The stands of chicos trees in Compostela are a common sight.

Cebu Ocho. The island province of Cebu can be toured around in two days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Fishermen after a morning's catch find time to rest and enjoy the water in Danao City. Click on photo for larger image.

We woke early than usual for the roadtrip to the northern part of Cebu, the second and final leg in our attempt to tour the entire island via it’s coastal roads. It’s a much longer route, more rough and more interesting for me. Earlier, we did the southern end. This, I fondly call Cebu Ocho, in reference to the route we took that resembles the number 8.

Compared with the south, northern Cebu is the least developed and not as familiar. In the northwest side, some portions of the road are not paved and with the looming elections, work is underway. What it lacks in infrastructure, it compensates with it’s natural beauty. The simple and hardy Cebuano life is lived here with grace, humility and strength.

Children enjoying a dip at Danao's fish wharf. Click photo for a larger image.

The trip really starts once you get past the city of Mandaue and the town of Consolacion, and to some extent, Liloan where it’s just like any other populated place near the city. The beautiful stands of chicos trees distributed in patches along the highway in Compostela sets the tone. I can always remember the large brown fruits of the ponderosa variety, that came from this municipality during my childhood.

In Danao, the seascape is just stunning as fishermen go about their daily routine. Small bancas juxtapose with the larger fishing boats while the huge wooden motorized pumpboats arrive with their passangers and goods from Camotes islands. But you should be there early in the morning or else, such scenery is gone by noon. On a good day, the sea is placid casting an almost mirror image of the sky. Looking for handmade guns locally called paltik? You can’t find it bannered along the road unless you go to the hinterland barangays where it’s an underground and illegal industry.

Pristine, white sandy beaches is all your's for the taking in Daan Bantayan.

In Bogo's main plaza, this train, used to transport sugar from the fields to the processing plant, is on display. Click on photo for a larger image.

The town of Catmon brings you to roads that provides sheer drops to the sea before entering the rolling hills of Borbon and Tabogon. Winding and rising in elevation, the vehicle slows. Roll down your windows, shut the aircon and just enjoy the view and the fresh air before motoring back to flat land.

The pride of Bogo, Flash Elorde was a native son and in the city's museum, some of his memorabilia, including this belt, is on display. Click on photo for larger image.

North Cebu has the largest flat area in the province that is ideal for one major crop: sugar. It was introduced by the Spaniards during the late 19th century in the entire island that it became one of the top producer of the commodity competing with the then reigning queen, Iloilo. Today, the sugar industry is concentrated in this area.

When traveling the city of Bogo and the towns of Daan Bantayan, Medellin and San Remegio, you can be forgiven for thinking that you’re passing through Negros as a big swathe of land is transformed into sugarcane fields that seem to stretch out into the horizon. When it’s harvest season, sacadas are busy cutting and transporting the canes while before planting, hills are aflame to prepare the land.

Beyond the sugarfields, the beaches are in abundance and one can either chose to go to the many resorts or stop in some lonely sandy stretch. If it’s during weekdays, you can have it all to yourself. The north is also the gateway to the popular vacation islands of Bantayan and Malapascua.

The "pangpang" or cliff in Tapilon, Daan Bantayan where the original "bantayan sa hari" used to stand.

A word about Daan Bantayan. It’s the Cebuano phrase which translates to old watchtower. The municipality got it’s name from the bantayan sa hari, literally, the king’s watchtower or king’s sentinel. The stone structure used to stand above this hill in Tapilon overlooking the sea keeping watch of invading muslim slave raiders that ravaged the Philippine archipelago, and especially Cebu, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Unfortunately, I find it sad that the people in this town, especially the younger ones don’t know the significance of the hill or of the former watchtower. They don’t even know why their town is called Daan Bantayan even if it is in the municipal government’s logo. When I asked around, people just scratch their heads or give back blank stares. At the tourism office, you can’t find posted information about the etymology. All they have are images of Malapascua, other beaches and islands.

A gasoline station in Tabuelan. The fuel is sold by the liter but at a premium.

Life is simple and mundane as a man transports his goat in Tuburan. Click on photo for a larger image.

The road past San Remegio, into the municipality of Tabuelan is forlorn. Welcome to terra incognita. Okay, I might be saying it too much but it’s not really a big exaggeration. Just a small one. Well paved and a few bad roads are deserted with the occasional (and exasperating) Corominas Brothers, or the yellow Pesiao buses that ply the route.

