In recent months, Siquijor has basked in the glow of social media fame, its enchanting beaches, mystical trails, and captivating sunsets drawing both wanderlust-driven millennials and celebrity footprints.
But behind the curated reels and viral drone shots lies a sobering truth: paradise is on the brink of a power and water crisis.
What began as scattered complaints has now escalated into a full-blown infrastructure emergency, drawing no less than the Phililppine President to the island for an urgent visit.
The crisis has become too glaring to ignore. Power outages stretching beyond 10 hours are no longer isolated inconveniences—they are choking Siquijor’s economic life, from small sari-sari stores to beachfront resorts that depend on 24/7 electricity and potable water.
Tourism, Siquijor’s crown jewel, is particularly at risk. Provincial Administrator & Tourism Officer Dominik Tudtud minced no words: the outages have disrupted government services, stalled business operations, and discouraged travelers, some of whom have had to cut vacations short or cancel bookings altogether.
In an island where many livelihoods rely on the steady influx of tourists, this is nothing short of economic sabotage.
The cause? A glaring mismatch between supply and demand. The local utility, Prosielco, can only deliver about eight megawatts of power—far below the 12 MW that Siquijor now needs.
Even with a supplemental agreement with the Siquijor Island Province Corp., the Province remains in the red when it comes to energy needs.
And because water pumps are electricity-driven, the power deficit cascades into a water crisis, compounding public frustration and health risks.
To its credit, the national government has started to act. The Local Water Utilities Administration, under Administrator Jose Moises Salonga, has coordinated with the Dumaguete City Water District to deploy a generator set specifically for Siquijor’s water systems. It’s a vital short-term solution, but the island deserves more than reactive band-aids.
The situation in Siquijor is a stark reminder of the chasm between image and infrastructure. The viral tourism buzz has papered over long-standing neglect in utility planning and disaster preparedness.
It also challenges us to rethink development priorities. No matter how beautiful a place is, tourists—and more importantly, residents—need the basics: power, water, and reliable services.
Siquijor stands at a crossroads. This crisis can either erode the Island’s momentum or galvanize a renewed commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth.
For that to happen, we need more than gensets and Presidential visits. We need investment in energy generation and grid reliability. We need planning that aligns with tourism ambitions. And we need local leadership that doesn’t wait for Manila to intervene before acting.
The world is watching, drawn by Siquijor’s charm. Let us not lose this opportunity to prove that the Island can be not only a place of magic—but also a model of resilience.
