Clark, Pampanga—Widus Hotel and Casino and Clark Marriott Hotel ushered in the holiday season with its much-anticipated annual Giant Christmas Tree Lighting.
Titled “Parul Kapampangan,” a towering 45-foot tall Christmas Tree embellished with Kapampangan-made parul (Christmas lanterns) adorned the Widus’ and Marriott’s epicenter.
The Christmas tree was draped with lanterns made of capiz retaining pearlescent color contrasted against vibrant lights of warm hues. More importantly, it pays homage to Pampanga that is home to the country’s Christmas Capital.
Widus Group Director Neki Liwanag together with Widus Hotel and Clark Marriott Hotel General Managers, Tarek Aouini and Goeran Soelter respectively, led the occasion.
In their welcome speech, both Aouini and Soelter expressed gratitude to corporate clients, guests, and associates for the partnership that yielded profitable harvest in 2019.
Soelter reminisced the past 14 months of Clark Marriott as the first five-star hotel north of Manila.
“The Marriott Business Council in the Philippines was set up this year and one of the main focus was to raise funds for the less fortunate the hotel and its associates contributed year to date 2,401 hours and a total of Php403,290.22 to support various CSR projects locally and within the country,” Soelter added.
For his part, Aouini thanked guests for their continued patronage and invited them to experience their signature holiday offerings.
“Our guests are pivotal in our success and we aim to make every Yuletide season even more special for them. With these, our dedicated team prepared the best value-for-money deals that perfectly suit the Filipino holiday traditions. Gastronomic buffet selections, seasonal treats perfect for gifting, glamour-themed New Year’s Eve party and more await our guests,” Aouini said.
A glimmering symbol of heritage and hope, the ceremony also marked the beginning of various community projects for the Widus Group.
“2019 has been very successful for the whole Widus Group and this event is our way of celebrating all our milestones as Widus Hotel and Casino and Clark Marriott join together in giving back especially to the victims of recent calamities,” Liwanag said.
The whimsical celebration also showcased special performances by the Tarlac Männerchor Ensemble and Sinukwan Kapampangan that filled the Christmas air with splendor and merriment.