BALER, Aurora — Aurora strengthened its sports tourism push with the opening of an international surfing competition at Sabang Beach in Baler, underscoring the province’s emergence as a key destination for outdoor and competitive sports.
The World Surf League event drew 126 athletes from across the Philippines and Asia, marking one of Aurora’s largest sporting gatherings and reinforcing its readiness to host high-impact events that attract visitors, investors, and sports stakeholders.
Philippine Sports Commission Chairperson John Patrick Gregorio said the strong turnout and level of competition demonstrate how surfing can drive Aurora’s tourism growth by creating opportunities for athletes, local businesses, and coastal communities.
“The collaboration of PSC and the WSL is very strong – we promise to make this tournament bigger moving forward. Surfing is a sports tourism product and it is a sport where we can excel globally – our athletes as strong contenders and our waves as world-class destinations,” he said.
The competition features both shortboard and longboard categories, enabling surfers to showcase technical skills on the same waves that helped cement Baler’s reputation among local and international enthusiasts.
Complementing the main events, the weeklong celebration includes surfing clinics, creative workshops, beach and mangrove cleanups, and grassroots programs designed to develop young surfers and broaden community involvement.
Meanwhile, Department of Tourism Region 3 Chief Tourism Operations Officer Ronsan Pelariza said the event strengthens Central Luzon’s identity as a premier sports tourism destination, especially in Baler where surfing is deeply rooted in the community’s culture.
“We are not just after destinations. We are not just after food. We also want to highlight and strengthen our sports tourism,” she said.
Baler is widely recognized as the birthplace of Philippine surfing, a distinction formally affirmed through Republic Act No. 11957, which lapsed into law on August 6, 2023.
With the province hosting this year’s competition, local officials expect increased tourist arrivals, stronger community engagement, and long-term gains as Aurora further positions itself within the country’s expanding sports tourism circuit.
