Location: Cuyo Palawan
Area: 400 Hectars
Price: Php 150 per sqm.
Property Type: Island
Property Feature: - Long and wide powdery white sand beach
- With Overlooking Hilly Portions
- With Potential Mini-Wharf and Airstrip
- Rich Marine Resources
- Rich vegetation
- with fresh water source
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BASIC INFORMATION OF CUYO PALAWAN:
Despite its
long history Cuyo has held back the hands of time and preserved its rich
cultural heritage preserved since more than 350 years.
Cuyo is the oldest town in Palawan which has a culture of its own and was preserved for more than 350 years. During the Spanish
colonization of the Philippines, Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from
1873 to 1903. From the sea, Cuyo Island's first visible landmark is a lighthouse by the pier. Many of
the streets leading to the town have already been cemented but the town has
preserved the Hispanic plaza-iglesia
structures. Dominating the town
centre is Cuyo's
1860 church, convent, and fort built by the Spanish and finished in 1680.
Nearby stands a schoolhouse, and a monument of national hero Jose Rizal. The municipality is served by Cuyo Airport in
the neighboring municipality of Magsaysay.
It would take one hour and 30
minutes by air and 24 hours by sea from Manila,
Since April 2014 Air Juan is flying between Puerto Princesa and Cuyo Island two
times a week. Cuyo Island is the largest island of the Cuyo Archipelago, about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long, 7.5
kilometres (4.7 mi) wide, and with an area of 57 square kilometres
(22 sq mi). It is under the jurisdiction of the
municipalities of Cuyo and Magsaysay. The poblacion of
Cuyo is home to a Spanish fort, which shelters a
church and a convent in its high stone walls.
Access
to Cuyo Island (November 2009). Planes from Manila Airport (Terminal Two) to Puerto
Princesa or Iloilo. Boat service several times a week from Puerto Princesa and
Iloilo to Cuyo Island and back. There are also weekly boat services from Manila
to Cuyo Island.
Chinese traders where the first
to discover Cuyo island and introduced the trade and barter system in the
locality.
Later
Chief Matuod of Malay origin arrived in big bancas called "sakayan"
and formed settlements on the island of Cuyo. A Malay Mohamedan of the name
Datu Magbanua later also settled on Cuyo. Datu Magbanua's leadership was so
great and powerful that even chieftains from other islands recognized his rule.
The Malays brought with them their dances, and when blended with native dance,
the "Soriano", it became known as the "pondo-pondo" one of
the most popular folk dances even up to the present.
During
the leadership of Datu Magbanua, three Chinese Mandarines arrived on the island
and settled also on Cuyo. The Chinese discovered gold deposits in Mt. Aguado and introduced
gold mining, smith working, pottery, and other handicrafts. The natives of Cuyo
became suspicious of the their presence and were able to drive them out. They
sailed to Ilongilong (today known as Iloilo) and formed another settlement
called "Parian".
In
1622, Count San Augustin together with five Spanish missionaries colonized the
island named by them as Cuyo and introduced Christianity. The friendly
character of the people proved to be a blessing to the Spaniards who did not
find difficulties in converting the population of Cuyo Island to Christianity.
They were immediately able to baptize 500 Cuyonos.
In
1636 a powerful Muslim fleet under Datu Tagul raided Cuyo and other places in
Palawan. In Cuyo the Muslims attacked the convent and the church and set the
town on fire and took with them prisoners including a priest, Fr. Francisco de
Jesus Maria. They then proceeded to Agutaya and Culion and wrought havoc and
destruction on the helpless and defenceless civilians. Again their prized
captive was another priest from Culion, Fr. Alonzo de San Augustin who was
captured while saying mass. A Spanish naval flotilla of 6 vessels and 250 men
under Capt. Nicolas Gonzales met the returning pirates with their loot and
booty on December 21, 1636. Datu Tagul was killed, 300 of his men captured and
120 prisoners were liberated. The two captured priests were killed.
In
1957 the following sitios were converted to barrios: Emilod and
Balading.
During the
early Spanish period, purposely to protect the Cuyonon from sporadic Moro
attacks, Fort Cuyo was constructed and finished in 1680. The original complex
of stone and mortar was a square with four bastions. The present complex, which
occupies 1 hectare (2.5 acres), is a solid rectangular edifice with walls 10 metres
(33 ft) high and 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) thick. It has a tall
belfry and watchtowers; its cannons, which face the sea, are now fired only
during town celebrations. It is
considered as one of the most ancient and unique forts in the Philippines.
Unique in the sense that you can find the church, the convent and the Perpetual
Adoration chapel all within the fort.
In 1762 one of the British ships that invaded Manila fired at the Cuyo
fort but it was not damaged at all. Another
fort was started at Lucbuan seven kilometres away on the east side of Cuyo
island, but it was never finished. In 1873, the capital of Paragua (present day
Palawan) was transferred to Cuyo from Taytay.
The tipano band, a flute and drum ensemble, and the de kwerdas (string
band), supply background music on important social occasions. They also
accompany singers and render dance music like the pinundo-pundo. The tipano is
reserved for the ati-ati, sinulog, and komedya.
Both ensembles use available instruments and instrumentalists. The
tipano core is basically two drums and four to seven transverse mouth flutes
with six finger-holes. One or two tipano "nga maitley" (small flutes)
and three or four tipano "nga mabael" (larger flutes) are played with
a redublante (snare drum), bombo (big drum), and sometimes a pair of platilyo. The de kwerdas has two or
three sabel, and occasionally a guitar,
a bajo (six-stringed bass), a banjo,
and a banduria. In Cuyunon music
the "akompanimento" refers to the harmonic accompaniment-principal or
"primera" to the first or highest voice, and "segunda" to
the second.
