ESTEL Magazine

10/10/2025

ESTEL Issue 19 is heading to print but first... 📣

This issue celebrates Youth • Movement • Community — from Sitio Tandol’s Teen Sharks to the pulse of El Nido’s emerging athletes, environmental champions, and cultural movers. Our cover reflects this energy: the spirit of play, the spaces that shape us, and the young people pushing beyond limits.

We have two strong cover contenders:
🌿 A – Forest Run (photo by .dlh) — a quiet, powerful moment on Lio’s forest trail.
🏃🏽‍♂️🏃🏽‍♀️ B – Beach Group Run (photo by ) — the Teen Sharks in motion, embodying grit and community on the shoreline.

Both are compelling — help us choose which story leads the issue.
👉 Drop your vote (A or B) in the comments or DM us.

03/03/2025

Working on Issue 18- Cover choices. Going to print tomorrow.
CHOOSE #1, #2, or #3

02/04/2024

Swales- A Regenerative Water Management Tool

08/03/2024

El Nido is full of inspiration. A quick dig on a neighbor and friend as I continue to try to understand sustainable and regenerative building.....

In 2014, following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) in the Philippines, Gener conceptualized a design for a traditional Filipino bamboo dwelling engineered to withstand the increasingly severe storms brought about by climate change.

The design features a sturdy framework of intertwined curved bayog with an overhanging roof that doubles as the walls. Tao Philippines has employed this design widely for guest lodging, as well as on a larger scale for schools and community hubs. "Tuka" is a Filipino term referring to the beak of a bird.

See more of Gener's works here- Palawan Paraw - Reviving A Relic of Filipino Culture

Peek cute illustrations of his design here

Palawan Bamboo

07/03/2024

There's you're next ESTEL Magazine cover photo.

In this season, we go into another El Niño season with water being the topic of discussion. We wanted to introduce the carabao (water buffalo), our national animal, as a character on the vacation of tourists and not completely strip El Nido to simply limestone photos.

We met Kuya Dexter, who companions this playful two-year-old and chatted about the implications of water and its visibility to a rural community that makes 300-400 meter trips from barrio household to water source. With tourism in full force, water pressures are more visible and, for many operators, a huge operating expense. Regardless, the waters are part of what bring folks over.

Welcome to the Philippines, a land celebrated as the 'Best Island in the World,' yet also bearing the weighty title of the 'most-disaster-prone country in the world,' according to the World Resources Institute. In this season, we find ourselves in drought.

LET US KNOW WHICH COVER YOU'D LIKE #1, #2, #3, #4 😁

14/12/2023

🌱 Discover the Journey of Regeneration at Tutubig Eco-Garden 🌿

Join David Esteban and Dona Tumacder on their remarkable journey with Tutubig Eco-Garden in El Nido and consultation with Shyo Sayajo. Amidst the pandemic and the years after, they embarked on transforming a 4,403-square meter property into a permaculture space. Dive into their story of challenges, learning, and adaptation. Embrace the principles of permaculture design, water management, and eco-friendly development. Get inspired by their vision for a regenerative future. Read more about their exciting journey and eco-endeavors.

Over the past few years, amidst the pandemic, David Esteban and Dona Tumacder-Esteban, the proud owners of Tutubig Eco-Garden, embarked on a remarkable journey...