The Central Tagbanwa of Philippines

The Central Tagbanwa of Philippines, numbering approximately 4,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of the Philippines' oldest indigenous peoples of Palawan, possibly descended from Tabon Man, whose own Central Tagbanwa language has given way among many speakers to Cuyonon, the trade tongue Cuyo Island settlers spread across the province. They mostly adhere to Animism and Cuyonon is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Central Tagbanwa

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Malay Peoples
Country: Philippines
People Cluster: Filipino Tribal
Primary Language(s): Cuyonon (cyo)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 4,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG007660
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Pray for the Central Tagbanwa of Philippines

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

95%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Cuyonon
Language Family: Austronesian

100%
%
Cuyonon Speakers

Media Resources in Cuyonon:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Cuyonon:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Cuyonon bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Central Tagbanwa are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Central Tagbanwa:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Central Tagbanwa of Philippines

Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!
readPsalm 30:10

Pray that people in the depths of despair and suffering and living outside of relationship with Christ will cry out to the Lord and find help, peace, and joy in Him.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
readIsaiah 43:19

Pray that the lost will see the new thing God can do in their lives and trust in His plan and purpose for them.

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
readHebrews 10:26

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will live with reverence for God and not deliberately keep sinning after they receive the knowledge of the truth.

Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
readActs 17:29

Pray that God will send out laborers to tell people of the one true God and, as the good news is shared, bring about repentance and belief as they turn from idols and follow Jesus.

Tagbanwa, Central Across Countries (ROP3 - 101937) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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