City of Dreams Manila (COD Manila) partnered with Bantay Kalikasan to celebrate the Earth Hour with “A Walk to Save the Earth”

Before the lights-out which started at 8:30 P.M. in one of Manila Bay’s iconic landmarks – COD Manila’s “Fortune Egg” structure, volunteers from Bantay Kalikasan and employees of COD Manila joined the march around vicinity of the luxury integrated resort to kick-off the celebration.

Participants also signed their commitment to protect the environment on COD Manila’s commitment wall. The celebration of the Earth Hour was their “pledge to go dark to shine light for a sustainable future”.

COD Manila’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Benning said that COD Manila has already set different initiatives to help protect and preserve the environment as they established a sustainable program.

“We are not only known in the business of providing unique experiences within the luxury integrated resort; as we are also making a mark as a socially and environmentally-responsible business. Together with the proactive participation and spirit of volunteerism of our employees, we are taking bold and forward-looking initiatives to be agents of change for the people within our organization, the communities we partner with, and for the environment as a whole,” Kevin Benning, City of Dreams Manila Chief Operating Officer, said. 

COD Manila executives led by COO Kevin Benning (center) participated in the ceremonial switching off the lights of its “Fortune Egg” structure for Earth Hour 2019.

Present during the Earth Hour ceremony (from left) were COD Manila VP for Strategic Marketing Corrine Burgos, COD Manila Director of Sales and Marketing Jenny Santillan, COD Manila Vice President for Public Relations Charisse Chuidian, Bantay Kalikasan Director Jen Santos, Hyatt Regency Manila City of Dreams General Manager Peter Sullivan, COD Manila Director for Events and Promotions Queeny Filart, COD Manila Director of Public Relations Romina Gervacio and COD Manila Director of Food and Beverages Steven Carl.

 “Our amazing engineering team already created a vermi-composting area and greenhouse nursery, that allow us to have landscaping here without any (negative) impact to the environment,” he added. 

Other sustainable initiatives within the property are: the implementation of EcoBins for the proper waste segregation of food waste, plastic, paper, tin cans, bottles, and coffee grounds; the use of biodegradable and compostable straws, utensils, and take-out bags at The Garage VR Zone and food park; a holistic and sustainable coffee program for which it partners with local coffee farmers, and eliminates wastes by reusing coffee remains at the vermicomposting area. 

Further creating positive impact on nearby communities, City of Dreams Manila regularly initiates coastal clean-up drives along Manila bay as well as mangrove and tree planting activities in Laguna and Cavite.

These projects are part of the various long-term sustainable initiatives within the property.

“We pledge our commitment for the conservation and protection of nature and promote a greener environment in the hospitality and entertainment industry,” he emphasized. 

According to Jen Deomano Santos, Bantay Kalikasan’s Program Director, participating in the Earth Hour movement, “is just the start of lessening fossil fuels and carbon footprint of the Earth by turning-off energy and lights for an hour” but there is more that everyone can do.

“The saving of the Earth is long overdue. Now is the time that we will become what we call Earth Warriors,” she said. “We encourage every single person to come together, to connect to Earth, fuse energies together, so we can save the one world we live in,” she said.

Celebrating the Earth Hour together is just the start of COD Manila and Bantay Kalikasan’s partnership. The two parties are already discussing how to create more impact on the preservation of the environment through proper waste disposal and recycling.

Earth Hour is a symbolic movement across the globe, a time when everyone is encouraged to turn their lights off for an hour as their commitment in preserving and protecting the planet.