IT ONLY took four hours for super typhoon Odette (or Rai, as it was known internationally) to shatter the pristine island of Siargao, forcing it to experience what were among the darkest days in history.
Hitting with a speed of 195 kilometers per hour, the storm destroyed not just homes and establishments, but also the livelihood in the archipelago.
After the rainfall, the idyllic place that Condé Nast Traveler named the ‘Best Island in Asia’ back in 2021 seemed unidentifiable. Structures and landscapes were completely devastated.
“Bago bumuhos ang ulan, nasabihan na kami na mag-evacuate, kaya wala na kami sa mga bahay namin. Pero matapos ang ilang oras, pati mga bahay namin, wala na din,” Cloud 9 surfer and instructor Jessie Noguerra told SPIN.ph.

Most homes in the island were thatched huts that stand on stilts. For the longest time, those were sufficient to keep the residents safe during mild weather conditions.
That all changed in December 16, 2021.
Tingsoy Hidalgo, a carpenter and surfing instructor, watched his house vanish before his eyes in a matter of hours.
“Nasa loob kami ng bahay namin sa Pilar. Grabe ang buhos ng tubig at lakas ng hangin. Natanggal ang bubong naming tapos tinangay lang yung buong bahay. Kami naman, nagtago sa bahay ng kapitbahay naming na sementado ang pundasyon,” he said. “Basang-basa ang mga gamit sa lugar namin. Pati tanim, giba.”

Siargaonons who weren't in the island at the time refreshed their newsfeeds in vain as their island hometown lost power and cellular signal.
“Nung binagyo dito, nasa Maynila ako. Iyak lang ako nang iyak kasi ang sabi sakin nasira ang bahay namin. Nag-aalala ako sa pamilya ko, hindi ko man lang matawagan. Mahigit isang buwan nung nakabalik ako,” said Kuya Eddie, 34, a staffer and instructor in Cloud 9.
The case is same for Erwin Orllaneda, who was supposed to return until his flight got canceled.
“Stranded ako sa Maynila, dapat uuwi na ako pero hindi natuloy. Nakakalungkot nung pagbalik ko, iba ‘yung Siargao na dinatnan ko,” Orillaneda added.
Locals were glad that help arrived from the outside, But to rebuild their homes, they could only turn to themselves.
“Kami-kami ang gumawa ng bahay namin. Mga naging estudyante namin sa surf, nagpadala ng pera, unti-unti naming binubuo,” Eddie shared.
Hidalgo added: “Maraming nagbigay ng relief sa loob ng ilang araw. May mga nag-donate ng materyales, at yun ang ginamit naming pang-tayo muli ng bahay.”
Help poured in from foreigners who had previously visited the island, as well as from business owners and investors, the local government unit, and even from the Department of Tourism of CARAGA.
Noguerra shared: “Nung una napanghinaan talaga kami ng loob kasi first time namin ma-experience yun dito, dito na ako lumaki. Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa mga naturuan namin at sa mga resort owners na nagpadala ng tulong.”

Siargao bounces back
Over a year since tragedy, locals claim that it’s safe to say Siargao is 90 percent back to its original beauty.
Tourism, of course, played the biggest role in its continuous recovery.
Glenn John Forcadilla, another surfer instructor, shared: “Nakakatuwa kasi may turista na ulit. As an instructor, nakakapagturo na ulit, balik na ang kita, halos lahat may bahay na, masaya na ang lahat ulit.”
Making it a goal to help tourism get back on its feet, Sunlight Air, a domestic boutique airline, offers regular and convenient flights to Siargao.
With its own hangar, travellers can skip the NAIA chaos, and go straight to its lounge where the plane (which can carry up to 70 people) can arrive at the ‘Surfing Capital of the Philippines in two hours, so visitors can see for themselves the island that braved the terrible typhoon.

Said Noguerra: Siargao needed tourism now, more than ever.
“Sobrang laking bagay ng pagbalik ng turismo, iba ‘yung una, iba din ngayon, mas Malaki ang naitutulong ng turismo sa ngayon, kumbaga, mas kailangan namin ‘to kasi pag wala ang turista, maghihirap ang mga tao dito."
This tour is sponsored by SunLight Air, DOT Region XIII, and Siargao Bleu Resort and Spa.
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