Born to a working-class family on the island of Mactan in the Philippines, Dandoy Tongco has gone on to become one of the country’s best-loved athletes. A talented surfer, it was actually his talent as a skateboarder took him to the US and the Canary Islands where he gained global attention. He delights in sharing his success with those around him, and bought a new tricycle taxi for his father and built a bamboo shelter for his family. Tongco is dedicated to inspiring the children of the Philippines, and has been working for years on his ‘Back to the Woods’ project — reintroducing the importance of nature and the outdoors to city kids. SERGIO VILLALBA // PHOTOGRAPHER