Surf and lifestyle brand Reef promoted responsible travel and environmental conservation with a fun-filled weekend in Baler, Aurora, during the Free the Sea Movement 2 on Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, in partnership with WWF Philippines. Set in Baler, one of the country’s top hotspots for surfing, the three-day event treated guests to a slew of activities that had them experience the waves and beauty of Sabang Beach. Free the Sea Movement 2 opened with a coastal cleanup and talk from Ruel Barte of WWF Philippines. “As travelers, we may be just passing through other beaches and cities but through our We Heart campaign, we want to educate people on the importance of leaving a positive impact on the local communities we visit,” said Marnelli Gaerlan, Marketing Head for Reef, touching on Reef’s global humanitarian outreach campaign, We Heart. “With more and more travelers discovering the beauty of our islands and with the rise of local tourism, now is a good time for us to educate people on the environmental impact tourism has and how we all need to work together to maintain our beaches so people can continue to enjoy them for years to come.” Reef spearheaded the coastal cleanup together with WWF, Surfari Philippines, and volunteers to remove waste and objects that were not naturally part of the beauty of Sabang Beach. Afterwards, guests went surfing. Volunteers got the chance to learn to ride the waves from lessons conducted by Nalu Surf Camp. In the evening, Reef presented WWF a donation to benefit the organization’s environmental programs, followed by a concert. The next day opened with the Surfari Beginners’ Competition — Shan Alejos won 1st place for the Tandem category, followed by Mikaela Alde, with Joana Valencia coming in 3rd place; and in the singles category with Juan Carlos Angeles, in 1st place, then Marcus Dieter and JP Pang coming in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. The weekend was capped by a festive after party.

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