That iconic surf tower

MANILA, Philippines — It took three months to rebuild and when the new Cloud 9 watch-tower was inaugurated in time for last weekend’s World Surf League (WSL) 11th stop on the tour, the three-story pillar stood proudly as a monument to Siargao’s emergence among the top wave capitals on the planet.

The restoration budget was P25 million with a concrete foundation designed to withstand another Typhoon Odette which destroyed the original structure in 2021. PSC chairman Patrick Gregorio, who envisioned hosting the WSL leg as a giant leap to boost sports tourism, said surfers and officials alike hailed the iconic watch-tower as probably the best in the world with two viewing decks, of which the top was for judges and an athletes’ zone. The building is known as the Tower of Froth and is connected to a 150-meter wooden boardwalk over the break at Cloud 9 so the view is breath-taking.

From the onset, Gregorio knew the staging would be a huge success. It wasn’t a risky proposition even as an allocation of P250 million was set aside for the hosting. With Gregorio’s vast experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, he estimated a bounce-back effect of at least 15 times. Initial calculations put the economic impact to about P4 billion.

Gregorio said this was a showcase to establish Siargao in the same wave class as Australia, Hawaii and Tahiti. “It’s the beauty of sports tourism,” he said. “PSC couldn’t have done it alone. Support from the public sector, particularly the local government, was vital. Infrastructure is key. Just look at how Siargao has progressed with new generator systems, solar lamps on new posts, good roads, excellent accommodations, accessible flights, cafes and restaurants.”