The surf’s up in La Union

The STOKED — La Union Surf School welcomed over 200 surf enthusiasts to Kahuna Resort in surf town San Juan, La Union for Surfing Philippines’ GoSurPH weekend, a campaign that gave free surf and yoga lessons and a rockin’ beach party on an end of April summer celebration. STOKED Surf ambassador Jeff Ortega, the 24-year-old surf-loving owner of La Union Surf School & Café, was all smiles playing the generous host and made sure everyone was having a grand time in his hometown.

“I was born in La Union and seeing our province evolve into the most easy and accessible place to experience the Philippine surf lifestyle has been pretty awesome. Surfing is a big part of our lives here in La Union, and we’re keen to share its magic with everyone,” said Ortega.

Throughout the weekend, the La Union Surf School, alongside the La UnionSurf Club, headed by MickeyGirl Galang with Lemon SurfStar Dines, provided world-class, proficient, safe, and fun surf lessons for the hundreds of GoSurPH participants.

“Now in our second year, this GoSurPH campaign, aimed simply at giving free surf lessons to as many Filipinos as we can, has been successful because of the support of local home-grown organizations like the La Union Surf Club,” said campaign director Joncy Sumulong. “We’re all looking forward to an even bigger third year.”

Surfing Philippines president Gerard Sison joined the La Union surf festivities with JV Borromeo, founder of STOKEDinc, the Philippines’ pioneer surf company. Borromeo unveiled the STOKED Poks Esquivel commemorative boardshorts honoring La Union’s most famous surfer, the internationally recognized one-of-a-kind one-legged surf wonder Ronie Poks Esquivel. Poks died at the young age of 27 like so many legends before him. On stage to witness the occasion were Poks’ family, brothers Toto and Jay-R Esquivel, and Australian foster father Papa Paul Stranner.

“The STOKED Esquivel boardshorts reflect the essence of Poks. It’s resilient like Poks’ spirit despite his physical disability. And it’s made of the most-advanced 4-Way StokedStretch Fabric Technology, matched perfectly with Esquivel’s progressive style of surfing. We miss him out in the water. We still miss him to this very day,” said Borromeo.

And a native son’s legacy lives on. Poks forever. Stoked on life. Stoked for life.

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