Surfing association chief admits lack of trained instructors

Wilmar Melindo, president of the Siargao Island Surfing Association (Sisa), in action. (Photo from his Facebook page)

DAVAO CITY – There is indeed a dearth of trained surfing instructors on Siargao Island, a situtation brough to national attention because of an accident involving a son of ABS-CBN broadcaster Karen Davila.

“It’s a sad reality,” said Wilmar Melindo, the president of the Siargao Island Surfing Association (Sisa).

According to Melindo, there are currently only 14 certified surfing trainers on the island. Jocol Valerio, whom the broadcaster and her husband, former TV5 executive David Jude Sta. Ana, commissioned to train their son David is not on the list.

“We have been trying for years to convince the others to train on basic surfing coaching, but nobody seemed to have listened,” Melindo told the Inquirer in phone interview.

“Now, it has come to public attention, and I am quite happy because this incident would certainly help convince others it is important to be certified,” he said.

According to him, the 14 certified surfing trainers that Siargao has are all members of Sisa and a;; certified by the International Surfing Association (ISA).

“We trained last year,” he said. “We hired coaches from Australia. All the 14 trainers were now ISA certified.”

Melindo said the problem with other surfing trainers in Siargao was that they had no formal training, which was why they lacked the knowledge on basic safety.

“It’s not that you’re already good when you know how to ride the surfboard,” he said. “Some don’t even know that the surfboard can become dangerous sometimes.”

Melindo said they hoped that with the incident, surfing area operators would also require their trainers to undergo basic safety training and be certified.

“It’s long overdue,” he said. “It’s time trainers get certified for the sake of their clients and also for the sake of Siargao’s reputation.”

He added that the incident could have an adverse effect on tourism if repeated.

But General Luna Councilor Enrico Rusillon said Valerio was a trained coach and had been surfing for years.

“Many other coaches are also trained,” Rusillon told the Inquirer by phone.

He also said based on what was told him, Davila’s son was quite frolicsome and ignored the warning of his instructor.

“He had been told many times to already stop, but he would not listen,” Rusillon said.

Rusillon also denied that there were no first aid teams around during the incident and that Davila’s son did not get an anti-tetanus shot.

“There is anti-tetanus on Siargao Island,” he said.

Rusillon said learning surfers should always listen to their coaches and not ignore warnings.

A local surfer said all beginning surfers get injured in the process of learning.

“It’s normal to get scratches and bruises,” the surfer, who declined to be identified, said.