Siargao’s rise: How a hidden paradise became the world’s best island

Siargao’s iconic Cloud 9 waves and tower in the Municipality of General Luna. (Photo credits to: Cong. Lalo Matugas, Cong. Bingo Matugas, Bagtik Media Team, Kapihan Media Group, Canva, and Facebook)

Thirty years ago, Siargao was a quiet island off Mindanao’s northeastern coast—remote, untouched, and largely unknown to the outside world. Surrounded by pristine waters and dense forests, the island offered unparalleled natural beauty but lacked basic infrastructure, making daily life challenging for locals and visits inconvenient for outsiders.

Former Governor and Congressman Atty. Lalo Matugas, born and raised in Dapa, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, fondly known as the Father of Modern Siargao or OG nan Siargao, as the original proponent of Siargao’s exponential progress. (Photo credits to: Cong. Lalo Matugas, Cong. Bingo Matugas, Bagtik Media Team, Kapihan Media Group, Canva, and Facebook)

Fast forward to today, Siargao consistently ranks among the world’s best islands, a beloved destination for both local and international tourists. But how did this hidden gem transform into an internationally acclaimed paradise?

Siargao’s rise wasn’t accidental—it didn’t simply happen on its own. It was driven by people who believed in Siargao’s potential long before anyone else did. Despite skepticism and criticism, dedicated individuals worked tirelessly to build essential infrastructure and develop the island to realize its potential as the legendary tourist destination they envisioned. Siargao now stands as a compelling example of how visionary local leadership can elevate an unknown island in the Philippines onto the global stage—bringing tremendous opportunities to its people and immense pride to the entire country.

One such visionary leader is Francisco “Lalo” Matugas, born and raised in the municipality of Dapa, Siargao. The eldest of nine children, he grew up supporting his family’s business and learned early on the value of community service and generosity from his parents. After becoming a lawyer and serving in government agencies, Lalo entered public service in 1992 when he ran for governor and won. At the time, most people—including Filipinos—had no idea where or what Siargao Island was. But Lalo Matugas already saw the great potential of his island home. He was determined to make the world see it too.

In 1993, former Governor Lalo Matugas, together with the late Mayor Jaime Rusillon of General Luna, literally cut a path through dense jungle to the now-famous Cloud 9 surf break. This simple yet pivotal action opened access for surfers, initiating a cultural shift—introducing surfing as both a viable sport and a source of livelihood for locals. In the same year, despite limited resources and initial skepticism, these leaders hosted the first-ever Siargao Surfing Classic, planting the seeds for what would become a globally renowned surfing destination.

By 1996, their efforts had resulted in the iconic Cloud 9 boardwalk and tower—initially practical structures, but ones that quickly became symbolic landmarks. This laid the groundwork for Siargao’s global surfing prominence, recently highlighted when the island hosted the Philippines’ largest surfing event, the World Surf League QS5000.

However, surfing was only part of the island’s success story. After serving as governor, Lalo continued to serve Siargao as its congressman. It was during this time that Cong. Lalo Matugas spearheaded major infrastructure projects that dramatically changed Siargao’s trajectory. His landmark achievement was the concreting of the island’s entire 162-kilometer circumferential road. He began this in 2007 and completed it in 2016—a development now enjoyed by both tourists and locals. This revolutionized local transportation, facilitated the growth of businesses, and laid the foundation for Siargao’s thriving tourism industry.

Cong. Lalo Matugas oversees the concreting of Siargao’s 162 km circumferential highway which he completed in his three terms as Congressman. (Photo credits to: Cong. Lalo Matugas, Cong. Bingo Matugas, Bagtik Media Team, Kapihan Media Group, Canva, and Facebook)

Equally transformative was Cong. Matugas’ expansion and modernization of Siargao’s Sayak Airport. In the 1960s, then-Governor Oging Navarro (who also served as congressman) donated a portion of his family’s land to create a small local airport. Cong. Matugas sought to expand this airport to welcome more visitors from across the country and around the world.

He faced heavy criticism that the project was unnecessary and a waste of public funds. Critics argued that no one knew what Siargao was, so no one would want to fly there. Even local airlines believed this and initially refused to give him flights. Undaunted, Cong. Matugas held firm in his vision that Siargao could become a prime tourist destination. He pushed forward and, in 2009, secured just one commercial flight per week—just in time to serve participants of the second annual International Gamefishing Tournament in the municipality of Pilar. He believed that small start was enough to get the ball rolling—and he was right.

Just as he envisioned, Sayak Airport has become a bustling regional gateway, now welcoming 18 daily flights and over a thousand tourists per day, totaling more than half a million tourists annually. This once-contested airport now plays a pivotal role in both the island’s and the country’s booming tourism economy.

Satellite images of the Sayak Airport in 2008, when Cong. Lalo Matugas was working on its expansion and securing the island’s first regular flight, and the Sayak Airport in 2023, with its expanded runway and upgraded facilities. (Photo credits to: Cong. Lalo Matugas, Cong. Bingo Matugas, Bagtik Media Team, Kapihan Media Group, Canva, and Facebook)

Cong. Lalo Matugas’s son, Cong. Bingo Matugas, succeeded him as Siargao’s district representative after Cong. Lalo completed his initial three terms. Building upon his father’s vision, Cong. Bingo oversaw key developments, including Siargao’s first national hospital, the island’s first international cruise port, and the approval of its first international airport—a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project under President Bongbong Marcos’ Build Better More program, supported by the DOTr. Officially signed on December 18, 2024, this project marks a transformative step for the island.

From its humble beginnings as a local airport with just one weekly flight, the Matugas congressmen have propelled Siargao into international prominence, making world-class transportation infrastructure a necessity. As Cong. Bingo Matugas concludes his third term as district representative, Cong. Lalo Matugas seeks to return to office, eager to complete these visionary projects and sustain the remarkable progress he initiated decades ago.

Beyond tourism, Cong. Lalo Matugas is deeply committed to the welfare of local residents. He supports programs like widespread free medical missions—affectionately known as Panambay sa Barangay—and advances education through the creation of Siargao National Science High School, Surigao del Norte State University, and the conversion of annex high schools into national high schools, enabling more students to enroll and creating more teaching positions for Siargaonon educators.

His commitment extends beyond official programs—it’s deeply personal. Cong. Matugas has donated several hectares of his own land to support Siargaonons directly. He donated one hectare to locals without titled land so they could have a place to call home. Another hectare went to a high school under the Department of Education to improve access to education. And yet another hectare was donated for vital government offices like the RTC, LTO, DepEd, and TESDA—bringing essential services closer to the people.

Government offices were established along the main highway in the municipality of Dapa on personal land donated by Cong. Lalo Matugas. (Photo credits to: Cong. Lalo Matugas, Cong. Bingo Matugas, Bagtik Media Team, Kapihan Media Group, Canva, and Facebook)

Siargao’s remarkable transformation vividly demonstrates how committed, visionary leadership and genuine community engagement can shape a community’s destiny. The island’s quiet yet sudden revolution serves as both an inspiring model and a hopeful message to other localities across the Philippines: when leaders invest strategically, govern responsibly, and truly love their people, extraordinary world-class progress isn’t just possible—it’s achievable.