#siargao

Statement from the Embassy of The State of Palestine - The Philippines, 23 June 2026:

Ambassador Mounir Anastas visits Siargao last May 29, 2026 and follows up on targeted attack against aupporters of the Palestinian cause.

Ambassador Mounir Anastas, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Philippines, paid a working visit to Municipality of General Luna, Siargao Island, where he met with the Mayor, Vicce mayor, Counselors of Municipality, and the Chief of Police to discuss opportunities for cultural, tourism, and development cooperation and ways to strengthen ties with local communities.

During the discussions, Ambassador Anastas followed up on the case involving a German national and his Filipino wife, owners of a local café (Cartoon Café), who were subjected to a targeted attack after publicly expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause and displaying the Palestinian flag at their establishment. Video footage of the incident indicated that the perpetrators were Israeli nationals.

Following intensive efforts and coordination by the Embassy with the relevant Philippine authorities, including senior police officials, the individuals involved in the attack were identified and legal proceedings were initiated. The Embassy also emphasized the importance of ensuring appropriate compensation for the victims and safeguarding freedom of expression.

I don’t know if this is old news but apparently, Israeli tourists in Siargao, a popular tourist attraction in the Philippines are trying to build a chabad house there.

While I don’t have any problems with the tourists building it to make other Jews feel welcome when they visit, I still think they don’t have the right to because according to many reports, they’ve extremely disrespectful to locals by disregarding customs and rules, verbally and physically attacking them, and more.

The locals don’t feel safe on their own island. And if they don’t want the tourists to build the chabad house, then the tourists need to respect that and not build it.

My country has been colonized by America and Spain and was occupied by Japan during WW2. I personally have many stories about how my family members were killed, kidnapped, and forced to live in fear during occupation in the Philippines.

December film dump 🎞️

Growing up in Mindanao for almost 2 decades and never actually being able to traverse the picturesque landscapes in the eastern part of the island is something that I know I have to break before the year ends. So I did.

I flew from Manila to Cebu so early in the morning to catch a connecting flight to Siargao by noon. Traveling to Siargao was a lot of firsts for me. Not having to go to every detail but when the plane was about to take off to Siargao, we were all offloaded due to the bad weather on the island. Fortunately, instead of having to fly back to Manila, the airline was kind enough to take me to a nearby hotel in Cebu, all expenses paid including food, transportation, and next-day ticket. It was an unexpected staycation which surprisingly I enjoyed.

Coming from a very tiring day at work and then going to the airport, I felt like I really needed this quiet time, and I was able to check in to this lavish hotel all by myself while waiting for my flight the next day. Also, I had a great night as well in Cebu catching up with one of my long-time friends and her beaux. I went back to my hotel around 3 in the morning because there’s just so many things to catch up and I really missed my homie so much. Keyword: low-maintenance friendships.

So the day finally came, and I was able to land safely on the island of Siargao. Right off the bat on my first night, I had a lovely dinner with my travel friends slash buddies at work and we went to a bar, and danced the night away which to me serves as a prelude to the great experience this vibrant community had in stored for me as a Mindanaoan that have never set foot beyond the confines of Zamboanga and western Mindanao.

We spent our days being on the road which to me was such a release. Being able to smell the fresh ocean breeze while blasting our favorite Y2K songs in the car and relying on Waze or Google Maps for our next destination, to me, makes the trip so much fun because of the spontaneity and unpredictability that it brings. We went island hopping, danced in the boat, swam on open waters, ate our hearts out, moved from one accommodation to another, and I tried surfing for the first time! I never thought I would enjoy the experience because it was raining lightly at that time and the waves were so big it could easily engulf me, but man, best day ever!!!! I fell on the surfing board and slammed my body on the rushing waves several times but being able to stand on the surfboard for the first time was such a liberating experience. A little bit of a stretch, but it was and I will try it again once I go back to Siargao.

☾

I flew back to Cebu and then to Manila to catch one of my friend’s wedding and luckily I made it with no delay. Looking at the pictures that I got to develop from a Fuji film camera that I brought with me on the island, I am reminded again of the incredible healing power of what it’s like to try new things, be with nature, and just breathe. Knowing that the year is about to end in a couple of weeks, I felt so blessed to have that opportunity to break the complicated rhythm of corporate life and to disconnect for a moment. 

After 3 weeks, I get to fly back to Boracay to celebrate New Year’s Eve. So many epic moments that I am also grateful for which I may save for the future but nevertheless, my last month of 2023 was such a banger and I hope it always feels that way.

By the way, I’m writing all these on my iPhone because I’m too tired to get up and open my MacBook, so I appreciate you for hanging with me this far. So that’s it for 2023!

Simply put, I just want to say Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones, and may 2024 be as effervescent as your hopes and dreams for the future.

J.

(December, 2023)

(Photos were shot using Fujifilm Simpleace 35 mm camera + iPhone 15 Pro Max)

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