Introduction / History
In the Philippine archipelago of 7,100 islands live the Cuyo people. This includes several dozen islands and islets — many uninhabited — huddled in the open sea northeast of Palawan Island with white-sand beaches and unspoiled tropical wilderness, popular with tourists. These islands were in the path of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013.
Since Spaniards set foot on Cuyo in the 1600s, most Cuyonons have considered themselves Christians. Recognizing a thirst among the believers, a local denomination partnered with the Philippine Bible Society and published the New Testament in 1982. The eager church has now requested help to complete the whole Bible.
Amer R. Amor, a faculty member of the University of the Philippines who travels across the country, had this to say about the
town of Cuyo on Cuyo island: "Cuyo's greatest strength, and its reward to those who travel to the island, is its people. The warmth of their hospitality makes the town extra-special, and the humble manner in which they live their life is both remarkable and inspiring. They understand and respect the simple life. Commercialism is a concept that, even if not unheard of in the town, does not have a place in the island."
Until the 1980s, Cuyonon was widely spoken in Palawan and other areas. Now days the youth prefer the more prestigious Filipino or English to their mother tongue.
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