Habalhabal motorcycles, are familiar transport here and you might find unconventional gasoline stations at the road. At first, you would be asking why they’re selling softdrinks in only one liter bottles and in different colors. If you ask for an ice cold one, laughs and grins greet as they tell you that these are gasoline. With fuel stations located only in the town centers of Tuburan and Asturias, you don’t have much option but to buy overpriced drinks for your vehicle.

Charcoal making in Asturias involves burning wood inside a mound of soil for six days. Click on photo for larger image.

Along the road, many surprises and curiosities pass that sometimes, you’ll just have to stop, take a photo or ask about it. In one instance, a man was transporting his goat atop his bike that I pulled over and snapped an image. In another, I got curious with what two men were doing under the shade of a mango tree tending a huge mound of earth with smoke coming from the ground. So that’s how they make charcoal!, I exclaimed after one explained it to me. In a shallow pit, chopped wood is put on fire and then covered with soil. For the next six days, yes, 6, they tend to this to get a consistent burn.

Mangroves are a common sight in Cebu especially at the northern part. In Asturias, this girl contented herself with staying on one of the trees while her playmates were enjoying the water.

A rest house on an isle a few meters from the coast in Asturias. On a clear day, northwestern Cebu provides a good view of Mt. Canlaon in Negros. Click on photo for larger image.

One thing that a traveler can readily notice while doing the North Cebu route are the presence of mangrove patches along the coast, especially at the western side. While it is difficult to find old stands, there are many young trees that have, obviously, been planted a few years ago. And this is a good thing. The people here, dependent on the sea to make a living, are environmentally aware and recognizes the importance of these buffer zones.

North Cebu particularly the western side, might not be as developed as the rest of the province, but I really had fun. Life is simple and uncomplicated. People are friendly and it has enough surprises that makes traveling here enjoyable.

At the southern tip of Cebu, in Santander, white sands and pristine waters can be found while the familiar mountains of Southern Negros dominated by the Cuernos Mountains comes into view.

Cebu Ocho. The island province of Cebu can be toured around in two days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Cebu is an island and the surrounding sea is rich in marine life. Early in the morning, it's a common sight to see fishermen coming in from a dawn catch. Click on photo for a larger image.

Our vehicle sped, tracing the wide cement and asphalt road down south in the first leg of our Cebu Ocho. Concrete houses and buildings gave way to wooden ones, open fields and rolling hills. As we pushed through, kilometer by kilometer, town by town, rural Cebu is unfolding. It’s ruggedness fascinating and it’s bucolic sceneries, breathtaking.

Tourists and travelers don’t get to experience the real Cebu. They just confine themselves within the four corners of their hotel rooms as well as the predictability, comforts and triteness of the city. For most, it’s the highlight of their visit without really knowing what’s beyond the perimeter of the concrete jungle, and thus missing out the real Cebuano character of thriving in adversity and persevering despite the odds.

The island is not as fertile as Negros which has been blessed with soil enriched by a millenia of volcanic eruptions. It is a sliver of land that is mostly elevated limestone, a testament to its geological past. Of the few remaining flat lands, it is hardy that it can only support limited kind of crops. Because of these circumstances, the Cebuano is left with no choice but to look out to the sea or confront and strive to thrive in these conditions.

The white surface of a limestone cliff along the highway tells the traveller that he is nearing the old town of Boljoon. it is one of the scenic spots in the south.

An afternoon stroll infront of the Oslob church is refreshing and soothing. Click on photo for a larger image.

South Cebu is no exception. Most of it’s land area is mountainous and inhospitable. Roads wind, rise and drop as one drives through but it has one of the beautiful landscapes in the province. Around two hours from the city, the approach to Boljoon is one example.

From a high elevation, the seascape is just breathtaking. One then goes down through curving roads cut through the side of a limestone cliff at the right and the left opens to the sea with a low vertical drop. And suddenly, rounding off the massive chalk of a rocky face, into a cove, the small town of Boljoon comes into view. The waters are just pristine with small bancas anchored a few meters from the coastline. Small houses line the road and then, the centuries old coral stone church looms at the end of a clearing. Awesome!

Decades old acacia trees line the road near the church of Nueva Caceres in Oslob, an old settlement.

The roads in southern Cebu are well paved and with less vehicles. In Asturias, the branches of trees at both sides of the road meet and form an arch. Click on the photo for a larger image.

