Paloma & Bea Zobel Jr.: Kalye Artisano rocks with immersive tourism

MANILA, Philippines - Bea Zobel Jr. and her daughter Paloma Urquijo Zobel are trailblazers who lead a new breed of activists promoting Philippine art, culture and tourism.

 And they’re doing it on a grass-roots level — in the little town of Lio in El Nido where the inspiration typically begins — close to native artisans, transforming raw materials into things of beauty, amid a refreshing environment. Here, the chirping of birds blends with the sound of hammers now busy making their dream called Kalye Artisano come true.

 Their workplace is made cool by the breeze from the sea, their work ethic powered by their passion and sincerity.

 Bea Jr. has been in the forefront in promoting Philippine arts and handicrafts nationwide. It is probably in the genes. Her father, Ayala Corporation chairman emeritus Jaime Zobel de Ayala, is himself a cultural patron and art photographer. Her mother, Bea Zobel, famously uplifts the life and livelihood of the Mangyans of Mindoro, proudly showing off their woven baskets for the world to appreciate.

 Paloma, 26, finished her master’s in strategic marketing at Imperial College, then studied product design and urban planning at Parsons, but she feels she has learned as much from traveling with her mother in the North, from La Union to Sagada to Ilocos, where they interacted with artists and artisans. Her Piopio line of clothing is actually inspired by this region, as it transforms Inabel fabrics into hip fashion pieces. Her aim is to promote immersive tourism among millennials.  

“I understand what my generation wants.”

  We sat down with the bubbly and beauteous pair at Casa Kalaw, one of the boutique hotels at Lio Tourism Estate, just a few kilometers away from the El Nido Resorts. Excerpts:

  PHILIPPINE STAR: Last year when you said you would be working and living in Palawan, I didn’t believe you.

  PALOMA URQUIJO ZOBEL: Yes, nobody believed my mom would move here.

  BEA ZOBEL JR.: I realize I like living more and more in the province. Here you really come to appreciate what people are doing. A majority of the people can’t afford air-conditioning here, so do as the Romans do. It’s great here. You hear birds chirping in the morning. And we each have our own bike to move around with.

 Tell us how Kalye Artisano began.

  BEA: Two years ago, Fernando my brother asked me if I would like to take part in something different for Ayala. In fact it was his idea: “Why don’t you do an artisan village?” He knew I was always backing up handicrafts in the country. “Why don’t you do a retail area and get the artistic people of Manila to build B&Bs in Palawan?”

 So who are the artistic people you invited?

 It took a year and a half to get this fantastic idea going and I wouldn’t have gone into this without Tony Gonzales who said he had always dreamed of doing something like an artisan village.

 Have you completed your lineup?

 We will have 12 people, each transforming a 1,000-square-meter lot into a B&B. So far, we have Tony Gonzales, Tess Pasola, Maricris Brias, Lulu Tan Gan, Mark Wilson, Conrad Onglao, Dino and Bambi Manosa, Carlos Pertierra, Rajo Laurel, Anton Rodriguez Mendoza and myself.

  PALOMA: Each B&B will have its own concept so the artists won’t compete with each other. For instance, one has a Zen yoga kind of place, while another will build a house that families can rent. The B&Bs will each have a different personality but each one should promote everything Filipino.

  Last year you also mentioned that aside from the B&Bs, Kalye Artisano will showcase local products in a unique kind of retail space.

 Yes, it will be a one-stop shop for the arts and culture of El Nido. There will be three different structures. Cogon House, designed by Tony Gonzales, will have six local artists’ workshop stores. There will be a gallery space and a loft where artists can offer daily workshops in traditional cooking, art and music for visitors. Bamboo House, designed by Mindanao architect Deo Alrashid Alam, will carry Filipino food concepts with a shared seating area for the restaurant options. It will also have a multi-purpose hall for everyone. The third, Rattan House, also by Deo, will carry the Piopio flagship store, a café/working space, an activity desk and a traditional Filipino healing spa. This was inspired by the Tagbanwa tribe here in Palawan, using essences from local herbs. A bar will have all-Filipino ingredients.

