Get Stoked on Sustainability.

Logo Design by Charisse (“Chat”) Palmos

15 October 2018, Urbiz Garden, Urbiziondo, San Juan City, La Union.

In line with the completed training of 11 Jongky Surf School surfers and surf instructors – all La Union Surf Club, Inc. (LUSC) members; including 10 who are Certified Surf Instructors by the Municipality of San Juan, La Union – in Coral Propagation conducted by Ocean Quest Global and Sea Shepherd Dive, and delivered by Marine Scientist Laura Riavitz on the 15th of October 2018, FEED decided to launch the ECOSURF program on the 10th of November 2018, in collaboration with its LIVING LEGACY partners:

Jongky Surf School (FEED Living Legacy Partner)
La Union Soul (FEED Living Legacy Partner; & Member)
Urban Garden (Venue & AV/Facilities Partner)
Ocean Quest Global (Technical Inputs & Certification)
Sea Shepherd Dive (Technical Inputs & Certification)
Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University-Northern Luzon Campus (DMMMSU-NLUC, Snorkelling Gear)

And with great thanks to the first ever ECOSURF pioneer ecowarriors – Ateneo de Manila’s BOx members, who are sponsoring their participation for the launch of ECOSURF La Union on 10 November 2018.

The Ateneo Biological Organization – eXplore. eXperience. eXcel. or BOx, for short, is the premier Ateneo organization dedicated to the biological sciences. BOx caters to more than just aficionados of science – what sets this family apart is their mutual passion for life. This love incites the members to see the world through a different lens – one that enables them to join together in igniting greater appreciation for the world and the organisms within it.

BOx aims to foster a stronger sense of camaraderie, by inviting old and new members alike to come home. Join us as we rise up and build upon the memories of yesteryear, and bring to fruition our shared goal of being conscientious leaders in advocating a stronger awareness and appreciation for bioeducation, animal welfare, and biodiversity through social action.

ECOSURF – A Climate Change Action Program by FEED

We are dedicated to maintaining a natural, safe and sustainable environment so that future generations may appreciate and enjoy true stoke. As such, ECOSURF is designed primarily as an environmental program that combines both respect for our ecological systems whilst also enabling us to enjoy the swells of the seas.

ECOSURF was conceived and conceptualised by Jongky Surf School Co-owner Rhea delos Santos Ventura; FEED VP Operations Diane Penales; and Director, Partnerships Anne-Marie Mananquil Bakker back in 2016. Established in La Union initially, it is also being set up in Zambales Province in partnership with FEED LL partner Zambawood.

ABOUT THE ECOSURF PROGRAM

ECOSURF is a multi-disciplinary partnership with local leaders in surfing, surf instruction, coastal cleanups, tree planting and coral gardening, volunteer-based and wellness provision services and livelihood development for the benefit of the community.

Objectives of ECOSURF

To engage the surfing community initially in San Juan, La Union – as active, capable, equipped and pioneering proponents, protectors and practitioners of Ridge to Reef, for the protection of our Landscapes & Seascapes;
To generate awareness and build capacity amongst the local (surfing) community active in La Union’s enhancement of sustainable tourism development and ecological preservation;
To encourage active and regular community-based environmental stewardship supporting Disaster Resilience interventions: • Ocean enthusiasts and visitors; • LGUs & local community orgs. • Resort & Tourism operators • Marine, coastal & land-based and sea-based environmentalists, incl. Agro-foresters, Puroks, Fisherfolk; and Youth Eco-warriors.
To strengthen collective local, regional and international public, private and NGO efforts towards an aligned and holistic approach in sustainable tourism, policy development and management practices with short, mid and long-term tangible community benefits contributing towards La Union’s water, food and energy security; and
To promote health, wellbeing & giving back to nature.

Participants will experience Land-based Safety during their Surf Lesson 101 (mounting & demounting, pop-ups, balance and riding).

Surfing 101 comprises the basics of Classic to Contemporary riding during the morning session, accompanied by Audio-Visual recording and photography, followed by regular Beach Cleanups with Youth Leaders in the afternoon led by local volunteers from the DMMMSU Young Earthsaver’s Society. Biodegradable bags are provided by FEED.

#PlasticFreeStartsWithMe!

Coastal (saline resilient, protection against storm species) and riverside (Mangrove) cleanup and Tree Planting for Coastal Protection will take place, as well as a Coral Propagation session; followed by “Duyan Yoga” carried out by SIESTA.

At noontime, participants will enjoy a Native Ilokano style “Boodle Fight” lunch prepared by the local community.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO OCEAN QUEST GLOBAL & SEA SHEPHERD DIVE – Thank you!

We are very honored that Ocean Quest Global and Sea Shepherd Dive decided to help us. Ocean Quest Global environmental organization acting to protect and rehabilitate coral reefs in a fully organic way and ensure a sustainable future for local communities.empowers the dive community to protect our oceans. We provide a ‘Support and Report’ network to enable the global dive community to get actively involved with Sea Shepherd and its worldwide mission to stop poachers and criminal operators that threaten our marine environment.

Why ECOSURF? Why Now?

Declared the “surfing capital of Northern Luzon,” according to a measure passed by the House of Representatives, but its impact on the town’s ecology now concerns some business leaders and environmental groups. House Bill No. 6683 was approved on 3rd and final reading on Dec. 11, 2017 and was transmitted to the Senate for its concurrence on Dec. 12, 2017. The proposed measure was authored by Abono Rep. Vini Nola Ortega, wife of Gov. Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III – http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/957856/la-union-claims-surfing-capital-of-north-tag#ixzz5BdKxD1g2
PH Ranked #3 accdg. to the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk – http://www.irdrinternational.org/2016/03/01/word-risk-index/ 3
Amongst other reasons, due to our location along the ring of fire – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Fire and a highly hazardous typhoon belt – http://www.adrc.asia/nationinformation.php?NationCode=608
The United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP), estimated that land-based sources account for up to 80 percent of the world’s marine pollution, 60 to 95 percent of the waste being plastics debris….All sea creatures, from the largest to the microscopic organisms, are, at one point or another, swallowing the seawater soup instilled with toxic chemicals from plastic decomposition. The world population “… (is) eating fish that have eaten other fish, which have eaten toxin-saturated plastics. In essence, humans are eating their own waste.” (Dixit Renee Brown, WiredPress). (Source: http://plastic-pollution.org)
Ocean Conservancy claims that China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam are spewing out as much as 60% of the plastic waste that enters the world’s seas. “The Philippines is the 3rd biggest source of plastic ocean pollution because global corporations are locking us into cheap, disposable plastics, rather than innovating and finding solutions,” said Abigail Aguilar, Campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines.