Balancing development in North Siargao

Balancing development in North Siargao | Daily Tribune

Recently, I visited Siargao, the island my husband calls home and the place I have grown to love deeply over the years. It has always held a quiet charm, especially Barangay Tangbo, Sta. Monica, a northern corner that once seemed frozen in time. Back then, the roads were rough, the nights were dark, and the rhythm of life followed the tides.

Today, Tangbo has transformed into a surf and sunset haven for travelers seeking solace away from the crowds of Cloud 9 and Pacifico. I almost didn’t recognize the beach where my family and I had spent countless afternoons since 2006. Groups of foreign surfers dotted the shoreline, their laughter blending with the crash of the waves.

Surf shacks, karaoke bars, a café and homestays have sprung up where there used to be only coconut trees and nipa huts. The children who once played barefoot with my kids now stand tall as surf instructors, earning from the very waves they grew up with.

It’s a heartwarming sight — progress in motion. Where there is tourism, there is opportunity. And yet, beneath the joy, I felt a familiar tug: how do we ensure development remains compassionate, balanced and sustainable?

I remembered the early days, when my husband and I founded the Sons of Siargao Youth (SOS Youth) in 2006. Our mission was simple: to uplift the community. We built small libraries for children in Sta. Monica, including Tangbo, distributed clothes, and organized feeding programs.

My husband taught the boys how to shape surfboards, giving them a craft and a dream. Some of those same boys are now instructors, local entrepreneurs and role models to the next generation. Their success stories are living proof that generosity bears fruit, not just for those who give, but for entire communities that rise together.

In 2023, we took another leap of faith by establishing the Siargao Artist in Residence (IAO AIR) Gallery. Through art, we hoped to preserve the island’s pristine spirit; to show locals and visitors alike that beauty is not only in what can be built, but in what can be protected. Each painting, sculpture, and installation tells a story of love for Siargao, of artists finding a home in simplicity and sincerity.

During my latest visit, a foreign guest asked me, “Now that Tangbo is developing fast, will you stop your community work?”

I smiled. “No,” I told her, “if anything, this is the time to do more.” Because development without guidance can lose its soul. We must teach balance, to grow, but not at the expense of culture and the environment; to welcome, but not to forget who we are.

As it is written in Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Indeed, generosity builds more than just livelihoods, it sustains hope, nurtures culture, and ensures that even as Siargao changes, its heart remains the same.