The southern part has one of the most pleasant drives I had in the province. Well paved and wide roads is almost always empty except for the occassional bus plying the route. Tricycles as well as passenger multicabs pass from time to time but it is often all yours. Human traffic is also at a minimum.

However, even if there are few vehicles, speed limits are not often observed and with many blind curves. Couple this with the people’s lax attitude in these parts and it can be disastrous. A few years ago, I was speeding near Oslob and suddenly, a child crossed the street. It sent me shaking with fear. Well, unless you are in Tuburan.

In many parts, large, decades, and perhaps, even centuries old trees line the sides and a brief stop under the shade is always advisable.

The western part of Cebu has beautiful and pristine beaches I have seen in the province. These are mostly undeveloped with very few or no bathers at all.

A beautifully carved part of a banca along the coast of Barili. Some are in the form of birds and other animals. Click on photo for a larger image.

One thing that will easily catch a traveler’s attention are the pristine and beautiful beaches along the road. There are white sandy coastlines or the ordinary brown and black ones with their occasional bathers and frolickers but most of the time, empty. These are undeveloped, with no resorts or huts or other familiar amenities but still inviting. I can’t just help think that the people living here are really blessed. In other places, people pay to enter into resorts but here, one can just stop, go down and enjoy the sea.

Fishing is a fact of life here but in one stopover, where bancas were lined, I was just surprised and impressed that some parts had beautiful carvings on them. There is always room for artistic expression and Cebuanos are known for it. During low tide in the afternoon, its easy to spot shell gatherers at the shallow waters.

Market day in Dalaguete brings out produce and livestock from the surrounding barrios.

A fruit stall along the highway sells backyard produce at very cheap prices. Click on photo for a larger image.

Market day in towns bring out goods and produce and a clearing beside the market can transform into a thriving spot where livestock and bundles of vegetables and fruits are haggled and sold. Piglets in sacks are bought for a future celebration while a herd of goats are tied to a tree trunk waiting for a good price.

Along the road, it is common to see many stalls selling cheap fruits from the backyard and in such stop, one big jackfruit can be yours for as low as 30 pesos. It’s that affordable.

The south of Cebu is rugged but beautiful. It brings you to another face of the province that most travelers and visitors often fail to see. It is a simple but hardy life that molds the persevering spirit of the Cebuanos.

After more than three hours trip to the south, one can't help but stop and admire the coastal beauty in Oslob.

Road trips are always a treat for me. You not only get to see more of the country and know more about the people, but you are humbled to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around yourself. That there are bigger things beyond the city or travel should not be limited to tourist traps and staying at a posh hotel. It’s more than that and the south of Cebu is one good place to go.

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An electric post amidst the wide expanse of a sugarcane field that marks the landscape of northern Cebu, legacy of the sugar industry started during the second half of the 19th century when the province was one of the top suppliers of sugar during the Spanish colonization period.

The island province of Cebu can actually be toured around in two short days with minimal stopovers. And that's what we did.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

The slice of island that is Cebu province can actually be toured around for two short days. With minimal stopovers, it’s a wonderful opportunity to familiarize oneself with the various terrains, towns, people and heritage treasures that abound. What’s more, except for some few kilometers in the northwest, the roads are well maintained and comfortable.

This was what we did when me and my family decided to do a road trip. Nothing planned or strict itineraries to follow but we just had the road before us to trace and kilometer after kilometer, we did the, what I will call, the Cebu Ocho or Cebu Eight.

Setting forth at around 6 early in the morning from our home base in Talisay City, we started out to the south, rounded off the end at Santander and continued to Barili where we crossed to Carcar and back to base in the afternoon. The next day, we started off again and this time, to the north. The road is much longer and had lunch in Daan Bantayan at the northern tip. In late afternoon, we rounded to Carcar and back by around 6 in the evening. Tiring for my brother, who was the one driving, it was well worth the trip, a good way to bond as well as just know more about my province.

More details to follow in the succeeding posts.

Early morning, fishermen at the coast

Coron is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

This is the 17th and last of a series Early the next morning, I took the boat trip back to Coron for my flight to Manila. The weather hasn’t improved as it’s still overcast. After having lunch at one of the carinderias at the town center, whiling away time at an internet cafe with very slow connection and helping a foreigner with his photo archiving problem, I was off to Busuanga Airport to catch the last flight to Manila.

