Leprosy Island In Palawan
After 400 years of spanish occupation the revolt led by general emilio aguinaldo declared the independence of the philippines on june 12 1898 only to succumb to american occupation a short time later.
Leprosy island in palawan. Although leprosy on the island town was abolished in. Culion island where the philippines eliminated leprosy. Culion museum and archives located inside the compound of the towns hospital and sanitarium the culion museum and archives houses the most detailed and significant information about the establishment of the leprosarium in the island in 1906 up to the development of the cure the multi drug therapy in the 1980s.
At one time culion was the largest and best known institution of its kind in the world and beyond comparison in area and natural facilities. One side existed for the infected while the other housed those that cared for the infected. The cure for leprosy had not yet been discovered and the contagious disease was regarded with horror.
Culion consists primarily of culion island as well as 41 minor surrounding islands as part of the calamian group of islands. Once the largest leper colony in the world it stands today as a stark reminder of life in the philippines when leprosy was still an incurable disease and a testament to how leprosy was eradicated not just in the philippines but in the entire world and how technology and advances in medicine have improved and changed the way we live today. Culion island is a beautiful and mysterious place that is still somewhat left in time.
In addition to segregating the disease from the rest of the population the island was later established in order to offer a better opportunity for people. The municipality by virtue of an executive order was created for the sole purpose of segregating those afflicted with leprosy which was then incurable. According to the 2015 census it has a population of 20139 people.
Culionwas called the island of the living deador the island of no return. It used to be a place people would rather avoid because it was once a leprosarium where the lepers were treated back in the olden days. In 1903 a leper colony was established on spinalonga to isolate people suffering from hansens disease from the healthy population.
Government in order to rid leprosy from the philippine islands through the only method known at the time. It was a former leprosarium starting in 1906 under the american colonial regime until the american commonwealth of the philippines era. Culion island is one of the intrinsically rich locations thats worth a visit.
A small island tucked somewhere around the crystal clear water of palawan is a historical destination in the philippines. Culion leprosy colony philippines a view of the island of culion. In spite of its long and turbulent history today spinalonga is mainly known as the leper island.
Today the island community near the port survives as one whole village as opposed to the two segregated villages that existed when it was established as a leper colony. Located at the northern tip of palawan the island of culion used to be a leprosarium under the american commonwealth of the philippines. Culion officially the municipality of culion is a 3rd class municipality in the province of palawan philippines.