The Cuyunon youth celebrate love with song during the post-harvest
courting season. The Cancion, a popular serenade, is sung with the strumming of
a five - or six-stringed guitar in the distinctive punctual manner.
Parting is a familiar concern in Cuyunon love songs. Examples of love songs are
"Napopongao Ako", "Ang Gegma", "Ploning",
"Daragang Taga Cuyo", "Konsomision", "Ako Maski
Bayan", "Tiis Manong Pido", "Nagpamasiar Ako", and
"Komosta".
Cuyunon dances have evolved from native and Spanish influences. Among
these are the Pastores (the Christmas dance of the sheppherds), the Chotis
(from the German schothische), Lanceros de Cuyo (local French guadrille),
Birginia (Virginia reel or square dance), Paraguanen (a romantic comic duet),
and La Jota Paragua (a Castillan-type jota using bamboo
castanets and manton). The island is known for the Mazurka de Cuyo, a social
dance with characteristic mazurka steps. Another popular dance is the
Pinundo-pundo, a stylish wedding dance marked by sudden pauses, its first two
parts, featuring solo dances of the boy and the girl, are followed by the
suring, a love play between the couple.
The Cuyunon have developed the art of merging song, dance, and drama.
Cuyo's Sayaw is a colorful enactment of a story heightened by the music of a
string band. It is presented by five pairs of youth arranged in two lines,
fully costumed and made up, and bearing props like flowers, crowns, and even
knives. After an introductory dance, the leading couple proceed to relate the
tale, sometimes using verse. The topic may be anything, from everyday
occurrences to special events like winning the sweepstakes. This story is then
interpreted in dance and ended with a finale.
Yearly on August 28, Cuyo Island celebrates San Agustin's feast.
On the eve of the fiesta, a cultural presentation featuring the traditional
performing arts and sometimes a separate show of modern songs and dances may be
presented. The feast day is begun with a morning mass (sometimes a High Mass
officiated by the bishop ) and followed by the Ati-ati, a legacy of the
Aklanon. Folk from the nearby islands board barotos (boats) to view the parade
which recreates the confrontation of San Agustin and the native
"savages". Participants portray the Aeta by darkening their bodies
with soot and painting their faces with anyel (indigo). They don foot-high
headgear of coconut ginit fiber adorned with chicken feathers, and decorate
their costumes with coconut leaves. The men, clad in loin cloths, carry spears,
bows and arrows, or bolo. The women, wearing patadyong and beaded necklaces,
carry baskets with a tumpline
The participants form two lines, one of men and the other of women. The
director signals the start of the singing by striking his cane on the ground.
This is followed by a spontaneous dance characterized by sways, hops, jumps,
and the jerking of weapons accompanied by chanting; the director also signals
the end of the dance. The teniente (barrio head) and his family may recite a
series of verses. The director is then approached by the last to recite,
customarily the teniente's youngest child.
As the floats of San Agustin and other saints enter the church at the
end of the procession, the participants kneel, prostrate themselves, or sing
while performing skipping steps before the images. The merrymaking intensifies
when the alakayo, a dancing clown, chases the ladies, stopping only when coins
are thrown to him on the ground. The alakayo collects the coins with his mouth.
Meanwhile, the panapatan performance are staged in front of various
houses for a fee. These are mostly excerpts of the komedya and ati-ati known as
komedya sa kalye and ati-ati sa bukid, the performers of which use simpler
clothing than in the more elaborate full-length performances. Ati-ati sa bukid
is sung and danced to celebrate a fruitful harvest. Today it is usually danced
by young boys wearing masks or indigo-painted faces.
Another pantomime, innocentes, recreates the descent of the
"savages" from the hills to pay tribute to San Agustin. They are
wearing coconut fibre masks and red striped shirts. The participants frolic and
fence with sticks.
Komedya or moro-moro performances are larger (with some 50 actors) and
more refined than the ati-ati. The clash between the Mustlims and the
Christians is further dramatized by background music; commonly used tunes are
the pasadoble, marchas, giyera, and kasal.
The same subject is portrayed by the sinulog. The Christians are
identified by their black costumes, kampilan, and elongated shields; the
Muslims by their red turbans and waistbands, and round shields. The
participants may wear masks or paint their faces. Both groups, usually of six
dancers each, sometimes perform to the beating of tin cans. Alternate steps of
offense and defense, e.g., advancing and retreating, with corresponding
movements of weapons, are followed by circular formations simulating scenes of
strategy plotting.
Mt. Aguado features
life-size Stations of the Way of the Cross constructed from the foot to the
peak of the mountain. Cuyonon devotees, visitors and tourists make the annual
pilgrimage to Mt. Aguado as part of the penitential rites done in Cuyo during
the Holy Week particularly on Holy Thursday.
MEASUREMENT/ABBREVIATION GUIDE
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1 hectare = 2.47 acres | 1 hectare = 10,000 square meters | 1 acre = 4,000 square
meters | 1 square meter = 10.76 square feet | 1 kilometer = 0.62 miles
1 meter = 3.28 feet | 1 meter = 1.09 yards
sq.m. = square meters | PHP = Philippine Peso | U.S.$ = United States Dollar
m = meter | approx = approximately | km = kilometer | min = minute
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