Looking back, I can’t help but be nostalgic about the whole journey. I have finally watched the Masskara in Bacolod after I made a detour but all my photos were unfortunately lost. Visited several colonial era churches and cemeteries in Negros Occidental and Iloilo and was awestruck at seeing the brick wonder of Cabatuan church. After many years of yearning, I have finally visited Cuyo, discovered Agutaya, endured a scary boat trip going there, took MV Catalyn D eight months before her sinking and knowing the sad but also liberating history of Culion

A plane arrives at the Busuanga Airport

And, of course, the fortress churches in these parts, the main reason that I ventured into these remote areas in the first place. These structures in Cuyo, Agutaya and Culion defended these towns from the Muslim slave raiders for more than a century. While these are still standing, the one in Agutaya is in real danger of crumbling to oblivion. Let’s hope that eventually, a sound conservation and restoration plan will be undertaken.

It’s the end of the road for The Cuyo Loop, the end of another journey into another part of the Philippines. Until the next trip. I hope you enjoyed traveling with me.

The once fortress-church of Culion was remodelled by the American Jesuits in 1936.

Agutaya is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

To put into context the many Spanish colonial era fortifications that can still be seen around the coasts of Luzon and the Visayas, I’ve written a more detailed 3-part post at simbahan.net. A summarized version can also be found in this blog.

This is the 16th of a series The weather was not promising at all when I came to Culion and I was more worried of just having overcast skies. As the church is facing westward, I was hoping that the sun would at least shine, even for a brief moment in the afternoon. With my schedule rather tight, I needed all the luck I need to better photograph the church of Culion as my return flight to Manila will be the next day.

This far flung municipality in the Calamianes, about an hour from the more known and bustling town of Coron was one of the Recollect order’s main mission areas and part of a string of important defense network. Like the other fortifications built by the order that includes those in Taytay, Linapacan, Dumaran and Lucbuan (mostly ruined) and the fortress churches of Agutaya and Cuyo, construction was started in the last two decades of the 1600s. For Culion, it was completed as a stone fort in 1740.

The only bastion that was left intact while the rest of the walls were demolished.

The interior of the church

The location of the fortress-church is the best that I have seen compared to the two other structures featured earlier. Very high up a promontory, more of a cliff, it gives an impressive view of the sea and the neighboring islands. The sheer drop from the remaining bastion to the clear emerald waters below is about a hundred feet.

Unfortunately, when the American Jesuits came here in the 1930s to serve the biggest leper colony in the world at that time, they found the church quite small for the community. Even if it was still in good condition, they demolished most of the walls, the stones used to expand the church. Now, only two untouched parts remain: the round bastion located at the back of the church fronting the sea and the main entrance that bears the Spanish coat of arms. One of the bells has markings that it was cast from the McShane Bell Factory in Baltimore, Maryland in 1936.

High up a promontory, the remnant bastion overlooks the sea as an antique cannon seems ready to fire.

The afternoon is rolling in but unfortunately, the sky was still overcast. With no other choice, I set up my tripod and took multiple and bracketed shots so that I can later assemble these at the computer, each time exposing for the sky then exposing for the church. There is also another challenge in photographing the religious structure as it’s elevated that, unless you have a rather tall self standing ladder, a straight parallel shot is impossible.

With my task done, I headed to the hotel where I stayed, crossing my fingers that all shots were good. I’m ready to fly back to Coron the next day for my return flight to Manila.

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A bastion, part of the fortress-church complex of Agutaya. Like the one in Cuyo, it was built by the Augustinian Recollects.

Agutaya is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

To put into context the many Spanish colonial era fortifications that can still be seen around the coasts of Luzon and the Visayas, I’ve written a more detailed 3-part post at simbahan.net. A summarized version can also be found in this blog.

This is the 15th of a series I have been looking forward to see for myself the fortress-church of Agutaya ever since I learned about it while I was in Cuyo. In no time, I’ve set out to go to this place even if the trip was rather scary. Come to think of it, these very remote islands harbor architectural gems that is historically and culturally significant. A monument to the struggles and determination to defend these people from the scourge of slave raiders and pirates. As I was already in the area, why not visit it than wait for another schedule that I really don’t know when?

