Culion, Palawan: From former leper colony to a destination of hope, heritage

Culion Island in Palawan, once known as the world’s largest leper colony, now embraces a renewed identity rooted in history and hope.

According to Oscar Oida’s report on "State of the Nation" on Monday, November 17, the island was called the “Island of the Living Dead” in the early 1900s when more than 16,000 Filipinos with leprosy were brought there.

Many of them were forcibly separated from their families at a time when no cure existed.

In 2006, after decades of treatment and research, the World Health Organization declared Culion leprosy-free, marking a turning point for the community and its future.

Today, visitors are welcomed with stories that honor both suffering and resilience.

Among them is content creator Shayne Funcion, who said heritage is what first draws people to Culion.

“When you visit Culion, first talaga pupunta ka doon because of the heritage sites. Kung sabihin mo na the Philippines is beyond beaches, Culion is really a proof of that,” she said.

Former treatment facilities and remnants of the colony now serve as historical stops in a guided walking tour.

The Culion Museum, built in 1997, documents the island’s past in detail.

Beyond the museum and heritage sites, Culion's local government unit hopes to highlight its untouched beaches and calm shores.

The LGU  aims to show that the island is more than its painful past and is now a destination worth returning to, not just a place once used for isolation.

“It’s not for everyone, but kung pupunta ka talaga and you will experience the tour, it's a different travel experience. It's a meaningful experience,” Shayne said.

—Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News