POSH VILLAS Salepan, which means sunset in the town’s local dialect, has 16 water villas; 12 more are still under construction, including the presidential villa. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
On a camping trip, businessman Ricardo Brito fell in love with a small island called Naglayan near Cullion in Palawan. He saw an opportunity to develop a Maldives-inspired eco-resort that will cater to an upscale clientele.
He decided to buy the island and develop an 18-hectare resort called Sunlight Ecotourism Island Resort (Setir). The island-resort debuted in 2012, initially with 79 water villas that offer a panoramic view of Palawan’s pristine seascape and landscape.
It wasn’t Brito’s first foray into the hospitality industry. He had taken a deep dive into the hotel business back in 2011 with the establishment of 74-room Sunlight Hotel in Puerto Princesa. In 2017, he also opened the 59-room Sunlight Hotel in Coron.
The Filipino-Chinese businessman became an entrepreneur in the 1990s through the retail and merchandising route. He is the founder of Unitop retail chain and chairs family-owned Unitop international group of companies. Unitop Department Store and Supermarket now has 62 branches across the Philippines.
The Brito family has also diversified into 12 other business segments including commercial real estate through Ri-Rance (named after his twin sons, Rian and Rance) and industrial machinery through Uni-Tech, the official local distributor of Gree home appliances.
In addition, the family is also into the airline and aviation business. Sunlight Express Airways, established in 2019, offers flights from Clark and Manila to Busuanga, Caticlan, Cebu, Coron, Panglao and Siargao. It has a fleet of three turboprop ATR 72-500s.
Ricardo’s eldest daughter, Ryna, is in charge of the boutique airline, which completes the family’s hospitality business.
SUITES ON STILT The resort has 24 cluster villas each with an uninterrupted view of the sea. —PHOTOS BY VANESSA B. HIDALGO
Sustainable tourism
Brito delegated the management of Setir island-resort to his daughter, Radine. As general manager, she says that working around the principles of sustainable tourism is not an easy task. It entails a delicate balancing act of improving the bottom line as well as having “a responsible approach to tourism at the forefront of our day-to-day business decisions.”
Her mission is for their hotels and island resort to achieve long-term sustainability through small but impactful steps.
“More than a business, Sunlight Hotels and Resorts plays a vital role in supporting our country and our local community,” Radine adds.
After the construction of the resort, the Britos wanted to double down on conservation and sustainability efforts. “We collaborate with local artisans and businesses not only to provide economic opportunities that support the local community’s livelihood, but also to celebrate and foster Filipino culture,” she says.
Setir offers a sanctuary for both marine and land-based endemic creatures. The protected territory fosters spawning sites that can help repopulate and aid in the recovery of struggling species. As such, fishing is prohibited within its waters.
“We’ve also implemented ‘Scubasura,’ an initiative within Setir to minimize underwater waste through our scuba divers [who are tasked to collect the waste],” Radine adds.
The property is haven to a variety of birds and monitor lizards that freely roam the resort grounds.
Radine also encourages guests to actively participate in sustainability goals by “incorporating the message to several parts of the customer journey.”
“We provide a pre-arrival guide that provides tips [on] reducing their environmental impact during their stay … in-room signages that explain how [they] can contribute by conserving their use of electricity, water and other resources,” she says.
Additionally, solar panels are being installed. This will generate up to 2.5 megawatts, with a battery storage of up to seven days.
WATERING HOLE Ric’s Place is an intimate bar where guests can indulge in a glass of whisky and cigar.
Ultra-luxurious villas
The development of Setir was not without hiccups, Radine recalls. The pandemic stalled its expansion program. Yet the island resort managed to keep its head above water.
Now on its path to recovery, Setir is set to complete its estimated P5-billion expansion by next year. This includes development of the ultra-luxurious Salepan water villas, which will add 28 guest keys to its portfolio.
The Salepan villas are designed to provide “personal sanctuary” for privileged patrons such as C-suite executives and their families, foreign dignitaries and celebrities.
Each 244 square-meter (sq m), two-story water villa aims to provide customized travel experience with its 24-hour butler service, personal chef and direct water access. Guests can immediately jump into the waters to explore Palawan’s famed marine biodiversity.
Salepan, meaning sunset in the local dialect called Cuyonon, already has 16 standing villas while 12 are still under construction, including the presidential villa. The interiors of the villas are inspired by the local craftsmanship of Puerto Princesa, befitting a room that commands a price of up to P80,000 per day.
Each luxury villa is complemented by modern amenities such as saltwater-filled infinity plunge pool with vibrating water massage jets, alongside a roof deck.
F&B OFFER Radine Brito designed the interiors of Hikari restaurant at the resort. —EDWIN P. GALVEZ
Prior to the construction of Salepan, Radine points out that Sirakan (which means sunrise) was their most popular room category.
“Sirakan offered the highest price point at P48,620 per night. Despite it being intended for couples, families would book multiple Sirakan villas to experience its luxurious features,” she says.
There are nine Sirakan villas located in the outermost part of the island. Each of the 65-sq m villa has a king-size bed, outdoor jacuzzi and glass flooring.
Since then, Radine decided to add more luxury accommodations. “We responded to this demand through the development of the Salepan villas,” she adds.
Not to be outdone, Setir’s other villa categories are also designed with comfort and luxury in mind. Each villa ranges from 65 to 150 sq m, customized with adjoining doors and moveable partitions to accommodate families and friends traveling together.
The island-resort is also a one-stop shop for a variety of activities such as guided snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, biking and island-hopping.
It has 10 diverse dining outlets that guests can indulge themselves in, from comfort Filipino cuisine to international dishes. To complete the dining experience, guests can also delight in cocktails, premium wines and cigars from the resort’s very own cellar. Aside from a cellar, Setir also has an in-house brewery.
Furthermore, the island has an events place that can accommodate 200 guests, alongside smaller function rooms, KTV room, gym, a spa and a butterfly garden.