The Island of Fires
Siquijor is a small island province in the central Visayas, in the Bohol Sea roughly 30km southeast of Negros. Early Spanish explorers called it Isla de Fuegos -- 'Island of Fires' -- because of the myriad fireflies they found there; it became an independent province in 1971. [1] The race's name is a direct nod to that colonial-era nickname, giving an otherwise standard community race a genuine sense of place.
Four Distances, Very Early Starts
The event offers 5K, 10K, 21K and 42K distances, starting on Siquijor Blvd -- the island's circumferential road. [2] Gun starts are aggressively early to beat the heat: 5:00am for the 5K, 4:30am for the 10K, and 3:00am for the 21K, reflecting how seriously organisers take tropical daytime conditions on a small island with limited shade cover.
Run by an NGO-Linked Events Team
The race is organised by SMOKE10 Events, an operation tied to the Heartbeat Mission Foundation rather than a purely commercial race promoter. [2] That NGO connection is worth knowing if a charitable throughline matters to you, though available material doesn't specify exactly how proceeds are allocated.
What One Finisher Said
At least one past finisher described the 21K here as a genuine milestone: "It was my first official race, my longest run ever -- and the most proud I had ever been of my body," they wrote in a Dumaguete MetroPost piece, adding that "crossing that 21K finish line in Siquijor actually made me feel like a genuine athlete for the first time in years." [3] That's a small but genuinely positive data point for a race with limited public feedback overall.
Dates Have Shifted Before -- Double-Check
The event has moved dates across years -- March in 2019, a planned November slot in 2024/2025 announcements, and now September for other editions -- so always confirm the current year's exact date closer to race day. [2] Public reviews remain sparse; the event's own Facebook page shows a small track record of feedback.
Should You Run It?
If you want a small, place-named community race on a genuinely distinctive island with an NGO connection, Isla del Fuego on 6 September 2026 is a reasonable pick, especially for runners chasing a meaningful first half marathon. Given the history of date changes and thin review coverage, confirm details directly with organisers before booking island travel.