Our treasured heritage
Year after year, we see Manila Hotel’s Christmas treelighting ceremony and it just keeps getting better. This year’s theme is Ang Ating Tanging Yaman (Our Treasured Heritage).
Floral architect and Manila Hotel style director Rachy Cuna installed Christmas décor that enhanced the interiors of the hotel. He used local materials in burnished gold, warm gray and white. A totally edible gingerbread
Bahay na Bato welcomes guests into the hotel. The giant Christmas tree with Filipino design and other trees around the main lobby provide a festive spirit in the hotel.
Rachy said, “To bring out the essence of a truly Filipino Christmas is to highlight the very best of local materials, talent and products that beautify many other homes and commercial establishments around the world. Why not bring this sense of ‘Filipino-ness’ to the iconic heritage hotel by the bay and allow our foreign guests, returning overseas Filipinos and locals alike to feel the treasures of our heritage through our most celebrated holiday of the year?”
The program started with Manila Hotel president and director Joey Lina giving the welcome remarks and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada lighting the giant tree along with model and beauty queen April Love Jordan.
The Centro Escolar University Choir sang beautiful Christmas carols. Meanwhile, children from the House of Refuge, the main beneficiary of the tree-lighting event, performed a special number for the guests. They were given presents after their performance.
The House of Refuge began when a group of individuals encountered street children who were abandoned, neglected or maltreated by their own families. This event started a halfway house in 1986, which gave shelter and provided the basic needs for street children. The house was named Bahay Kanlungan in 1990. Since its inception, the House of Refuge has served more than 1,000 children and in 2016, it has cared for 38 children ages 4 to 16 years old.