Meet our owner,

Teresita “Tita” Paniza Colonel!

Tita was born in South Cotabato province in Mindanao, Philippines. She met her late husband, John, while he was in the Philippines during his service in the US Navy. After getting married, they moved to the United States.

While living in Florida, Tita began working at Disney World while John continued his service in the Navy. She then worked for Home Depot, retiring after 27 years with the company. After 23 years of military service, including being a Vietnam war veteran, John also retired. Over the course of 30 years, they raised their two daughters, Mahal and Michelle, and enjoyed helping raise their two nephews and granddaughter.

After many years in the United States, Tita and John planned to retire in the Philippines and run a bed and breakfast together. Tragically, John passed away unexpectedly in 2012. Wanting to make their retirement dream a reality, Tita repatriated to the Philippines and built Michelle Pension in 2013. It quickly became a popular destination for Filipino and international tourists alike, due to its location in the heart of Puerto Princesa and close proximity to the world-famous Underground River.

Tita is passionate about providing her guests with a warm and welcoming experience, and she takes great pride in her pension! You can often find her picking up guests from the airport, cooking breakfast for guests before their tours, and tending to her large garden on the property.