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| (Photo Credit: Janos Leo Gorgolon Andanar FB page) |
SIARGAO ISLAND, Surigao del Norte — As the volume of tourists visiting Siargao Island continues to dwindle in the past few weeks, concerns are rising among investors, business owners, and tourism-dependent locals who fear a return to pre-boom trends, especially during the school season.
In a Facebook post that quickly drew attention, Janos Leo Gorgolon Andanar, a proud Siargaonon, reflected on the current situation and expressed the shared anxiety of many stakeholders.
“Amo ini na picture an tag ka hadlukan nan mga naka invest na sa Siargao nan millions pag palit nan lupa sanan millions sa pag tukod nan negosyo. Amo sab ini an tag ka hadlukan nan pipila ka mga lokals na full time job na an turismo,” Andanar wrote, referring to the recent photos showing nearly empty tourist areas on the island.
According to Andanar, the slowdown isn't entirely new or surprising. Historically, Siargao experiences a dip in tourist arrivals starting June when classes resume. In previous years, the island was mostly frequented by foreign visitors during this off-season.
“Normal ini sauna and dawat man ini nan mga lokal sanan mga negosyante,” he said, noting that this trend was disrupted only in recent years, particularly after the tourism boom following the pandemic and Typhoon Odette.
Andanar pointed out that many who invested heavily in land and tourism-related businesses failed to account for the long-term trends in the island’s tourism patterns. He emphasized that for more than five years prior, consistent visitors were mainly surfers—not casual vacationers—and this niche group helped maintain a stable, if smaller, tourism economy.
He warned that those whose businesses were built on the post-Odette hype could be caught off guard if the current "normalization" continues.
“Makuratan gajud sila kun mo normalize an hype and mo balik anay sa pre-Odette trend,” he said, referring to the tendency of tourist arrivals peaking only during major events or long weekends.
Adding to the island’s tourism woes are rising safety and infrastructure concerns. Andanar cited increasing reports of theft in tourist-heavy areas, high airfare costs, expensive food prices comparable to Manila, and frequent power outages that affect digital workers like virtual assistants.
“Amo jaun mag duha-duha na an iban na mo dajun sa ila travels pa Siargao,” he noted, as these issues contribute to travelers reconsidering their plans.
Despite the decline in tourist numbers, Andanar acknowledged there are upsides to the slowdown. Reduced garbage output, ongoing efforts by some LGUs to develop proper sanitary landfills (not just dumpsites), and the push to implement no-single-use-plastic ordinances are all steps toward sustainable tourism.
However, he stressed the need for a more inclusive distribution of tourism benefits across all barangays and municipalities on the island.
“Dapat an mag binipisyo nan ini kay an mga LOKAL na jaun sa mga ka-barangayan sanan gagmay na isla,” he said, noting that despite the island-wide branding, tourism profits are concentrated in a few areas.
In his concluding note, Andanar observed that even though flights continue, the few passengers on board are mostly locals.
“Arang ra an pasahero pero lokal ra tanan kay makita mo ra sa mga wayung na taga isla ra,” he added.
As Siargao grapples with this shift, the challenge now lies in managing expectations, promoting sustainable practices, and ensuring that the true beneficiaries of tourism are the island’s local communities. ###
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