The Peninsula Hotels today launches “Hope For The Philippines,” a four-pronged initiative in each Peninsula hotel across Asia and the USA from 22 November 2013 – 31 January 2014 to raise funds to support the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. “Hope For The Philippines” comprises a donation for each guest stay, plus the proceeds from a special Philippine-themed “Tea of Hope”, the classic Filipino Halo Halo iced dessert and “Trees of Hope” in each hotel.
All proceeds from “Hope For The Philippines” will be donated to the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc., with the stipulation that funds go directly to their mission of rebuilding homes and communities in the affected areas of Eastern Visayas. Gawad Kalinga was founded in 2003, and The Peninsula Manila has been working with the organization since 2008. Peninsula Manila executives will oversee Gawad Kalinga’s work on The Peninsula Hotels’ behalf, while hotel staff are already donating their time packing relief supplies and helping with the disaster effort.
The Peninsula Manila along with other Peninsula Hotels will make a donation of US$ 5.00 per room night of each guest’s stay, while guests wishing to make an additional contribution may simply request to have the amount added to their credit card upon check-out.
The signature Peninsula Afternoon Tea is celebrated around the world, and so a special
Philippine-themed “Tea of Hope” will be served in all Peninsula lobbies, with 100% of the retail price of each tea set donated to “Hope For The Philippines”. Focusing on the tropical fruits of the Philippines, the special tea features mango, coconut, banana and pineapple-flavored treats. The Peninsula “Tea of Hope” will retail in Manila for P980.
Meanwhile, continuing the sweet theme, the iconic Philippine dessert favourite Halo Halo, served at The Peninsula Manila’s iconic lobby for P425, is now available in each Peninsula hotel, with 100% of the retail price donated to “Hope For The Philippines”. Translating as “mix mix”, Halo Halo is an addictively sweet concoction of layers of sweetened fruits and pulses, shaved ice, ice cream, rice crisps and evaporated milk – and The Peninsula Manila’s version was described as “The Best Legal High” in Asia by Time magazine in 2006!
Now in its 10th year across all hotels, The Peninsula Hotels’ annual groupwide “Trees of Hope” fundraising campaign for 2013 is dedicated to “Hope For The Philippines”, with specially created SnowPage glass ornaments for guests making a donation to take home. Taking as its inspiration the iconic Peninsula pageboy but with a light-hearted seasonal twist, SnowPage was created specially for the 2013 holiday season and will retail in Manila for P500.
For every SnowPage ornament purchased, guests will receive a yellow sun designed by a member of The Peninsula Manila team thatthey can hang on a “Tree of 1,000 Suns”. The Peninsula Sun represents healing, hope and new beginnings for the Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan-ravaged provinces of Eastern Visayas in the Philippines.
Philippine-themed “Tea of Hope” will be served in all Peninsula lobbies, with 100% of the retail price of each tea set donated to “HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES”. Focusing on the tropical fruits of the Philippines, the special tea features mango, coconut, banana and pineapple-flavored treats. The Peninsula “Tea of Hope” will retail in Manila for P980.
“Hope For The Philippines” follows The Peninsula Hotels’ earlier initiative in 2011 entitled “Hope For Japan”, which raised over US$500,000 for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami.
About Gawad Kalinga
Translating as “give care”, Gawad Kalinga is a Philippine-based movement that aims to end poverty by first restoring the dignity of the poor. It employs an integrated and holistic approach to empowerment with values formation and leadership development at its core. Established in 2003, The Foundation currently works with over 2,000 communities and has been recognized as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee and 2012 Skoll Awardee for Social Entrepreneurship.
