Before Boracay, there was Sicogon

Before Boracay attained international renown, Sicogon island in Iloilo province used to be a favorite destination of tourists. Situated at the north-westernmost part of Panay, Sicogon is part of the Higantes group of islands which is under the territorial jurisdiction of Carles, a small 4th class municipality in Iloilo.

Sicogon used to be popular to tourists for its long stretch of white sand beach, said to be longer than Boracay’s 7-kilometer stretch. It is also known for its lush coral reefs ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling. In fact, the sea surrounding the Sicogon-Higantes island chain is the traditional fishing ground of local fishermen due to its abundant marine life. Unfortunately, unrestricted cyanide and dynamite fishing have done much damage to its once-lush coral reefs. Local environmentalists and cause-oriented groups have been advocating for a “moratorium” to wide-scale commercial fishing in the area to give the marine ecosystem time to regenerate itself. But since people have no other means of livelihood, the proposal has not gained much public support.

Anyway, to get to Sicogon, one can either take public transportation from Iloilo City or rent a van for the 3-hour drive to Carles. Upon arriving in Carles town, one can hire a banca (motorized outrigger canoe) to bring you to Sicogon island. If you are coming from Manila, you can also take the Roxas City route because Carles is more or less equidistant to both Iloilo and Roxas City. All in all, getting to Sicogon would take up half a day and an overnight stay there is bitin. One has to stay at least two days to really explore and enjoy the island. The downside (or the upside depending on what you want) is that facilities at Sicogon are not exactly world-class and tourists must “rough it up” a little. Cottages are just simple nipa hut affairs and there is no plumbing. Sicogon would appeal more to adventurous tourists, backpackers and nature-lovers than city-slickers accustomed to the comforts and amenities of home.

Things were not always this way at Sicogon. In the 1970s up to the early 1980s, Sicogon had a world-class resort which was supposedly visited by Hollywood celebrities and moneyed sun-worshippers from all over the globe. There even used to be a private airstrip and helipad on the island which was built by a Marcos crony. Unfortunately, the resort owner defaulted on his loan and the resort facility is now owned by the Philippine National Bank (PNB). To date, no developer is willing to touch the island because of this huge debt, which is said to run in the hundreds of millions of pesos.

My cousin, Dr. Boy Dumayas, used to be mayor of Carles town and tried to promote Sicogon as an alternative eco-tourism destination in Iloilo. But sadly, he lost his reelection bid (as usual, he was cheated) and the new mayor (a retired military officer) is not exactly an eco-tourism activist and environmentalist, to say the least.

Anyway, there are two other things Sicogon is famous for aside from its white sand beach. One is its giant clams, which can grow up to 4 feet in diameter. You can see these giant clams near the entrances of some old Spanish churches being used as vessels where you dip holy water. Sicogon is also famous for its siyukoy (a merman or a male version of the mermaid). According to local lore, the siyukoy is said to bring bad luck to fishermen and cause excursionists to drown.

But neither the siyukoy nor the inadequate facilities have stopped people from visiting the area. In fact, more and more Ilonggos are rediscovering Sicogon. For years, local residents and knowledgeable foreign tourists have tried to keep the secret to themselves lest Sicogon turn into another Boracay. But with Boracay already saturated, the drumbeat of commercialization is fast approaching the island and Sicogon might not remain in its present pristine state for long.