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Think of
surfing and you’ll probably think of Hawaii, California
and Australia. How high would the Philippines be on your
list? With its 7,107 islands, surfing is alive and well as
almost the entire coastline, complemented by the typhoon
season, has breaks—from the roaring Pacific Ocean
bordering the eastern coastline and the South China Sea on
the western coastline.
One of the
most popular surfing spots known throughout the world for
having first-class quality and versatile breaks is in the
small surfing community of barangay Urbiztondo, which is
located just across the border of San Fernando City and
the municipality of San Juan, La Union. The Urbiztondo
beach is 273 km from
Manila.
Dubbed as
the “Surfing Capital of the North,” La Union is fast
becoming a favorite among local and foreign tourists,
especially for surfing enthusiasts. Whether for amateurs
or experts, the waves are suitable for surfing, especially
within the months of November until midsummer.
BERMUDEZ: “This beach has
been the main source of income and livelihood for most of
us, and so we wanted to maintain its pristine beauty and
promote more the surfing industry.”
--PHOTOS BY MAURICIO VICTA
Aside from
Urbiztondo beach, other nearby surfing spots are to be
found in Tabok, Bacnotan, Cabaroan, Bauang and areas in
the south of San Fernando, La Union.
“The
surfing industry in La Union really got under way in the
early ’80s,” said Evangeline Dadat, Region 1 senior
tourism operations officer.
“I think
the rise of the surfing industry has come as a huge
surprise to the local people. Surfing has now become the
iconic product of La Union.”
Dadat
attributed the increase of tourists in La Union to the
surfing industry. Department of Tourism figures showed
that from 36,971 foreign and local tourist arrivals in
2005, it jumped to 56,538 in 2007.
“Surfing
is a potential source of income for local people and the
local economy gets a boost from the influx of tourists,”
Dadat told the BusinessMirror.
La Union
folk making waves in the surf business
Surfing is
not just a way of life in La Union, but a potential
business with its roots set firmly in the local surfing
culture, said Jun Bermudez, operations manager of San Juan
Surf Resort.
“The
surfing business helps uplift the lives of local people,”
Bermudez told the BusinessMirror. “Since the ’70s, many of
us put up small stores, restaurants, lodging, home-stay
and surf school to accommodate local and foreign surf
enthusiasts.”
The San
Juan Surf Resort, dubbed as one of the premier surfing
resorts in Urbiztondo beach, stands out from other surf
resorts for having hosted a surf school: the Billabong San
Juan Surf School of famous surfer Luke Landrigan.
Bermudez
said that local surfers, mostly fishermen, are now riding
their boards as their regular job of offering surfing
lessons for beginner to advanced surfers. A surf
instructor can earn as much as P800 a day or P10,000 a
month depending on the volume of students, he said.
One
inspiration for many beginners is Ronnie Esquivel, the
one-legged surfer who is now making waves here and abroad,
said Bermudez. “It’s amazing that his handicap has not
prevented him from surfing.”
The resort
has a surf shop and offers surfboard sales ranging from
P16,500 to P45,000 and rentals for P200 per hour. They
have a bar and restaurant and they also offer dormitories,
budget and standard rooms, bungalows and condo units.
Bermudez,
who himself learned how to
surf five years ago and is now teaching surfing
enthusiasts, said that in surfing all you have to do is
“show up ready to have fun and we will take care of the
rest.” The surf school accommodates adults, kids, friends,
families and groups.
“This
beach has been the main source of income and livelihood
for most of us, and so we wanted to maintain its pristine
beauty and promote more the surfing industry,” Bermudez
said.
Bermudez
added that local surfers have also established their own
surf club—the La Union Surf Inc.—not just to promote
surfing but to protect its environment and make their
local beach safe for all.
Master of
the waves
Japanese
surfer Kazuo Akinaga hopes to continue boarding until he
is 100. The 59-year-old Aki, as he is famously known, is
one of the pioneer surfers in La Union.
Wearing
flip-flops, a baggy T-shirt and big shorts, Aki remembers
that 26 years ago, he fell in love with the beaches of La
Union, making it the perfect surfing spot for him. He
settled down in 1994 here and married a Filipina. They now
have two children who are also fond of surfing.
Aki said
he used to surf in
Japan,
California and Hawaii, but surfing in those places has
been blighted in recent years by reports of “surf rage”
wherein surfers, kayakers and other sea users compete for
waves and cutting each other, leading to fighting on
beaches.
“There’s
not enough room out there. And when I discovered La Union
way back in the early ’80s, I knew that surfing is going
to be a boom here...and it did,” Aki said. “The people
here are friendly and hospitable, and they are willing to
share their waves.”
During his
first years in La Union, Aki began teaching the local boys
how to surf, and through his guidance the first surfing
club in La Union was formed in 1986. A year after, Aki
helped organize the 1st Philippine National Quiksilver
Surfing Competition in the country and the La Union Long
Board Surfing Competition. He is presently organizing
various international competitions in La Union.
“It’s
really cool to be able to help people. The local boys are
getting better and I can see that my efforts are paying
off,” he proudly said.
When not
on the beach surfing, Aki is busy in his backyard business
as a surfboard shaper. He counts among his clients the
First Family, who have their surfing boards maintained
with him.
Together
with Landrigan, Aki has been the favorite surfing
instructor and escort of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and their daughter Luli
whenever they visit San Juan.
La Union,
indeed, has become an absolute mecca for the local and
foreign surfers. Local people are motivated and inspired
to shape the future of the surf industry. | 
