Andi Eigenmann with Siargao locals. Image: Instagram/@andieigengirl
Actress Andi Eigenmann appreciates how Siargao locals have made her and her family feel welcome, and in turn, she hopes that others who want to visit or live in the island would respect the paradise and its residents.
Eigenmann stressed why tourists should take care of Siargao via Instagram last Monday, June 29. The actress resides on the island with her boyfriend, professional surfer Philmar Alipayo who is a native of Siargao, and her two daughters Ellie and Lilo.
“Everyone knows that my love for the island would not have been the same if not for the locals who have shared their home to me and Ellie, and have shown us both so much love, care and respect,” Eigenmann noted.
The actress said she has been “eager to learn to speak their dialect, eat their delicious food and live like the [nature-loving] islander that I am” because of the locals, who she now proudly considers as her friends and family.
As a surfing enthusiast, Eigenmann credited her surf instructors for being the first to make her realize “how lovely the people of Siargao are.”
“They don’t only make me feel safe in the water, but were the ones that have opened my eyes to the beauty of the island [as] well,” she added.
Eigenmann of course did not forget to acknowledge Alipayo, who she described as “the kindest, most caring person I know,” as to why she loves the island.
“He didn’t have a lot the time we met, but he gave me and shared with me everything of him,” the actress said of Alipayo. “That to me, is priceless. [I] know that I wouldn’t have the life I have now if not for all of them.”
Eigenmann got inspired to profess her love for Siargao after her friends, including beauty queen Katarina Rodriguez, recounted their stories on social media.
Rodriguez and Eigenmann both credited their friend Marja (@marjaabadgirl) for motivating them to share their stories.
Like Eigenmann, Rodriguez expressed how much she respects the locals in Siargao, especially her instructors in surfing.
“I strive to attain the values they have in life: patience, passion, humility, kindness, purity and this list goes on,” she said. “They share their home to so many people from all over the world, like myself.”
“#RESPECTTHELOCALS whether you’re visiting or living here,” Rodriguez added. “[Because] this is their home and this island will always belong to THEM.”
Siargao is known as the surfing capital of the Philippines. It is located in Mindanao and is one of the provinces of Surigao del Norte. JB
LOOK: Andi Eigenmann marks 30th birthday by reuniting with eldest daughter Ellie
WATCH: Andi Eigenmann’s 10-month-old daughter Lilo surfs with dad for the first time