Current Team

Mariglo Laririt
Director of Sustainability

Before there was an Environment Department, there was Marigs. Marigs has been with El Nido Resorts for a great number of years we don’t want to mention here, painstakingly building and coordinating the projects we’re so proud of today. As El Nido Resorts grew, so did the need for a dedicated Environment and Sustainability Team. At present, Marigs is the ringleader of a bunch of folks as passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability as she is. 

Hanniel Almasco
Asst. Manager for Sustainability

Born and raised in Palawan, Hanniel grew up in touch with the environment. She knew her province way before all the travel hype and was a witness to how tourism transformed her home — more for the worst than for the better. She studied Political Science in Ateneo de Manila hoping to become an environmental lawyer. Her journey however, brought her into pursuing a master’s degree in public management where she specialized on the politics of climate change and sustainable development and graduated at the top of her class. Hanniel was able to study in France and worked on sustainable lighting alternatives with AE & T Lighting, the company which lights the Eiffel Tower. Having exposed to the world of international organizations and policy making bodies, she chose to look beyond and immersed herself in the grassroots level. She became a youth ambassador for the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park for its Information, Education and Communication programs. Now, our Asst. Manager for Sustainability, she is on the pursuit of integrating tourism to conservation and sustainability.

Hanniel desires to see policies and implementation coalesce, she wants to see theories and agreements work and manifest on the ground. For her, nature is a gift from God that must be kept, protected, and conserved. Everyday, she wakes up, motivated to be a steward of this creation. Believing that it is one of the ways to express her love for God and for others — the greatest commandment.

Kiko Velhagen
Sustainability Officer

Kiko graduated from De La Salle University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. He was formerly with the Philippine Center of Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, Inc. (PCEPSDI) as Project Officer for the Transforming Tourism Value Chains Project. Even before joining the team, we have already worked with Kiko on various projects on sustainable tourism. 

Denise Samson
Sustainability Officer

Denise graduated Cum Laude from the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Travel Management. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as the Guest Care Officer of Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal. Being at the forefront of end-to-end guest experiences at such a critical time allowed her to further realize the importance of nature-based activities to individuals and communities.

Her strong interest for the dynamics of tourism and sustainable development in local protected areas stems from her childhood summers spent in Dingalan, Aurora which is bordered by the Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean.

Nica Flores
Sustainability Officer

Growing up on the farm side of a small coastal city, Nicole has always been fascinated by nature’s interconnectivity. She studied Biology at Filamer Christian University as a pre-med, but her love for the ocean and the natural sciences paved the way for her to be the designated Head of the Coastal Resources Management Section of Capiz Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office. In 2019, she decided to pursue graduate studies at the University of the Philippines Visayas and will soon earn her Master of Science in Biology degree.

Before joining STHI, Nicole has been working closely with the coastal communities in her province, educating them on environmental conservation and sustainable harvest of fishery resources through an Ecosystem Approach to Fishery Management. Now, she is working as a Sustainability Officer of Sicogon Estate Resorts, promoting conservation by creating eco-allies amongst guests and communities through sustainable tourism to keep our shared planet in balance, making the island experience worthwhile.

Faye Tapalla
Sustainability Officer

Faye is a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a major in Microbiology graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She has a high interest in research about molecular biology as she had experiences with in silico vaccine and drug design. She was raised here in El Nido, Palawan and is an alumna of Potter’s Place School. Faye is very familiar with the company at such a young age because her mom worked here for more than 20 years. She grew up being aware of the environmental crisis as she witnessed how the company made a difference in regards to protecting and preserving the environment. She always wanted to safeguard the paradise that she grew up with. Now that she has joined the Sustainability Team, she is more than excited to play big contributions to environmental stewardship and educating the youth to conserve her hometown. 

Caitlin Crisostomo
Sustainability Officer 

Caitlin graduated Cum Laude from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology. Before joining Ten Knots, she was an intern for the DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau, Coastal and Marine Division. She is a licensed PADI Advanced Open Water Diver with a license in underwater photography. 

Rey Reyes
Environmental Enforcement Officer 
Before working with El Nido Resorts, Rey used to be a Ranger for El Nido’s Protected Area Office. He started as a Marine Sports Guide then became the Guest Activities and Marine Sports Supervisor. Because he’s so good at what he does, the Sustainability Department stole him away to become our Environmental Enforcement Officer.