For years, Epson Fusion has stood as a pioneer of “fun” in the tech media circuit.
It’s a yearly gathering known for its high-energy activities held at some of the country’s well-kept tourist spots, as much as its departure from ritualistic product updates. Gone were PowerPoint-decked hotel halls of launches past. In their place, some open skies, salt air, and sandaled journalists who, for a change, weren’t there just to report but to experience.
But the tradition runs deeper than that. Since its inception in 2010, Fusion has been rooted in a sustainable calling, an intentional move in a field often criticized for its environmental cost. It was Epson’s way of using the power of media to deliver an important message.
This year, at the sun-drenched shores of luxury beachfront hotel Misibis Bay in Albay, Epson Fusion 16’s top brass used the scenic backdrop of the Mayon Volcano to lay out a roadmap for what they called responsible innovation.
As a first-timer, I kept hearing that something had shifted. Maybe the activities and tournaments felt more relaxed, but soon I realized the real change came during the brand talk that leaned into this year’s theme, EcoSynergy, coinciding with the company’s philosophy, “Engineered for Good.” This new ethos didn’t just frame how Epson wanted to operate, it hinted at how the company saw its role in a world reckoning with climate crisis, technological overreach, and the need for more humane innovation.
“EcoSynergy is how Epson brings people, technology, and sustainability together,” said Masako Kusama, President and Director of Epson Philippines, echoing through the three-day event as a call to realignment.
Noelle Gonzalez, Marketing Division Head, unpacked wins with clarity as she focused on market leadership across eight product lines, double-digit growth, and expanded efforts to crack down on counterfeit inks. Rather than a hard sell, the numbers were framed within a broader mission, one that fuses innovation with CSR.
Product demonstrations of large-format printers and self-ordering systems were contextualized within a vision of more sustainable workflows, especially in education and textile printing. In the context of the country’s fragile coastal ecosystem, the message landed with weight.
One of the most resonant highlights came from EJ Sulit, Epson’s Sustainability Champion, who passed around a makeshift black brick and detailed the company’s goal to achieve carbon-negative operations by 2050. Beyond targets and timelines, Sulit presented the ICLEAN Project, a local partnership with WWF-Philippines in Ticao Island that’s turning ocean-bound plastic into an eco-brick, holding about half a kilo of plastic that would otherwise be a raging pollutant. Now, the community is producing over 300 bricks a month.
“That’s change you can hold in your hand,” said Sulit.
Further updates were presented by Russer Cabrera, Senior Manager for Product Marketing, who outlined solutions designed to help businesses work smarter and more sustainably, ranging from regional holograms to address counterfeit ink concerns, to expanded warranty options via the CoverPlus program, and enhanced offerings in education and self-ordering systems.
It was here, too, that new faces were introduced, including Julia Avila, OIC for Product Marketing for corporate products, and Ash Elshawbaki, Senior Manager for Corporate & Government and Channel Sales, signaling a growing emphasis on deeper customer partnerships across sectors.
There were no major product launches at Fusion 16, but that almost felt like the point. The event marked a pivot, from product-centric talking points to purpose-driven storytelling. Misibis Bay’s quiet allure and the collaborative energy among guests all spoke to a tech brand learning to listen more and dazzle less.
And as the brand talk neared its close, a familiar face stepped up for a bittersweet farewell. In his last year with the company, Sales Division Head Ed Bonoan, long a media favorite, took a moment to thank the media guests for the years of support and the stories that came with it.
If the message was EcoSynergy, the mood was camaraderie. From media competitions that drew laughter and sweat by day, to awards and conversations over one too many cocktails (it was an open bar, okay?) during The Socials Night, Fusion 16 was as much a celebration of people as it was of progress. And in an industry that too often equates progress with profit, Epson offered something rarer: presence, purpose, and the promise of a tech future that’s not just engineered for good, but designed to last.
