24/09/2026
Reviving the Lost Culture of Siargao through Arts: SIPA holds 1st painting competition
GENERAL LUNA, SIARGAO — September 20, 2026 — Artists from across Siargao gathered at Angelica’s Hostel–Nomad Cafe and Workspace to compete for the Siargao Island Peoples Association's (SIPA Community ) 1st On-the-Spot Painting Competition, bringing together artists of different backgrounds and skill levels to portray the island’s rich cultural heritage through art.
Held on September 20, the competition aimed to revive, preserve, and celebrate the culture of Siargao during its pre-tourism years, providing artists with an avenue to revisit the island’s traditional way of life and translate it into visual art.
The competition was open to all artists in Siargao, welcoming both professional and amateur participants. Artists were challenged to create their works on the spot, drawing inspiration from themes connected to Old Siargao, its people, traditions, livelihoods, landscapes, and everyday life before the island’s tourism boom.
Tattoo Artist Takes Grand Prize
Taking the Grand Prize was Jesrel Terante, 33, a tattoo artist whose winning work captured the character and cultural memories of Siargao through his distinctive artistic approach.
Paul Hertel, 35, an abstract artist, secured Second Place, presenting his interpretation of Siargao’s cultural identity through abstraction and expressive forms.
Meanwhile, Echris Casamorin, 30, a tattoo artist, won Third Place, bringing back the memories of local transport called ‘jeep’ on the island with his own artistic discipline and visual style into the competition.
The three winners represented different artistic backgrounds—mural art, abstract art, and tattoo art—reflecting the diversity of creative talent within the island's artistic community.
More Than a Painting Competition
For SIPA Community, the activity was more than a contest. It was conceived as a cultural preservation initiative, encouraging artists to revisit a period in Siargao’s history that is gradually becoming less visible as the island continues to develop as an international tourism destination.
Before the rise of tourism, Siargao's communities were closely connected to traditional livelihoods, local craftsmanship, fishing, farming, coconut production, indigenous practices, and communal activities. Many of these aspects of island life have changed significantly over the years.
Through the competition, artists were encouraged to document these memories and traditions through their own creative perspectives.
Each painting became more than an artistic entry—it became a visual interpretation of Siargao’s collective memory.
The open-category format also allowed professionals and amateurs to participate side by side, emphasizing that cultural preservation can be a shared responsibility across generations and artistic disciplines.
The event provided a space where experienced artists could showcase their skills while emerging artists and enthusiasts could contribute their own perspectives on the island’s heritage.
Keeping Old Siargao Alive
As Siargao continues to experience rapid economic and tourism development, activities such as the On-the-Spot Painting Competition give the community a chance to pause and reflect on the island's roots.
Through the works of Terante, Hertel, Casamorin, and the other participating artists, memories of the old Siargao were transformed into visual stories that can be shared with present and future generations.
For SIPA Community, the message is simple: progress does not have to mean forgetting where the community came from.
By bringing together artists, residents, and the wider community, the competition showed how creativity can powerfully remember, preserve, and celebrate Siargao’s cultural identity.
Through art, the stories of Old Siargao continue to live on—one painting at a time.
Here are your TOP 10 WINNERS:
