| |
 |
|
| |
 Culion
- A Paradise Lost - A Paradise Regained
•
Geographical Location
Culion is an island situated at the northernmost
part of Palawan some 200 nautical miles
southwest of Manila. It belongs to the
Calamianes Group of Islands.
Culion lies within the parallels of 11036’ N and
12003’ N and the meridians of 1190 47’ E and
1200 15’ E. It has a total land area of 415
square kilometers which includes the 41
surrounding islands and measures 1,191.39 square
kilometers including its territorial water. It
is bounded on the north by Busuanga Island, on
the east by the Coron Reef, on the south by
Linapacan Island, and on the west by the South
China Sea.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
•
HOW TO GET TO CULION:
From Manila, you can take one-hour flight to
Busuanga Airport (YKR) via SEAIR & ASIAN SPIRIT
or a 12-hour cruise to Coron via SUPERFERRY &
NEGROS NAVIGATION. From Busuanga Airport, an
hour jeepney ride to Coron pier followed by a
scenic one-hour small boat ride.
|
 |
 |
| |
click
thumbnail to view larger image |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
• ANCESTRY & HERITAGE
 The
People
The original people of Culion are the Tagbanuas, a
cultural minority group that lives by fishing and food
gathering. While preserving their native customs and
traditions, the Tagbanuas are greatly influenced by
Muslim culture and social organization.
 Early
trading activities attracted people from other parts of
Palawan, like Calamianen and Cuyonon, who came and
stayed in Culion as their new home.
Today, however, the Tagbanuas no longer practice many of
their cultural traditions and many of them have been
converted to Christianity. They are largely
marginalized, making up only about 8% of Culion’s total
population. Barangay Carabao, under Republic Act 9032,
was established for these indigenous people. They were
also granted Certificates of Ancestral Domain under
Republic Act 8371, also known as the Indigenous Peoples’
Rights Act of 1997.
 The
establishment of the leper colony in 1906, hansenites
and hospital staff were brought to Culion from different
parts of the Philippines bringing their customs, habits,
dialects, and regional characteristics, and the influx
of migrants in the last three decades have
understandably made Culion an heterogeneous population.
 In
spite of the regional idiosyncrasies and biases, the
people have adapted themselves easily, setting aside
regional differences to form a homogenous population
bonded by common disease – leprosy, and common destiny –
Culion, sharing same dreams and vision, working for a
common mission of finding cure and new identity.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 Climate,
Local Conditions & Natural Riches
Culion has two
distinct seasons: seven months of well- pronounced dry
season from November to May and five months of wet
season, from June to October. The temperature of Culion
is uniformly hot and humid. Generally, the warmest
months are March, April and May; the coolest is
December.
Being a pocket archipelago of small islands, Culion is
vulnerable to changes in sea level and excessive
precipitation. The rise in sea level can cause some of
Culion’s low lying areas to be inundated, reducing the
total land area.
  Culion
has a hilly to low mountainous terrain with generally
acidic, sandy, and porous soil. The soils were formed as
a result of soil erosion, so most soils in Culion are
poor, with very low fertility.
There is a unique geographical charm and physical
features of Palawan that differ from Luzon and the rest
of the country, with a very high degree of endemism of
plant and animal species due to Palawan’s geologic and
tectonic evolution millions of years ago. Palawan
resulted from the collision of the Indian plate and
Eurasian plate while the rest of the country was formed
from the subduction of the rotating Philippine Sea
plate. The most prominent geographic fact of Culion is
that it consists of islands and rocks. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
  The
Culion sea is teeming with a total of 201 fish species
including commercially important fish like Lapu-lapu
(Groupers), Kanuping (Sweetlip Emperor), Maya-Maya
(Snapper), Tanguige (Spanish Mackerel), Dalagang Bukid
(Blue and Gold Fusiliers) and Bisugo (Breams). Squid,
cuttlefish, shrimps, crabs, shellfish and sea cucumber
or trepang are plentiful.
Three ecosystems sustain the rich marine life of Culion:
mangroves, seagrass, and corals. 17 mangrove species
cover the coastline of Culion. 9 seagrass species and 47
coral genera representing 60% of the total genera found
in the Philippines are found in Culion.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Culion is home to some of the rarest flora and fauna in
the world. |
|
| |
 Mouse
deer (Tragulus nigriens) found
only in Palawan, is now considered among the
endangered species in the country. |
 Anteater
(Paramanis culionensis)
|
 Calamian
deer (Axis calamianensis),
found only on the islands of Calauit, Busuanga,
and Culion. |
 Green
imperial pigeon |
 Pitogo |
 Hornbill |
|
|
| |
 Culion
used to have high density forests with hardwood or “iron
trees” like narra, mahogany, molave, kayataw, wasi and
ipil. Unfortunately, large areas of what used to be
densely forested areas have been ruthlessly cleared by
illegal logging and kaingin (slash-and- burn
agriculture). All these activities of humans have
endangered Culion’s forests and it has contributed to
the rapid decrease of wildlife habitat and the
consequent depletion of wildlife species. It has also
seriously affected the availability of fresh water
supply. Furthermore, man’s heightened activities and
careless actions like oil spillage and dumping of waste
and pollutants, over-harvesting of the mangroves for
firewood and charcoal, and coral reef destruction caused
by cyanide and dynamite fishing, are threatening our
vital ecosystems and marine life.
The reckless denudation of Culion’s forests and rampant
exploitation of marine resources and exporting of fauna
species is posing a threat to our seemingly boundless
natural wealth. While it is easy to destroy Culion’s
ecosystems, it is difficult to rehabilitate or to
restore it. A forest ecosystem may never recover their
original type within the next 500 years. Culion thus
faces an environmental problem that requires an
immediate response.
|
|
| |
THE BREAKING OF THE NEW DAWN |
|
| |
 |
|
| |
(Taken from the chapter of the Book about Culion by Dr.
Arturo C. Cunanan, Jr, and Ms. Judy Cruz Cataquiz
that will soon to be published) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
This Culion Website is made possible through the
generous funding contribution by the
SASAKAWA MEMORIAL HEALTH FOUNDATION - THE NIPPON
FOUNDATION. |
|
|
| |
|
