Summer means SURFING in Siargao Island


Summer means SURFING as Siargao Island hosts this year's Siargao Girls International Summer Surfing Cup from May  1 to 4 and 14th Siargao National Surfing Cup from May 5 to 9.  

Women surfers from all over Asia will converge at Cloud 9 surf break in General Luna as they vie for the Php300,000 or approximately US$7,000 total prize-money. This is a historical landmark in the progression of Philippine surfing as it is the first time that Asian Surfing Championship [ASC] tour included Philippines in a multi-country, multi-event professional surfing competition circuit.  The ASC circuit will be held in five countries, namely: Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand and now PHILIPPINES. 
  The ASC works with local, national and multinational event sponsors and organizers to maximize the results of the competitive surfing events towards accomplishing the goals of sharing the sport of surfing and bringing positive economic, social and environmental benefits to the people in these Asian countries.

Siargao Island is very fortunate to be chosen as venue of this ASC through the initiative of the Philippine Surfing Federation and General Luna Mayor Jaime Rusillon.

The ultimate goal of the ASC is to grow the sport of surfing in Asia from the grassroots level by assisting each country in creating organized and sanctioned events that will develop the skills of their surfers in healthy competition as well as to draw attention to their area for the progression of surfing locally, nationally, and throughout the Asian region.

As an ASC sanctioned event, it is expected to draw around forty surfers from Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia and Philippines. 



The 14th Siargao National Surfing Cup, on the other hand, is the inaugural event for the Philippine Surfing Championship tour [Part 3]. the tournament will take off in Siargao and travels to Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte in August, Guiuan in Eastern Samar in October, Lanuza in November and Cabugao in December [final leg]. This is a joint effort of the surfing destinations in the country to promote surfing as a sport and at the same time increase tourist arrivals to these emerging destinations. The top 12 junior [ages 21 years old and below] and senior [21 years old and above] Filipino surfers will be selected and they will have the opportunity to represent the country in the international surfing competitions and get surf companies to sponsor them as riders. They will also represent the country for the Billabong Pro-Junior event and 18th Siargao International Surfing Cup in September this year.

Mayor Rusillon announced that during the women's event,  the municipality will also be staging the General Luna Beach Volleyball Tournament from may 2-4. It will be held night and day at the beach area of Paseo de Cabuntog Boulevard. He said that this is the first time, this event is supported by the PSC or Philippine Sports Commission's Philippine Volleyball Association. According to him, PSC Commissioner Chito Loyzaga committed to send around teams for the tournament. this is another breakthrough to siargao as the 'beach volleyball destination' next to Boracay.

These events would not be possible without the full support of Surigao del Norte's working couple, Congressman Francisco "Lalo" Matugas and Governor Sol Matugas. These events have flourished over the years and brought several tourism benefits to the island.  These tourism benefits include: 1) made Siargao as the Surfing Capital of the Philippines and top 8th world surfing destination, 2) made Siargao as the Fishing Mecca in the Philippines, 3) based on the tourism statistics, the jobs and income generated from spending by visitors was approximately P1.5 billion (tourist receipts) and created more than 34 thousand jobs in 2010, 4) enticed more foreign and local investors, and 4) improved the island's infrastructure facilities from accommodation, road networks, seaports to aiports. Tourism infrastructure-related projects include:  Cloud Nine's wooden footbridge and tower, homestay program in Pilar, boat ramp in Pilar, Tourism Lounge and Cottages at Mangpopongko Beach, water system in Pilar, road network improvements, Sayak Airport expansion and the regular direct flight of Cebu Pacific from Cebu to Siargao four times a week.  

These surfing events are brought to you by the Office of the Congressman of the First District of Surigao del Norte, Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte, Local Government Unit of General Luna, Philippine Surfing Federation, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and the Philippine Department of Tourism.

For more details of this event, please email us at zenpallugna@yahoo.com.ph or call/text at +639296721508 or visit www.travelwithzen.blogspot.com.


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Siargao is composed of 48 islands and islets-politically divided into nine municipalities: Burgos, Dapa, Del Carmen, Gen. luna, Pilar, San Benito, San Isidro, Santa Monica, and Socorro. Read more...

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