Manila, Philippines – November marks another pivotal month for Ascott Limited Philippines as the cluster launches “Seeds of Hope” – a nationwide tree-planting activity covering Barangay Buhisan, Cebu, Barangay Panuran, Iloilo, Barangay Felisa, Bacolod, and Barangay Payatas, Quezon City in Metro Manila. Tallying over two hundred volunteers from the hospitality group and their valued partners, collaborators, and guests, each leg of the activity was a narrative of transformative change and lasting impact as each endeavor aimed to contribute to the tangible improvement and growth of their respective greening site. This nationwide initiative that started in Cebu on November 8 and capped by the simultaneous events in Iloilo, Bacolod and Metro Manila on November 13 also served as The Ascott Philippine Cluster’s festive celebration in lieu of the traditional tree lighting parties and gatherings, where the hospitality group opted to give back to the community and environment by developing greening sites nationwide.
Securing a vibrant environment for future generations with the Buhisan Dam, Cebu City
In 2024, the Cebu City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) reported that 73 hectares of natural forest were lost. This was after the Global Forest Watch showed a significant decline in Cebu’s tree cover, with 609 hectares of green land lost between 2001 and 2023, releasing 353 kilos of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. The Cebu properties of Citadines Cebu City and lyf Cebu City have set out to be one of the first contributors of CarbonPH. This initiative promises to plant 10 million trees with their visit to the Buhisan Dam, serving as one of the earliest contributions to this endeavor. The dam is more than just a water reservoir; the surrounding land is a watershed that naturally assists with flood prevention. As a beacon of environmental conservation and community involvement, the location, as a part of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape, makes it the perfect choice for the first leg of the Ascott Group’s tree-planting efforts on November 8, where 50 indigenous trees were planted.
The community’s dedication and commitment to a sustainable tomorrow empower us to venture into projects that will one day recover the forests lost over the years. Planting trees here helps combat deforestation and climate change, ensuring a healthier ecosystem for future generations while bringing together like-minded individuals in the hotel’s circle to celebrate the season of giving.
Rehabilitating Natural Waterways to facilitate land stability around Jalaur River, Iloilo
The Jalaur River is 123 kilometers long and is Panay Island’s second-longest river. It also has the second-largest natural drainage area, 1,503 square kilometers, only falling behind the Panay River in Capiz. Due to its remarkable situation, it has quickly become the largest water reservoir outside of Luzon.
Its electrical generating capacity benefits tens of thousands of families while providing water throughout the island. It is easy to forget that behind its modern transformation, it is a natural wonder that facilitates water flow with its surrounding land. It is responsible for acting as a watershed, naturally channelling water to its designated point.
In this leg of the tree-planting for Ascott Philippines, the volunteers in Citadines Amigo Iloilo visited one of the sub-watersheds of the main river and worked to rehabilitate its surroundings by planting 200 saplings that will one day join the groves that aid in the stability and natural flow of the waterways.
A Zero Waste Tolerance aids Land Rehabilitation with Bioflyt at Felisa, Bacolod City
Seizing the opportunity, the creative minds of Citadines Bacolod City looked internally and sought ways to create a sustainability journey that goes full circle. As a property with five incredible restaurants, one would expect excessive food waste to be generated. However, the property’s leadership empowers and encourages a resourceful approach to ensure no such waste will be neglected in the local landfills.
Partnering with Bioflyt, which produces organic fertilizer from food waste using Black Soldier Flies. They use our food waste gathered through the Bacolod Environment and Resources Office (BENRO) to fertilize the local greening sites. This November, Bioflyt took time to equip the property’s leaders and colleagues with information about proper waste segregation and how it is processed using insects.
Citadines Bacolod City then applied the fertilizer byproduct to the newly planted trees during their festive tree-planting event, where 100 trees were planted and fertilized. The fertilizers are recycled from the property’s food waste and aim to nourish the environment while decreasing the property’s overall carbon footprint and rehabilitating Barangay Felisa’s landfills in a festive celebration focused on the community and the environment rather than a traditional holiday gathering.
A Journey to become Philippines’ largest greening site with Rural Rising at Payatas, Metro Manila
Starting as a 13-hectare landfill that quickly filled up with waste over several years, the Payatas “Dumpsite,” now known as the Payatas Controlled Disposal Facility (PCDF), has transformed over two decades into a lush 25-hectare-wide greening site after the issuance of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act in 2001. With the aid of the Quezon City Government and several other NGOs, the facility was fully closed and began transforming into what will soon be the Payatas Eco Park.
The Ascott Limited Philippines has gathered over 60 dedicated volunteers among their guests, partners and colleagues to embark on a remarkable effort to contribute to the transformative journey of PCDF from dumpsite to Eco park by committing to plant 85 native saplings in the area in line with PCDF’s 85th anniversary this 2024, with their event partner for the Manila leg Rural Rising providing them saplings of Palo Maria (Balsamaria inophyllum), Bignay (Antidesma bunius), Palawan Cherry (Cassia nodosa), Talisay (Terminalia catappa), Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), and Molave (Vitex parviflora). The variety of indigenous trees will one day become a grove that fosters its mini-ecosystem. Each tree is aimed to sustain the soon-to-be grove; the likes of the Palawan Cherry, Bignay, and Molave, though smaller in stature, growing only up to 10 meters on average, are flowering trees that provide nutrients and a source of sustenance to the fauna in the area. At the same time, the larger species of Palo Maria, Narra, and Talisay serve as the perfect home for bees, insects, and other wildlife. The tree species planted are indigenous to the Philippines and non-invasive to promote a diverse, vibrant, and healthy environment for the Eco park while also providing added stability to the ground.
As the first hospitality brand to support and work with PCDF, these efforts are part of the company’s festive holiday celebrations, where Ascott openly invited its guests and partners to join them in paying their blessing forward while creating lasting impact and tangible contributions to the Payatas greening site, which is sure to one day fully transform into the Payatas Eco Park, a vibrant haven in the country’s city of stars.
