Manila Marriott Skips Tradition to Shine a Light on Giving

In a season when hotels compete to stage the grandest tree-lighting spectacle and celebration, the Manila Marriott Hotel at Newport World Resorts decided to do something radically un-festive and far more meaningful. This year, there’s no ceremonial tree-lighting, as well as choreographed carols and performances. None of the usual holiday theatrics that hotels typically roll out come December. Instead, the Manila Marriott is using its annual “Paskonstelasyon” celebration to rally people toward a different kind of brightness: relief for communities in Cebu recently hit by an earthquake and typhoon. It’s a shift that feels right for the moment, as many communities are still trying to rebuild their lives.  

To amplify the call for support, the hotel gathered voices that have shaped Filipino pride on the world stage. Among them were Veejay Floresca, the first Filipino and first openly transgender designer to win Project Runway USA; Carlos Yulo, fresh off his gold-medal win in men’s vault at the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta; and Filipinxt, the New York–based creative collective founded by Bessie Besana that champions Filipino identity and artistry abroad. Together, they’re advocating a campaign to funnel aid to Cebu’s disaster-stricken communities. 

“2025 brings a different tone for the nation, especially for the communities affected by the recent earthquakes and super typhoon Tino in Cebu,” said Bruce Winton, Area General Manager for Marriott International Philippines. “In light of these events, we revisited the true essence of ‘Paskonstelasyon’ and chose a different path this year. Instead of our usual celebration, Manila Marriott Hotel at Newport World Resorts has redirected the event’s resources and holiday offers, which can be found in our Wonderful Holidays Festive brochure, to support relief and recovery efforts in the affected communities. This gesture, we believe, carries the same light and hope that ‘Paskonstelasyon’ stands for—a celebration of unity, compassion, and shared humanity.” 

This season’s Paskonstelasyon initiatives also build on two of the hotel’s annual CSR pillars: Art of Giving and The Golden Santa Story, in cooperation with Rotary Club Passport One of Rotary District 3800 and One Gallery.  

Under Art of Giving, Filipino visual artists are given space within the hotel to exhibit and sell their works, with part of the proceeds supporting Marriott International’s CSR arm and Rotary Club Passport One’s Access to Life program, which funds AV fistula creation for underprivileged dialysis patients in Rizal.   

Meanwhile, the Golden Santa Story has evolved into an environmental education campaign through a new children’s book, “Manuel and the Quilt Bird Named Mayumi,” written by Mayumi Cruz. This year, children from the Pasay Social Welfare Development Department (PSWDD) gathered for the session, learning about the kilit—a blue-headed racquet-tail parrot found only in Palawan. Long mistaken as a nuisance, the bird is actually a quiet hero of regenerative farming, dispersing seeds and helping forests renew themselves.  

The book draws inspiration from Regalo ng Kilit, an NGO founded in 2010 by Kansas State University’s Dr. Manuel Reyes with local partners including the Katala Foundation and UP Los Baños. It positions the kilit as a symbol of conservation—timely in a year when the Philippines endured multiple natural calamities.  

Guided by its “Putting People First” philosophy, Manila Marriott continues to lead with initiatives that put purpose and community at the center of hospitality.  

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