‘I miss the past, but we like the money’: The Bali-fication of a laidback surfers’ island
A transformation is underway on the laidback surfers’ paradise of Siargao Island in the Philippines, echoing the path taken by Bali decades ago. The island, known for its pristine beaches and world-class surf breaks, is experiencing a rapid influx of tourism and development that is changing its landscape and way of life.
Local surfers and residents express mixed feelings about the changes. While some reminisce about the island’s past tranquility and tight-knit community, others acknowledge the economic opportunities that come with the surge in tourism. One surfer lamented, “I miss the old Siargao, but we like the money that tourists bring in.”
Businesses are capitalizing on the island’s popularity, with resorts, restaurants, and shops springing up to cater to the growing number of visitors. Infrastructure improvements, such as road construction and airport expansions, aim to accommodate the rising demand.
Authorities are faced with the challenge of balancing progress with environmental conservation and sustainable growth. Efforts are being made to regulate development and preserve the island’s natural beauty to prevent unchecked urbanization.
As Siargao grapples with its evolving identity, the delicate equilibrium between preserving its unique culture and embracing tourism as an economic driver hangs in the balance. The parallels to Bali serve as a cautionary tale, urging stakeholders to heed lessons learned and navigate the shift mindfully to protect the essence of this surfers’ haven.
Sources Analysis:
International Surf Association (ISA) – The ISA is a governing body for the sport of surfing. It may have a vested interest in maintaining the authenticity and reputation of surf destinations like Siargao.
Local Siargao Island Residents – Their perspectives on the changes to the island may be influenced by personal experiences and concerns about the impact of tourism on their community.
Fact Check:
Siargao Island is known for its pristine beaches and world-class surf breaks – Verified facts; This information about the island’s natural features is widely acknowledged and verifiable.
Local surfers have mixed feelings about the changes on the island – Unconfirmed claims; Individual sentiments may vary and are subject to personal interpretation.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “‘I miss the past, but we like the money’: The Bali-fication of a laidback surfers’ island”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.