  BEA: Kalye Artisano will bring in artists from Palawan and they will have stores for their handicrafts. Plus they will do workshops for guests on weaving, ceramics, painting and more.

  PALOMA: With the help of Tony, my mom managed to get a group called “Art on the Move” from Puerto Princesa. They will relocate and be our artists-in-residence here. What’s important is that it can provide a very Filipino immersive experience and enable guests to look at life in this area. Of course, we will also get artists from other parts of the Philippines.

 Yes, you mentioned before that you want guests to have a cultural immersion here. What inspired you to do this?

 PALOMA: I’m the kind of traveler who wants to undergo immersion into local life. At the end of the day, you love something original and new — and you go home feeling you have taken part in what’s going on in the community. For me, that’s the heart and soul of Kalye Artisano.

  BEA: It’s also about bonding with people in the community.

  PALOMA: My main thing now is talking to everyone in the old town. I meet a lot of like-minded people in the town. Also young entrepreneurs who want to help save the environment and do the arts.

  BEA: Here, we walk every day for an hour. I have to talk to the mayor, for instance, to put in more sidewalks. I saw poor children carrying their bags to school and there were no sidewalks; it’s a pity.

  PALOMA: There are many amazing stories here. We’re happy that we’re able to give employment to local people. Like the head chef in Miniloc used to be a carpenter. The manager of one hotel started as a bartender. Ayala Foundation is now preparing to train the community so they can start working for the hotels that are coming up. Here they grow a lot of cashews so we’re helping them package and sell them. We encourage them to create items like hats or pandan bags that we can put on the beds of hotel guests.

  BEA: It’s exactly what President Duterte wants — entrepreneurs giving jobs to people, so instead of looking for jobs in Manila or going abroad for work, they find employment here. We’re happy to hear that kids from Miniloc, for instance, now earn double their salary here.

 Last Mother’s Day, you said the most touching thing you’ve experienced as a mother was seeing your children come back to the Philippines to do their share here.

   Yes, I think Paloma is seeing more of her generation coming back home. What I did was give my children the best education and let them explore, and now they want to give back to the Philippines.

   Paloma is back. What about the others?

   Jaime, my eldest son who is 28, has just come back and he loves every bit of this country. Monica, 22, works as digital online editor of Love magazine of Conde Nast. When she comes home, it will be a dream team.

 They can all help organize events for young people here in Palawan. Maybe a mini Coachella?

  PALOMA: Yes, in fact we had an arts and music festival — Malasimbo — here last week. You can’t get bored here.

 What’s next when Kalye Artisano is completed?

  BEA: Kalye Artisano will open late this year, and starting next year, the B&Bs will be up. Then maybe we can do the same in another province. Hopefully we can do more cultural transformations, one province at a time.

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Follow the author on Instagram and Facebook @milletmartinezmananquil. Email her at mmmananquil@philstarmedia.com.

El Nido in numbers

• 1225:  El Nido is mentioned in

Chinese records as  the Land of Beautiful Harbor.

• 1954: Bacuit is named El Nido after edible birds' nests (used for gourmet soup)were found in

limestone cliffs.

• El Nido is home to 50 white sand beaches, 5 types of forests, 3 marine habitats, 16 endemic and

10 threatened  species of birds,

• 6 species of marine mammals,

including dolphins and dugong, 100 species of corals, 813 species of fish

• Every property must be 45 percent green and 55 percent developable 

• Sample hotel rates at Lio:

Hotel Covo--$100

Balai Adlao--$120

Casa Kalaw- -$140

• 325 hectares: total gross area;

179 hectates: developable

146 hectares: must be open space

• Lot sales:

15 commercial lots, 1,600 sqms to 2,600 sqms at an average selling price of P30,000/sqm

17 Kalye Artisano lots, 800 swms to 1,200 sqm at P20,000/sqm

• Each structure must have a

Filipino tropical design; only 3 to 4 floors or 12 meters height