For over a decade, Epson, a global leader in innovative and sustainable technology solutions, had organized an annual thanksgiving gathering for members of the media—particularly those on the tech beat. That year, the fourteenth season of the brand’s Fusion event took place on Lagen Island in El Nido, Palawan.
‘Fusion’ of Nature and Technology: Duking it out at El Nido’s Lagen Island
The three-day event, much like past Fusion episodes, was packed with engaging challenges, great camaraderie, and exciting updates regarding Epson's strategic roadmap. Attendees were treated to exclusive insights into new product rollouts and innovative developments that Epson had in store for the region.
Meeting Lagen Island for the First Time
Lagen Island is nestled within a four-hectare property on an island enveloped by towering limestone cliffs, lush forests, and a serene, shallow lagoon that gracefully merges with the pristine waters of Bacuit Bay. It stands as one of the premier eco-luxury properties of El Nido Resorts, alongside those on Pangulasian, Apulit, and Miniloc islands. Like its sister resorts, Lagen Island serves as a critical sanctuary for a diverse range of avian and mammal species.
Lagen Island offers a variety of accommodations, totaling fifty-one rooms. These configurations are divided into four distinct classifications: stilt-style water cottages, beachfront rooms, forest suites, and forest rooms. Each living space incorporates recycled timber sourced from historical Filipino heritage houses, creating an organic ambiance that perfectly evokes the quaint luxury found across the countryside and islands.
Simply staying indoors, enjoying the curated regional cuisine, and swimming—even amidst the rain—would have made for a delightful private island escape. Fortunately, the weather cleared the following day, granting our delegation a window of a few hours to compete for the title of Epson Fusion 14's overall champion.
Let the Epson Fusion 14 Games Begin
Due to the inclement weather, the initial plan to participate in outdoor excursions like snorkeling at the Secret Lagoon—one of El Nido’s most iconic island-hopping landmarks—had to be shelved. However, the event coordinators did an excellent job of devising an alternative set of challenges that tested not only our mental and physical fortitude, but also our balance, creativity, focus, and technical knowledge regarding Epson's product ecosystem.
The opening task involved a rapid-fire quiz battle, where teams competed to be the first to answer three questions correctly regarding Epson's technological innovations. The team that succeeded would then advance to the subsequent challenge. The total time logged by each team for each individual task was aggregated to determine the overall victor.
In total, the competition featured five distinct challenges, with the most grueling being a traditional bamboo stilt race. The other events included a team balancing act, a creative group photography challenge in the swimming pool, a synchronized cheer dance, and an exercise testing participants' photographic memory. In the memory challenge, teams had to recreate a sequence of characters and print them in the exact order and size using an Epson compact mobile printer.
At the conclusion of the Epson Fusion 14 team matches, Team Pating emerged as the overall champion, besting the rival groups—Team Pawikan, Team Dugong, Team Butanding, and Team Barakuda. The winners were awarded their prizes during our final evening's social gathering, an elegant “Under the Sea” cocktail night.
Lagen Island, a Winning Choice
Much like the readers of *Condé Nast Traveler* who voted the El Nido Resorts collections on Lagen, Apulit, and Pangulasian among the Best Resorts in Asia, the organizing team at Epson had already secured a win by selecting Lagen Island Resort as the destination. The property proved to be a flawless setting for team-building initiatives, offering a wealth of opportunities for outdoor adventures such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, birdwatching, and deep mangrove exploration.
The property features dedicated areas for beach volleyball, badminton, soccer, and frisbee, alongside an indoor recreation room equipped for table soccer, table tennis, billiards, and various board games.
Despite the resort's already sophisticated footprint, even more remarkable upgrades were on the horizon. The property slated a temporary closure for extensive renovations focused on enhancing the amenities and interior design of every room, promising an ultra-laidback, deeply satisfying luxury experience for future guests.
“The management wants to ensure we remain a step or two ahead of the growing competition in El Nido,” one of the staff members explained. “In the meantime, we will be reassigned to our sister El Nido Resort properties on either Apulit or Miniloc island,” she added.
Already a premier choice for bespoke holidays, returning to a fully reimagined Lagen Island in the near future is an enticing prospect. Future guests can look forward to experiencing its exceptional hospitality and enjoying its signature curated services once again—from savoring the regional cuisine served at its clubhouse restaurant to indulging in a deeply restorative, Filipino-influenced hilot massage at the wellness spa. It is certain that Lagen Island will stand as an even more sought-after destination for a quintessential Palawan hideaway upon its reopening.
A Fitting Farewell to a Familiar Fusion Figure
The three-day Epson Fusion 14 itinerary extended far beyond team-building matches; it provided a strategic preview of what Epson had engineered for the close of the year. Additionally, it offered a rare opportunity to bond closely with the senior executive delegation who traveled alongside us to El Nido.
During our opening evening banquet, we had the pleasure of interacting with several distinguished leaders from Epson Philippines. The delegation included outgoing Marketing Division Head Eduardo Bonoan, Senior Manager for Product Management Renan Lacson, Senior Manager of the Vertical Business Department Noelle Gonzalez, and Masako Kusama, the President of Epson Philippines.
The executives shared details regarding the various sustainable initiatives and technological product innovations that Epson had engineered to conclude the year.
The remainder of the evening was filled with vibrant celebrations honoring Epson's tech-forward vision. It also served as an intimate farewell tribute for Eduardo Bonoan ahead of his retirement. Noelle Gonzalez, who would step into Bonoan’s vacated role, informed our delegation that Epson would continue intensifying its localized programs to champion low-impact, sustainable commercial operations in the Philippines.
After three days of outstanding company, exceptional dining, and complete immersion within the breathtaking environment of Lagen Island Resort, the Epson Fusion assignment proved to be just as successful as the brand's market leadership across the Philippines. I eagerly look forward to the next installment of Epson Fusion—with fingers crossed that my editor assigns me to the coverage once again.
This article first appeared on BusinessMirror.
Hotel Fact Box
Room & Villa Categories
Water Villa Premium stilt-style accommodations built directly over the shallow lagoon. Features a main bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, ensuite bathroom with double vanity, a freestanding bathtub, and a dedicated outdoor sunken lounge that draws guests closer to the sea.Forest Room / Suite Artfully framed by the island's lush tropical forest. Blends contemporary elegance with intricate wall partitions inspired by the Batak tribe's Giyangganan weaving pattern, alongside a private balcony revealing breathtaking coastal vistas.
Dining & Shared Spaces
The Clubhouse Restaurant The resort's signature dining venue highlighting a curated fusion of international specialties and rich traditional Filipino culinary classics prepared with sustainable, locally-sourced produce.Arrival Hall A beautifully woven community space inspired by the iconic paraw sailing boats, adorned with hand-carved wood and ceramic beadwork meticulously crafted by local artisans.
