08/08/2026
This project is probably the most important piece of work I will have ever created since moving to Siquijor, not for me but for the community (and it literally took a village to complete).
Not because it's perfect. Not because it was easy. But because it captures something that may not exist in the same way a decade from now.
In many ways, this became the project that brought me home. My great Lola was Siquijodnon so there was always a part of me that belonged here.
And despite everything that came with making this, I knew it was important to finish and share, even if it wasn't what I had originally envisioned.
One day people will look back and ask what Siquijor was like before the rapid growth, rising prices, overdevelopment, and before the island became something different. This is my attempt to answer that question.
When I arrived here, I met local guides who weren't doing this for social media, status or recognition. They were doing it because they genuinely love our island. They are the unsung heroes of tourism and community here.
This project through SIQ Adventures was created to preserve their knowledge, their way of life and a version of Siquijor that deserves to be remembered. A time when tourism was driven by passion rather than competition. When opportunities were still accessible to locals. When the people who knew the island best helped shape its future. And when authenticity mattered more than image.
I hope this film reminds people that the true value of this island has never been the waterfalls, the beaches or the views. It's the people. So to you visitors, remember this when you tip your guides, on tour or at locations. They were here first.
To every local guide, fisherman, diver, small business owner and family who welcomed me and supported this project, thank you, this is for you. It was never for clout. It was always about preservation.
A time capsule for Siquijor. For its people and for future generations, including our daughter, Tallulah, so they can see what, and more importantly WHO, made this island special long before anyone tried to define it for themselves.
© 2026 SIQ Adventures. All rights reserved. This film and its contents may not be copied, reproduced, republished, redistributed, edited or used without prior written permission. Sharing the original film through official SIQ Adventures channels is welcome.