Relief of Augustinian Recollect seal with the completion date beside it as "DE 1748"

Like the fortress-church of Cuyo, the Baluarte de San Juan Bautista, as what the one here in Agutaya is called, were constructed by the Augustinian Recollects who were given the task to spiritually administer these islands. The edifice was first built in 1683 but it wasn’t known if it was already a fort made of stone. What is known is that in the 18th century, with the help of the townspeople and their encomendero, Antonio de Rojas who delineated the plans, it was remodelled and was completed in 1748. This date can be found on one of the walls beside a seal of the religious order (photo below). During World War II, it was the town’s emergency and evacuation center.

A badly deteriorated portion that leads to where the belfry used to stand

The morning after I arrived at this island, I walked up to the fortress-church. It is smaller than the one in Cuyo. Modest and plain, one can easily mistake it as nothing but a fort. The belfry that once stood is already gone except for a small wooden frame, badly worn by the elements, where a lone bell hangs that, from a distance, is not discernible.

Inside the Agutaya fortress-church complex

One bastion, where stone steps lead to the bell is badly degraded with portions having crumbled already. It is disheartening. After more than 200 years, a once proud structure that sheltered and shielded the town from invaders is now in danger of disintegrating.

View of the coast from one of the bastions.

A garita or sentry box overlooking the beach

There are two openings: a side entrance to the church, facing the town and the other, at the perpendicular side. Upon entering the latter, a quadrangle greets the visitor. At the left side is the church and opposite is the kumbento, or parochial house.

Stairs inside the kumbento lead to the promontory where one can have a commanding view of the sea. On a clear day, outlying islands can be seen as well as any approaching vessel. At one corner, a garita, or sentry box can be found.

Looking at the sea, I can’t help but wonder how it would have been when the Muslim slave raiders were sighted, their prahus scattered at the waters. It is estimated that an average raiding party consists of 40-50 of these light but fast vessels that have a total of 2,500 – 3,000 armed men. Those numbers are intimidating! How might have the sentries reacted? How was the town evacuated and sheltered inside the walls? Did the townspeople also formed their own defending forces?

Catholic images embelished with shells.

Holy water font made from the half shell of a giant clam (genus Tridacna)

The church, again, like the one in Cuyo is narrow. Its walls more than a meter thick. Originally covered with brick tiles, or known as tejado, for its roofing, it is now capped with galvanized iron sheets. Inside, is a choirloft but the decorations are sparse. Not much images except those found at the altar with its still original wooden retablo.

What directly caught my attention were the presence of half shells of giant clams of the genus Tridacna that were used as holy water fonts. The images here are also decorated using shells found at the coasts and are utilized as pedestals for the icon as well as formed into florettes.

The fortress-church of Agutaya, while modest, is an achievement. The island isn’t really that rich and resources can be sparse at times but the people were able to build this massive structure. It is the first building that greets the visitor to the island and upon leaving, the last that bades farewell. Unfortunately, its state is bad and I just hope that it will be restored and maintained well for future generations.

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The fortress-church of Cuyo, like that of Agutaya, a very unusual but unique structure compared to those found in other areas in the Philippines.

Cuyo is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

To put into context the many Spanish colonial era fortifications that can still be seen around the coasts of Luzon and the Visayas, I’ve written a more detailed 3-part post at simbahan.net. A summarized version can also be found in this blog.

This is the 14th of a series I have seen photos of the fortress-church of Cuyo in books but the first time I saw it, cara y cara, and I was struck speechless. The photos don’t give you an idea of size and immensity unless you have a reference like a person within the image to provide scale. But looking at it, wow, its surreal. This was what I have come for in this remote island and its hard to imagine that in such a place, a very solid, massive and impressive structure was built here.

One of the canons that used to be mounted at the perimeter ready to engage the enemy is now cemented at the main portal.

Augustinian Recollect seal carved at the side of the church.

Palawan and its outlying islands were given to the Augus-tinian Recollects to administer. It was in Cuyo that the religious order first arrived in 1622 where they then fanned out to Agutaya and north Palawan, the Calamianes. At the height of the Maguindanao Sultanate under Sultan Kudarat, several raids were already done in these islands and based on records, between the 17th and 18th centuries, 43 Recollect missionaries met violent deaths.

The island, straddling between the Visayas and Palawan, is of strategic importance not only on economic but also on security considerations, thus, the reason that it has to be defended. The terrible conditions of the missions also prompted several priests to take it upon themselves to defend their towns. Here in Cuyo, the fortified church was first constructed in 1683 under the supervision of Rev. Juan de San Severo, OAR.

Interior of the church. Original azulejos (blue tiles) can still be found at the altar floor. The walls are more than a meter thick.

