September, known to be the coastal cleanup month, was the perfect month for Reef to have organized Free the Sea Movement 2 which happened last September 29 until October 1, 2017. We were fortunate enough to have been invited to be part of the three-day event to promote responsible travel and environmental conversation. This year, they took the participants to Baler – one of the top surfing spots in the Philippines.
After a 6-hour bus ride, we had breakfast and settled in at Nalu Surf Camp’s Premier Nipa Hut with a beautiful view of the sea. The event started with a quick talk from WWF Philippines on sustainable tourism, a cause near to Reef’s heart as it is in line with Reef’s global humanitarian outreach campaign “We Heart.”
We, the volunteers and media representatives, were split into four groups then proceeded with the coastal clean-up. Given three sacks – One each for biodegradable, non-biodegradable and other materials plus a sheet to take count of the garbage, we then strolled along the shores of Sabang beach as we picked-up trash such as cigarette butts, cans, bottles and even pieces of clothing.
Afterwards, we got the chance to learn how to ride the waves with free surfing lessons conducted by the patient surfing instructors of Nalu Surf Camp. My instructor, Christian, was nice enough to tell me each ride what I need to do to improve and pointed out what I was doing wrong so I could ride waves longer. It was a great opportunity to not just have been able to help with the conservation of Baler’s shore, but to also be able to get a taste of local food and enjoy what the beach is famous for – gigantic waves!
At 7PM, we had dinner and we were treated to a lovely set-up at the garden of Nalu Surf Camp while being serenaded by Anne Clerigo and Banna Harbera, plus an open mic show which also included the turnover of Reef’s donation to WWF amounting to P30,000.
The next day, the Surfari Beginners’ Competition commenced, with the winners announced that night during the After Party. Celebrating with well-deserved food and drinks while dancing to the sounds of Eazyhead, DJ Doms Badwolf and DJ CC was a perfect way to end a great day in Baler! Travelling is a great way to discover the beauty of the Philippines but it is also important that we should be responsible enough to care for the environment so that the next generations will be able to experience the beauty of our islands.
Reef’s “Free the Sea Movement: Baler” was sponsored by Juan Light Studio, Bike King’s Kitchen, Madison’s Café Baler, La Patricia Hotel, Baler and The Shack, Baler with music partners Anne Clerigo, Banna Harbera, Eazyhead, DJ Domes Badwolf and DJ CC.
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Written by: Marjan Patrick Victoria Photos by: Marjan Patrick Victoria Edited by: Ramil Delos Reyes Disclaimer: The Author and Photographer authorized Pinas Muna to publish his work on pinasmuna.com. |
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