From Boardroom to Bonsai
/
Angelito Pangilinan's passions led him to the world of bonsai (Photo by Angelito Pangilinan).
Instead, he spends his days tending to miniature trees, carefully wiring branches and shaping nature’s beauty in his 3,000-square-meter retirement home in Tagaytay City, Cavite—a place he calls Bonsai Paradiso. Who would have imagined that the mechanical engineering graduate of Adamson University would be prominent in the boardroom and the garden?
Pangilinan had always envisioned retiring early. At 50, he dreamed of stepping away from the corporate grind and settling in a sprawling estate, where he could enjoy the simple joys of life. He meticulously planned to travel to all the provinces in the Philippines, explore Australia, where his siblings had relocated, and visit selected countries to document his adventures for his blog: boyplakwatsa.
However, his love for bonsai unexpectedly interrupted these travel plans. What was meant to be a life of constant movement transformed into serenity devoted to an art form that requires patience, discipline, and a deep connection to nature.
While the house in Bonsai Paradiso had just been finished, Pangilinan envisioned the landscape as a lush and vibrant tapestry. He earth-balled and transplanted 30 full-grown trees from a friend’s farm, including narra, mahogany, African tulip, Benguet pine, and Araucaria. These mature trees provided the estate immediate sense of age and grandeur.
He planted bougainvilleas along the fence and flowering vines on trellises to further enhance the garden, creating a vibrant, living masterpiece. He also designed a swimming pool with a waterfall feature, a koi pond near an outdoor bar and billiard area, turning his home into a tranquil retreat and an entertainment haven.
Pangilinan’s passion for bonsai led him to search for show-ready trees, even purchasing an entire bonsai garden. With the guidance of a professional bonsai artist, he meticulously defoliated, rewired, and repotted the best specimens in his growing collection. His quest for the finest bonsai trees took him as far north as Pangasinan and south as San Pablo City, Laguna.
The author interviews Angelito Pangilinan in his garden in Tagaytay City, Cavite (Photo by Leodovico Padua Masuli).
Beyond acquiring ready-made trees, he also bought numerous "materials"—newly dug-up trees with their branches cut, carefully shipping and planting them. He patiently waited five to seven years for these trees to mature into stunning, tree-like bonsai. The process required watering, fertilization, pest control, wiring and rewiring, trimming, setting back trees, cutting branches, repotting, and constant inspection for fungus and borers. “Through this journey, I learned firsthand that bonsai is more than an art—it is a lesson in patience, discipline, and mindfulness,” he remembers.
Pangilinan’s dedication to bonsai quickly bore fruit. He joined bonsai exhibitions and competitions, winning multiple gold, silver, and bronze awards for the over 10 bonsais he entered. Among his achievements was winning the coveted Best in Show--two years in a row!
A testament to his bonsai expertise, seven of Pangilinan’s bonsais were once borrowed by Malacañang Palace for the state visit of the Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan in 2023.
After proving himself as a competitor, he stayed in the background. He sent his trees for display to support the bonsai community.
In 2018, Pangilinan took his bonsai journey to the next level by enrolling in and qualifying for the first-ever Bonsai Master Class organized by the Philippine Bonsai Society, Inc. (PBSI). Unlike traditional seminars, this was a rigorous, hands-on course with written and practical exams. He completed the program and became a certified bonsai judge.
That same year, PBSI successfully pitched in Vietnam to host the Asia-Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention (ASPAC). Pangilinan played a key role in the bid, even writing the lyrics for the ASPAC Anthem, which became the perfect finale to their presentation.
With his growing reputation in the bonsai world, he was encouraged by PBSI board members, who had become close friends, to run for a board seat. He won, and in 2020, he was elected president of the PBSI, leading the national organization for a two-year term (2020-2021).
Winning the ASPAC hosting bid in 2019 meant the event was scheduled for 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to postpone the grand exhibition. Finally, in 2023, PBSI hosted the biggest bonsai exhibition in Asia, coinciding with its 50th anniversary. The event took over two massive areas of the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, drawing hundreds of international guests and top bonsai masters from Japan, Taiwan, and other Asian countries for live demonstrations.
Pangilinan served as the show chair, maintaining the highest standards of excellence throughout the exhibition. The event was a monumental success, cementing the Philippines’ position as a major player in the global bonsai community.
Beyond competitions and exhibitions, Pangilinan remains passionate about teaching and mentoring aspiring bonsai artists. At Bonsai Paradiso, he conducts hands-on workshops and demonstrations, sharing key lessons: “Be ready to get your hands dirty; never attempt to finish a tree in one go; bonsai is a lifelong learning process, and mistakes are part of the journey,” Pangilinan enumerates.
Even top bonsai masters acknowledge the challenges of the craft. One expert he frequently visits keeps a "morgue" of dead bonsais—a humbling reminder of past mistakes.
Pangilinan makes it his mission to teach both new and experienced hobbyists, ensuring their trees thrive for years to come. “Some newbies assume that regular watering is enough, unaware that bonsais can become root-bound over time, preventing water from reaching the roots,” Pangilinan explains. “Others don't realize that bonsais need repotting every two years, fertilizers for nutrition, and full sunlight for photosynthesis.”
A testament to his bonsai expertise, seven of Pangilinan’s bonsais were once borrowed by Malacañang Palace for the state visit of the Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan in 2023. Knowing Japan’s deep appreciation for bonsai, the Philippine government strategically placed Pangilinan’s trees in key areas of the palace: main hall, where dignitaries sign the guest book; center table, where President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Prime Minister Fumio conferred; state dining hall; and other prestigious locations
Angelito Pangilinan's bonsai is displayed during Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio's visit to the Philippine presidential palace in 2023 (Photo by Angelito Pangilinan).
PBSI, which was founded in 1973 with Rose Laurel-Avanceña as its first president, remains the premier bonsai organization in the Philippines. Under Pangilinan’s leadership, the society continued its mission of educating enthusiasts, organizing workshops, and sending members abroad to learn from international bonsai masters.
From leading a multinational advertising network to nurturing a peaceful bonsai sanctuary, Angelito “BoyP” Pangilinan has crafted a remarkable second life. Whether tending to his award-winning bonsais, teaching newcomers, or shaping full-grown trees at Bonsai Paradiso, he remains as passionate, disciplined, and visionary as ever.
His journey serves as testament that life’s greatest fulfillment often comes not from where we plan to go, but from where our passions lead us.
Leodivico Padua Masuli writes from Quezon City, where he is a security officer. His imagination and creativity were nurtured while growing up on a farm in Libertad, Abulug, Cagayan. He loves nature and enjoys watching documentaries.
More from Leodivico Padua Masuli