The nave of the church is quite narrow and doesn’t have a transept. Near the altar, original blue tiles, like those in Baclayon church (Bohol), called azulejos can still be found but most are broken and some parts missing. But I’m impressed as it’s altar frontal is still intact.

View of the fortress complex as seen from the belfry.

The garita or sentry box where a sentinel was positioned.

The fort is pentagonal in shape with four bastions. It is made of coral stones with walls more than a meter thick. The main portal faces the town which leads directly inside the church. A smaller entrance leads to a quadrangle.

Going inside the fortification complex, I was just disappointed that the original kumbento was no longer there. Instead, a modern concrete structure now stands. Rene Javellana, SJ, author of the wonderful book Fortress of Empire (of which this fortification series was named), wrote that it used to be parallel. Today, it runs in an L-shape: parallel and perpendicular to the church.

At the parapets, high above the walls, one can have a commanding view of the sea and neighboring islands. No wonder that this fortification complex was built in this area.

The belfry of the church located at a distance.

Irreverent graffiti found at the belfry.

The fortified-church underwent a major renovation in 1827 and during this time, the belfry was added at the far end, on one of the bastions. Even with its history and significance, I was just amused that inside, irreverent graffiti, besides the usual love quotes, can be found.

This fortress-church complex not only served to house the missionaries and protect the townspeople from pirates and slave raiders, it was also a fitting, if not an imposing structure that signified strength as the island was also the capital then of Palawan. This is really one of the impressive architectural legacies of the Augustinian Recollects in the country that I hope will be preserved for future generations.

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Newly painted graves at the cemetery

Culion is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

This is the 14th of a series If you’re thinking of zombies, I forgive you for it. Maybe too much horror films and cable shows might have fried your brain that it’s stuck with the evil dead genre? No, this is not about zombies and witchcraft but about disease afflicted persons forced into exile.

“No, this is not about zombies and witchcraft…” Culion, for a time was nicknamed, unfortunately, The Island of the Living Dead. Not that creatures of the underworld roamed the streets at night or scared its inhabitants but it was an act of government that made it compulsory for lepers in the country, from Luzon to Mindanao, to be segregated into this forlorn of places. Leprosy is an ancient scourge and before the medical breakthroughs in the middle of the 20th century, there were no known cures. Sufferers were treated like pariahs and left deformed for life.

The leprosy museum as it was in 2006

At the turn of the century during the American occupation, there was an estimated 4,000 lepers nationwide. In 1902, forced segregation was decreed and the first batch was sent in 1906 from Cebu. Authorities were empowered to apprehend, detain and isolate them. Around the 1930′s, there were about 16,000 patients and it was the biggest leper colony in the world. This period was one of the darkest years for the sufferers as they, at the prime of their lives, have to leave family, possessions and professions to be “exiled.”

The cemetery located at a hillside far from the town. Forced segregation of lepers from the country meant living and dying in this island.

For most, to be sent to Culion meant spending the rest of their lives in the island and perhaps grow old, die and be buried in its soil. The forced segregation however helped make strides in the treatment and cure of leprosy. The colony was one big laboratory where experts went to study this disease. During World War II, while the island was spared from the casualties of war since the Japanese were afraid of it, they were however under an embargo that as much as about 700 patients died of hunger.

At the town center located at an elevated area just near the sanitarium hospital and the museum

After the war, sulfone as treatment was introduced and this resulted to many “negatives” among patients. It was because of this that, in 1952, the segregation law was revised and 12 years later, another act was promulgated that further liberalized the confinement of leprosy. With the success of multi-therapy and subsequent elimination of leprosy in the colony, Culion was declared a municipality in 1987.

View of the sea early in the morning. The elevated promontory at the lower right shows the roof the church.

It’s a long way for the people of Culion. Those who were cured decided to stay in the island for good. Some of their families followed them and settled in as well as other migrants. From their dark days of being segregated, they have lived, got cured, flourished and prospered. This small town maybe remote and has a dark history but it has contributed greatly to the understanding and treatment of leprosy worldwide. Now, those memories are enshrined in the museum. Its archives a rich testimony to the suffering and eventual liberation of its patients and of the island.

It’s an island of the living dead no more!

To know more about Culion and its hopes, visit culion.net.

Note: Before this series will end, an introduction on the Muslim slave raids between the middle of the 18th-19th centuries will precede the posts on the fortress-churches of Cuyo, Agutaya and Culion.

