The shores of Borongan City became alive with the sight of kiteboarders surfing their way across the city’s waters, as the capital of Easter Samar hosted the 10th Season of the Philippine Kiteboarding Tour last November 28.
Borongan welcomed some 50 kiteboarders, including international participants from Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, Estonia, Thailand, Lithuania, China, and Japan.
Local talents from Boracay, Palawan, Puerto Galera, Cagbalete, Cebu, and Manila are also vying for the top spots in their respective categories.
Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda welcomed the participants and shared insights into Borongan’s unique natural landscape.
“Sixty percent of our land area is rainforest and we are bent to protect this natural treasure which protects us from strong typhoons… And with God’s grace, I believe you would have a favorable competition here,” Agda added.
Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA) President John Ortiz expressed his gratitude to Borongan City for hosting the event, noting the community’s passion for preserving their environment.
According to Rupert Ambil, tourism officer-designate of the city of Borongan, the prestigious event features three competitive categories: Twin-tip Racing, Freestyle, and Foil Racing—with a total prize pool of USD 12,000 or approximately P700,000.
The event is made possible through the support of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) in partnership with the City Government of Borongan and the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar.
This activity is expected to further attract interest in Eastern Samar as a prime tourist destination in Eastern Visayas, which in turn will contribute to the rapid rise of the province’s economic sector.
Recently, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) hailed the province for being the fastest-growing province in the Eastern Visayas region, with a “remarkable” growth rate of 8.1 percent in 2023 compared to 6.9 percent in 2022.
With report from the Philippine Information Agency
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews