Leave it to the multi-awarded Conrad Manila to come up with a noteworthy event that raises awareness of our countrymen on certain important issues. The hotel recently proclaimed six outstanding citizens as “Champions of Sustainability” for their commitment to driving the social, environmental, and commercial welfare of various communities in the country.
The hotel’s gracious General Manager, Linda Pecoraro, who has, on many occasions, displayed her dedication to banner the Philippines on the global stage, says all six awardees continue to inspire others and have embarked on various sustainable endeavors toward a purposeful future.
Conrad Manila’s Champions of Sustainability are Hon. Lucy Torres-Gomez, Mayor of Ormoc City, for her filing of House Bill 7229 seeking to integrate and establish pertinent policies and regulations to ensure sustainability in our Tourism Industry. She also spearheaded the protection and restoration of the Banaue Rice Terraces and the 6200: Mission Impossible Project of Leyte IV. She is committed to pursuing her advocacies in sustainable tourism, infrastructure development, and energizing communities to be self-sustainable through livelihood programs.
Joanne Rae Ramirez, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief of People Asia founded the People of the Year Awards, Men Who Matter Awards, Women of Style, and Substance Awards which have an outstanding impact on industry leaders to steer sustainable economic growth in their respective fields. She has a genuine passion for re-inventing and re-aligning lives for the betterment of sustainable communities and has supported and contributed to the development and promotion of sustainable tourism in the country.
The Founder of Community Pantry PH, Ana Patricia Non, is an entrepreneur who started the Community Pantry craze at the height of the pandemic. Her original Maginhawa Community Pantry, set up on a bamboo cart, sparked a nationwide movement. It inspired many of our countrymen to put up their own community pantries and share everything sustainable that can help the underprivileged.
The Managing Trustee of Masungi Georeserve, Ann Dumaliang, is a conservationist and geo-tourism advocate working in the mountains of our country. Masungi, a 450-hectare land, was damaged and depleted of its resources because of quarrying and deforestation. Ann and her sister Billie fought it out in protecting the land against illegal quarries and loggers. Today, Masungi is a model for privately driven conservation, sustainable reforestation, and it educates the community while doing wonders for the local economy.
The debonair Illac Diaz, Founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light Foundation, advocates for sustainable energy while providing lighting solutions to communities suffering from energy poverty. Mr. Diaz’s Liter of Light has helped make the world brighter for 382,000 Filipinos and 690,000 people from other countries. It has shown that a new business model is possible, where ecology goes hand in hand with economy.
Contemporary Artist and Designer Leeroy New is a multi-awarded sculptor, street artist, and practitioner of “applied sculpture” for the environment. He makes elaborate masterpieces from everyday waste materials by cutting, twisting, and tying them together, each of which always evoking a sense of movement or migration. He explores the culture, history, and mythology of his heritage to underscore the palpable impacts of the climate crisis.
Aside from the hotel’s GM Pecoraro, Commercial Director Michael Albaña and Director of Operations Yoges Veerasamy, the Department of Tourism-NCR Director Sharlene Batin, who represented Secretary Christina Frasco, helped in giving out the awards. SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation President Elizabeth Sy and Executive Vice-President Peggy Angeles joined the event via Zoom.
Personally, I am convinced that Conrad Manila also deserves its own Champion of Sustainability award. Aside from having made an impressive impact in the country’s tourism arena, the hotel is one of the Ten Best Eco-Conscious Hiltons Around The World. This is part of the international chain’s environmental, social and governance strategy to drive responsible travel and tourism globally. Furthermore, the multi-use LEED Gold certified structure controls water usage with its dual-flushing and low-flow plumbing mechanism, and the guest rooms have occupancy sensors that control lighting and cooling functions. What better qualifications can a sustainable entity have than these? Calling DOT-NCR Director Batin…one more awardee here, to complete the list!
This landmark event of Conrad Manila coincided with the official unveiling of its innovative and attractive Mid-Autumn Prosperity handcrafted bags, which were given to all six awardees. The brainchild of the Conrad Manila team together with Filipina artisan Reese Fernandez-Ruiz of Rags2Riches, the Lunar Prosperity bags are available in two signature colors—Coral and periwinkle. Each is packed with the hotel’s signature mooncakes specially prepared by Chef Eng Yew Khor and his team, of China Blue by Jereme Leung.
More information on Conrad Manila’s events and mooncake offerings is available through (632) 88339999 or conradmanila@conradhotels.com.
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