Abstract

This study examined the linguistic landscape of Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte—recognized as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines—through the authorship framework proposed by Ben-Rafael et al. (2006) [2]. The research aimed to analyze language use in public signage and its implications for language policy in tourism-driven areas. Data was gathered in November 2024 from eight municipalities, covering public and commercial spaces such as parks, markets, government offices, restaurants, and tourist sites.
A total of 491 signs were documented, comprising 154 top-down and 337 bottom-up signs. Findings revealed that English dominated both categories, accounting for 72.8% of top-down and 83.4% of bottom-up signs. Bilingual combinations, including English-Surigaonon (14.3% in top-down; 5.9% in bottom-up) and English-Filipino (8% in bottom-up), were less frequent, while pure Surigaonon signage appeared minimally (5.8% in top-down; 2.4% in bottom-up). Additionally, a small proportion of signs featured foreign languages such as Chinese and Japanese.
These results highlight the prominent presence of English and the relatively marginal visibility of Surigaonon in Siargao’s linguistic landscape. The study recommends the development of a localized language policy to promote cultural preservation and ensure linguistic inclusivity in the context of tourism-oriented development.