TOURISM 'TRANSFORMER'. Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo L. Nolasco (left), owner of Hannah's Beach Resort, the biggest tourist-drawer in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, joins the Creator at 67. (Left photo from the FB page of Ronald Dominguez; Right photo from the FB page of Hannah's Beach Resort)
LAOAG CITY -- Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr., owner of Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center, passed away on Wednesday evening. He was 67.
“He did not survive an open heart surgery,” said Ronald Dominguez, spokesperson of the largest resort in Pagudpud town, Ilocos Norte.
Known as the architect behind the transformation of Pagudpud town into being a premiere destination of the north, Nolasco put up Hannah’s Beach Resort, which was originally meant as a family vacation resort.
The resort, however, expanded into a huge, major tourist destination with more than 300 rooms and cavanas and still ongoing infrastructure developments.
As a result, hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists now visit Hannah's Resort daily.
Hannah's Resort is mounted on a cliff by the beach, thus providing visitors a spectacular view of the sparkling blue lagoon.
“Yesterday will go down my lifeline as one of its darkest moments because I lost my big boss who later on became my brother, mentor, friend and idol but the thought that heaven gained an angel somehow consoles me,” said Dominguez in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Miss Universe Philippines 2018 Catriona Elisa Gray, meanwhile, said, “Thank you for supporting me Colonel and seeing me as the queen I could be, before I could even see it myself”. The Filipino-Australian beauty queen was crowned Miss Hannah’s in 2016.
Nolasco is survived by his mother, Josefa Llanas Nolasco, and non-biological daughter Hannah, after whom the Pagudpud resort was named.
His remains now lie at the Heritage Park in Taguig City, Metro Manila. (PNA)
