Woman crawls out of drain, smiles — leaves crowd stunned and internet shook

The Sun

6 days ago

IN a scene straight out of a horror film, a young woman stunned pedestrians and motorists in Makati City on May 26 when she emerged from a storm drain, covered in dirt and dressed in a soiled outfit.
The surreal moment, captured by street photographer William (@iammrthirty on Instagram), has since gone viral across social media.
The incident occurred around 5pm at a busy street corner in Manila's financial district. According to William, the woman crawled out of a wide storm drain wearing a dirty dress and denim shorts, her hair tangled and streaked with grime.
'She ran past me, the military guy in pursuit. A few pedestrians, motorcyclists, and even the traffic enforcer just stood there—stunned, confused, maybe even a little amused,' he recalled.
His photos show the woman smiling before dashing away, followed by a man in a military-style uniform. Shared by GMA News and widely circulated on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, the images have amassed nearly two million views within days.
When William revisited the location later, he discovered local authorities had begun repaving the area. Despite the repair efforts, questions lingered about the origin of the canal.
Describing the canal as 'almost as big as some rental rooms in the city,' William noted a pipe large enough for a person to crawl through.
Local officials admitted they were uncertain where the pipe beneath the catch basin led, raising concerns about the extent of Makati's underground labyrinth.
City officials suspect the woman could be among the many homeless individuals seeking refuge in Metro Manila's hidden underground networks.
'These streets carry stories we rarely acknowledge. There are people literally living in the cracks of this city,' William reflected.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) later confirmed the woman, identified only as 'Bibe,' was located and brought to their Pag-abot Processing Center in Pasay City.
She is now under the department's care as they assess her situation.