MANILA: When reports of an assault by Israeli tourists at a restaurant in Siargao made headlines nationwide, it was not the first such incident to take place on the southern Philippine island in recent months.
This time, however, it went viral, with an increasing number of Filipino influencers calling for a crackdown on visitors from Israel to stop harassment and abuse of local businesses and rules.
On May 11, two Israeli visitors were reported to have assaulted the owners of Cartoon Resto Cafe in Siargao, allegedly because it had a Palestinian flag on display.
While the cafe owners have not been available for comment, fellow business owners have been describing the incident to the media.
“The Israelis trespassed, they destroyed the CCTV camera, and then destroyed some of the stuff inside the cafe as well, and then hurt the owners,” Elie Rasa, a Siargao resident and restaurant owner, told Arab News.
“They have a video of the faces — you know, a hidden CCTV camera. So, it was there. Of course, they turned it over to the police because when the incident happened, they called the police right away. And they were hurt. They went to the hospital, filed the report and all that stuff. But yeah, they (police) didn’t find the suspects.”
Siargao is one of the Philippines’ most popular surfing sites, known for its beaches and lagoons, which draw both local and international visitors year-round.
There are already fears that the incidents of violence — which have been on the rise over the past few years — would soon affect the island’s appeal among tourists.
“The ones who want to go to Siargao, they’re like, ‘I’m thinking of rescheduling my trip because I heard there’s unruly or violent Israelis there now,’” Rasa said.
“I don’t want that to be the image of Siargao. Tourism-wise, it’s not good. Now, we’re very concerned.”
While neither the local police nor the Bureau of Immigration, which handles complaints involving foreigners, responded to requests for comment from Arab News, the Cartoon Resto Cafe case has prompted a growing number of business owners to come forward with similar accounts of abuse and threats involving Israeli tourists.
“There is a pattern emerging and we cannot keep pretending it is just isolated incidents. In Siargao, there have been documented complaints from locals: verbal abuse, entitlement, reckless behavior, and open disrespect for community norms,” said Regal Oliva, a lawyer with 2.3 million followers on Facebook.
Her video, which since May 18 has gained more than 3.5 million views, featured clips and parts of local news reports accusing Israeli visitors of abuse, reckless behavior and disrespect of local norms, “calling locals maids or slaves, driving aggressively through quiet barangays (neighborhoods), trashing rentals, ignoring curfews, and acting as if rules don’t apply to them.”
Asserting that she and others troubled by the tourist behavior were not “anti-Jewish,” she said that everyone visiting the Philippines must be bound by Philippine laws and rules.
“Those who come with entitlement, those who harass, who disrespect, who try to bend the system, who impose instead of integrate, they must be confronted: legally, firmly.”
Other Filipino content creators triggered by the Cartoon Resto Cafe incident have called on local authorities to be more decisive in protecting their own community.
“While we are being very welcoming, we should also impose effective laws that protect the dignity of our indigenous population who are the backbone of Siargao’s tourism ... Illegal occupiers (have) no place in any corners of Siargao,” said online personality Mathilda Airlines, who has over 1.2 million followers on TikTok.
She addressed Israeli visitors, saying: “You better stop acting like you own the land. Stop treating the locals as your slaves, and you should comply with local ordinances, such as curfews and environmental protection policies.”
Concerns over the presence of Israelis on the island gained nationwide attention in May last year, when local residents opposed Israeli plans to open a Chabad house — a Jewish community center and place of worship.
It was then that business owners began speaking out about their experiences. But despite warnings from the Bureau of Immigration that foreigners who violate Philippine laws or disturb public order could be deported and permanently blacklisted, reports of misconduct involving Israeli tourists continued to surface on local online forums.
Filipino influencer Edward Angelo, whose Instagram video got 1.4 million views, has warned that the problem is growing.
“I’m not saying that all Israelis are like this, however, based on the recent videos, the recent content, the recent complaints that I’ve been seeing here in social media, you can actually see the pattern,” he said.
“I think it’s time to protect the locals, protect small businesses, and protect Siargao.”
