. Maybe the brown out was coincidence and something tried to use the fear opportunity the brown out provided.
Maybe I'm completely wrong but a possibility.
I find provinces in the Philippines to be a truly beautiful place populated by the most kind people in the world.
Something I find unique is the depth in which paranormal and folklore is deeply ingrained into society there. I'm -not- saying it's a bad thing but I do think the strong belief is the cause of many paranormal occurances.
I'm not saying the occurrences aren't real, contrary they can be quite profound. Who knows some of it may be the turmoil and suffering caused by the Spanish and Japanese occupation which the energy still remains.
Speculation, of course.
Thanks for your account from all your friends here in the U.S.