Eastern Samar surf club gives mentorship, equipment to young surfers in Borongan

Aspiring surfers in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, received early Valentine gifts on February 13: P150,000 worth of surf equipment from the Surfriders Club of Eastern Samar (SCES) and local surfboard shaper Pokdaw Surfboards.

Six brand new surfboards and accessories were given to groms – young people who enjoy surfing – in Borongan City on on February 13. The beneficiaries were chosen based on their potential to enhance their skills, as well as their perseverance.

Photo by Rupert Ambil

But there’s a catch. The recipients have to follow 4 conditions for using the equipment. These are:

1. Staying in school and studying well
2. Helping their elders in the household
3. Being productive and law-abiding members of their community
4. Not having vices

“We set these conditions to emphasize to these kids that education and good values are important to the surfing community. We want to train not just skilled groms, but also law-abiding surfers that care for their community,” SCES president Rupert Ambil said. 

Surf champs and “kuyas” of the SCES also agreed to mentor the next generation of surfers by overseeing the use of equipment for the young athletes. The club thanked the members and friends of the organization who pooled resources to acquire the needed equipment for the mentorship program. 

Photo by Rupert Ambil

Next in line

As they received new equipment, the young surfers passed their junior boards to the next generation of surfers.

One recipient of a new surfboard turned over his old board to a new grom. Because boards were made for them at a young age, they outgrow the size of the equipment as they get older. Although this particular surfboard was handed to its 3rd owner, it is still in good condition. It was one of the very first boards donated by surfboard shaper Brandale Balid.

Shaper Brandale Balid has been sponsoring members of the surf club since he learned how to make boards. Almost all of the boards used in the Surf in the City Festival in Borongan City in 2019 were shaped at his shop, and sponsored by him. 

Surfriders Club of Eastern Samar, the oldest surf club in Eastern Samar, organized the festival with the City Government of Borongan. The event gathered almost 100 of the best surfers in the country.

Surf in the City served as the final leg of the Philippine Surfing Championship Tour (PSCT) where they recognized the top surfers in the country including the surfers who represented the country in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. 

The event boosted tourism opportunities for Borongan City as the 5-day festival hosted various sporting competitions aside from surfing, evening concerts featuring local bands and talents, and a product expo featuring of some of the best products from the province. 

“Whenever I see my boards being used by surfers and getting stoked on what I made, I feel as if I am the one using it,” Brandale said.

Outreach programs

This is not the first time the surf organization held outreach programs like this. When the lockdown began in March 2020, SCES was the first to produce face shields in Eastern Samar. What started out as a small project with a target to create 100 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE), eventually rose to 1,000 pieces. 

These PPE were distributed to medical health workers and uniformed personnel who are on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. 

Because of this, the Borongan city government recognized the Surf Riders Club of Eastern Samar as “local heroes” on June 30, 2020.

After the success of the first-ever Surf in the City Festival in December 2019, partners from different surfer groups around the Philippines contributed to support local surfers in Eastern Samar economically affected by COVID-19.

To alleviate the economic effects of COVID-19, the United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) , the Philippine Surfing Championship Tour (PSCT), and the Surf Riders Club of Eastern Samar (SCES) came together to provide aid to local surfers in Eastern Samar.

Around 80 surfers from Borongan City, Maydolong, Llorente, and Taft in Eastern Samar received relief packs containing 5 kilograms of rice, 3 cans of sardines, 3 cans beef loaf/corned beef, and 3 packs of noodles.

The United Philippine Surfing Association, through Luke Landrigan of PSCT, facilitated the fund to support the surfers of Eastern Samar. Ambil activated the club’s quick response team and provided a counterpart fund for this project.

As the pandemic stretches on, Surfriders Club of Eastern Samar continues to support its local surfing community and to put Borongan City on the map as a surf city. – Rappler.com