| General Note |
- General note - Well-preserved stone fort of Cuyo town encloses church erected in 1904. The first church made of wood, bamboo and nipa was built in 1622 at a lot owned by a certain Toronoy. It was His Excellency Sr. Don Pedro de Arce, Bishop of Cebu, in a decree dated August 27, 1622, who requested the Augustinian Recollect Fathers to take care of the evangelization of all Palawan, including the Cuyo islands. As of 1970, the Roman Catholic population for Cuyo stood at 71.5 percent while protestants are some 10 percent and other religious including Islam, Aglipayan, Iglesia ni Kristo, and Buddhism number 18.5 percent. The first feluca carrying five missionaries from Cebu, with Fray Juan de Santo Tomas acting as their director and superior, reached Cuyo in 1622. The religious first introduced the natives to a social life and united them, settling quarrels among families and forming a goody village; and urging their obligation, they built a church and house. They continued gently to insinuate themselves in the natives'' hearts and succeeded in taking them to the bosom of the Catholic church. During 1623, the Christianization of the other localities of the Calamianes group was carried out. With the establishment of these Christian centers, the Muslims, not only from Sulu and Mindanao but also from Borneo, intensified their attacks on the new Christian settlements. Sultan Kudarat of Mindanao commanded his brother Tagal, who attacked Cuya on June 20, 1636. A short but gallant resistance was led by Fr. Miguel de Santa Maria, with the people fleeing into the forest. However, the priests and natives fell into their hands and were taken as captives. They burned the church and the town and proceeded to the other Christian centers where they perpetuated all kinds of crimes. The massacres were repeated time and again, so the Spanish gov''t. decided to build a fortress. The Augustinian Recollect Fathers sent expert masons (canteros), materials and money to build the fortress. The people, under the supervision of Fr. Juan de Severo, constructed this fortress dedicated to Santa Barbara and intended for security against the Muslims. All inhabitants were required to bring one tabilia (rectangular solid rock) before they were allowed to go home. Finally finished in 1680, it was maintained at the expense of the natives and without further cost to the royal treasury than some supplies of arms and gunpowder. The rectangular solid fort of massive wells 10 meters high and 3 meters thick occupies about a hectare facing the town plaza. It has turrets at each angle including a towering belfry housing some of the country''s biggest and oldest bells. The side facing the sea is well fortified with ornamental cannons which are used to fire salvos during fiestas. In 1762 one of the British ships that invaded Manila fired at this fort but it was not damaged at all. Again on August 26, 1883, the people heard thundering salvos that lasted for several days. They thought that it was a ship in distress firing its last guns so that those who can hear it will lend succor. Later it was verified that the explosions were those of the Krakatoa volcano between Java and Sumatra that erupted and sent ashes that reached as far as Luzon.
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