Radisson Blu Cebu: Better, brighter, bolder this holiday season
The Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra, helmed by director and concertmaster Mark Mercado, performed medleys of cheery Yuletide melodies.
Today until the end of the extended Philippine holiday season — a much-debated end date — the grandest obra maestra your eyes will set upon on the radisson Blu Hotel Cebu is the imposing yet Instagrammable 32-feet blue-gold Christmas Tree, which dominates the sweeping palatial lobby.
radisson Blu Cebu, the established address for frequent travelers and the choice venue for celebratory milestones, recently ushered in its Classical Christmas at the Blu event by lighting up the soaring tree, now with more bows and ribbons, plus thousands of illuminants.
Guest of honor Cebu City North district rep. rachel del Mar, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. president Elizabeth Sy, SMHCC vice president Peggy angeles, and radisson Blu general manager Björn-Henning Buth officiated the ceremony.
In his welcome remarks, Buth said this year picks up from the devastation caused by typhoon “Odette,” which ravaged the island of Cebu and the rest of the Visayas in 2021.
rep. rachel “Cutie” del Mar further extended Christmas greetings of resilience and hope.
Singer-actor arman Ferrer, who has played several lead roles in popular Broadway and original Filipino productions — plus his first solo concert at the Black Box Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines — serenaded the audience with Christmas carols.
Meanwhile, the multiawarded Mandaue Children and youth Choir, directed by maestro dennis Sugarol, opened with a cheerful rendition of Philippine National artist for Music ryan Cayabyab’s “Kumukutikutitap” followed with a repertoire of hymns, which concluded with the heartwarming Cebuano classic, “Kasadya Ning Taknaa.”
The Cebu Philharmonic Orchestra, helmed by director and concertmaster Mark Mercado, who accompanied both performers, likewise performed solo medleys of cheery yuletide melodies.
The program was curated by Nestor Jardin, consultant of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. and former CCP president.
a final, memorable touch to the season was the unveiling of the Christmas Village, all made of fresh gingerbread. It boasts a gigantic advent calendar, which counts down daily surprises until the 25th of december.
Proceeds from treats will then be donated to the SOS Children’s Village Cebu, which has been supporting since 1979 kids who have been neglected, abandoned, abused or orphaned.