The rising cost of being local in Siquijor
ISLA DEL FUEGO — There was a time when Siquijor was simply home — not a brand, not a destination, not a backdrop for someone else’s Instagram story. It was a place where locals freely swam in its pristine waters, gathered under coconut trees, and sipped fresh buco juice without a price tag.
But now, in the name of tourism, the island is changing — and not everyone is celebrating.
Today, the people who were born and raised here are being slowly priced out of the very island they call home.
Entrance fees now block access to beaches. Buco juice? P120. Mango shake? P250. Pizza? P300. Fries? P150. Cottages and spaces that were once freely-shared now come with hourly rates.
Tourists come and go, but the locals are the ones left carrying the weight of inflated prices, and lost privileges.
And the question stands: When did rest become something locals had to pay for?
Hidden cost of progress
The development of Siquijor’s tourism industry was meant to bring opportunity — but opportunity for whom?
Tricycles and vans now favor tourists who pay more, often leaving locals waiting or walking.
Restaurants and vendors raise their prices, not for quality, but for profit.
What used to be a community-oriented island is becoming a marketplace — where locals are no longer customers, but bystanders.
This isn’t just inconvenience — it’s economic exclusion. It’s the creeping reality of Tourism Gentrification, where development aimed at outsiders slowly displaces the insiders.
Even culture has become a commodity. The island’s healing stories, sacred traditions, and local practices are being marketed, while the very people behind them struggle to access affordable food and transport.
Who is watching?
Where is the Department of Trade & Industry in this? Or the Department of Agriculture? Are price ceilings being enforced? Are there measures in place to protect consumers, especially in tourism-heavy areas? And how can locals compete when the market no longer listens to them — only to those with foreign currency?
We need policies that do more than welcome tourists — we need policies that protect the people who welcomed them first.
Reclaiming the island for its own
Let it be clear — Siquijor is not against tourism. But we must not allow development to come at the cost of dignity.
What can be done?
- Establish dual pricing systems: Affordable for locals, standard for tourists.
- Enforce price ceilings on basic commodities in all municipalities.
- Protect public beaches and spaces as free zones for residents.
- Regulate local transport to prioritize community service, not just tourism profit.
- Require businesses to allocate resources and access for locals, not just for paying guests.
This is our island — not a showroom. And locals should not be made to feel like visitors in their own land.
Siquijor is more than a destination — it’s a home. And homes should never cost this much to live in.
If we don’t act now, the very soul of Siquijor — its people — may become the most endangered attraction of all.
Dr. Shane Jay Fabugais
Siquijor
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The author is a fellow of the 28th Iligan National Writers Workshop, and a registered writer at the National Book Development Board. He established the Special Program in Journalism at Candaping National High School in Siquijor where he serves as program coordinator. He was awarded the Most Outstanding Junior High School Teacher.
