When storms surge and force most people indoors, these folks race towards the sea. They scan the waves and wait patiently for the glassy, robust kind that will deliver them to nirvana. They're surfers, a rugged breed of thrill seekers who live to caress one of the most powerful forces of nature.
In the surfing hot spot of La Union, none stood out more than the local dude Ronnie "Poks" Esquivel. Born without one leg, Poks rode the waves as if his disability didn't matter, developing a unique style that made him one of the best and most-watched surfers in the country. A carpenter's son, Poks virtually put La Union on the surfing map and could match up with any of the gung-ho foreign surfers who frequented his place. Poks became a competitor who took his bravado as far as Australia, where he inspired people who couldn't believe what they were seeing in a sport where balancing on two legs was difficult enough. Then in 2012, at the peak of his power and popularity, Poks died suddenly at the age of 27.
In the wake of a storm, Howie Severino and his documentary team travel to Poks' hometown of San Juan in La Union to recall the man who became a legend. Howie and his young son named Alon get surfing lessons from two of the surfers who knew Poks best: surfing champions Luke Landrigan and Jay-R Esquivel, Poks’ 16-year-old brother.
Through them and other surfers, Howie learns of Poks' last days—a far cry from the happy-go-lucky image of a surfer's life. Howie Severino’s documentary titled “Sayaw Sa Alon” airs this Monday, July 1, in I-Witness after Saksi on GMA-7.