A man's tattoed back seen at the main street of Culion while he was preparing food

Culion is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

This is the 13th of a series This is the second time that I’ve been to this old settlement that was originally inhabited by the Tagbanuas. During the 17th century, the Augustinian Recollects arrived and evangelized here and in the mid-18th century, this was part of an important network of a defensive system against Muslim piratical raids.

In 1906, the island was established as a leper colony. One unique trait of the island is its very heterogeneous population that can be attributed to the forced segregation policy of the country during the American period where lepers from all parts of the country were put. In later years, their family followed them here plus the influx of migrants. Just imagine the different cultural practices, languages and idiosyncracies put together and you’ve got an anthropological treasure trove waiting to be studied in detail.

The town of Culion with its spread eagle emblem carved on a hill face

Like the previous visit, the town is not as vibrant as in Coron, about an hour’s journey by motorized pumpboat. Is this really how Culion is? Or is it just because that it was an ordinary weekday with an overcast sky and occassional rains? Nevertheless, its peaceful. The silence is occassionally broken by passing tricycles, the splatter of rain on tin roofs, the sound from a television or radio or the occassional neighborly banter.

Government employees practicing a traditional dance number for an upcoming program

What does one do in Culion? If you are an enthusiast of fortress-churches or religious heritage structures, there is one here, although it was remodeled by the American Jesuits in the 1930s. There is a small museum dedicated to the history of the island with images, books and artifacts from the former leper colony as well as a treasure trove of research materials for the leprosy specialist. The seas surrounding this island is very rich with marine life and for a diver, this might be a good area to explore. Treks are also possible in this hilly island with forests at the southern part. However, I’m not sure if the trails are established but I saw some plans to develop it as an ecotourism area.

Even if its a remote place, people here knows how to have a fun night!

One might ask, are there still lepers in Culion? The answer is yes. I was told that there are some people there afflicted with the disease but are now quite rare. In fact, the town is now populated with the descendants of those who were sent to this island and migrants. Contracting the disease here is no longer an issue and shouldn’t be.

A fishermen waiting for his catch. The waters off Culion is one of the richest and pristine in the country.

Accommodations are available. There is a hotel here and a few lodging houses mostly located near the wharf and along the main road. However, one should check first the condition of the rooms of the latter as usually it’s run down. Staying at the lone hotel is recommended as the rooms are clean and good. Units facing the sea are breezy. Meals can also be requested at the restaurant downstairs. However, note that in 2006, power supply is only upto 12 midnight. There is also an internet cafe at the wharf but back then, it was via satellite and tended to be very slow or unstable. I’m not sure if it has improved now.

I just stayed overnight in Culion as the fortress church is shot better in the afternoon. The next day will be my trip back to Manila.

Karst limestone rock formations makes the Calamianes group of islands unforgettable

Coron is in blue In October of 2006, I visited the remote islands of Cuyo and Culion in Palawan for a photography assignment and passed Negros and Iloilo in transit. This is my account of that journey.

This is the 12th of a series One of the best things to see here in Coron is the approach to the island while passing through the spectacular karst limestone cliffs that comprise the islands of the Calamianes group of North Palawan. “There’s no need to go to Halong Bay or China for the same natural wonder. Its just here in Palawan.” And the best time is early in the morning as the sun is still a few degrees from the horizon. Its golden rays striking the greenery and yellow to gray walls of rock. Only a boat ride can give you this pleasure.

However, coming from Cuyo the previous night, I looked out into the sky and seems the weather is foreboding. Dark clouds are gathering early and I am a bit concerned that my shoot of the church in Culion might be affected. But for a moment I decided to enjoy the view and worry later.

More karst limestone rock formations comprise the islands that seem to rise from the waters

It’s the third time for me to be here and each time I gaze on these rock formations rising up the waters I just feel in awe. Everytime. Wow! There’s no need to go to Halong Bay or China for the same natural wonder. Its just here in Palawan.

Motorized transport like this one plies the waters of the Calamianes to bring people and goods to the different islands

Early in the morning, motorized pumpboats already crisscross the waters to bring people and goods to their destinations. While these are just starting their day, fishermen are already returning from their night – dawn work. From a distance, the white Superferry against a backdrop of green is slowly cruising its way to Puerto Princesa.

A boy looks out into the magnificent view early in the morning

And for a passenger aboard a small ship? Its a wonderful time to end one’s boat trip. Just look out the window and enjoy.