New World Makati Hotel welcomed the holidays with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony last November 26, 2019. The event was graced by guest of honor Makati Mayor Abby Binay, hotel executives Regional Vice President and General Manager Marcel van Mierlo and Director of Sales & Marketing Jann Delgado, and the evening’s host, television personality Pia Guanio-Mago, with her husband Steeve and daughters Scarlet and Brooklyn.
As New World Makati Hotel proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary, the 25-ft tall Christmas tree was adorned in stunning silver and white holiday ornaments to highlight its milestone year. Leading up to the most awaited part of the night, the audience was serenaded by the hotel’s beneficiary – SOLV Foundation Children’s choir –as they sang a medley of classic Christmas carols: “Joy To The World”, “Away In A Manger”, and “Bituin”.
Pia’s daughters led the countdown along with the mayor and hotel executives and moments after the switch button was pressed, the towering tree of silver, white, and gold was finally lit, signaling the beginning of holiday festivities at New World Makati Hotel. Male classical and pop group Opus One then came down the lobby’s staircase singing “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year” as guests looked on at the sparkling tree.
The SOLV Foundation Children’s Choir were handed sweet Christmas Santa treats by general manager Marcel van Mierlo as a token of appreciation for their endearing performance. A party at the hotel will be done in their honor later in December for all 45 children as well as volunteers at SOLV Foundation. A portion of the hotel’s proceeds for the same month will be donated to their foundation, a non-profit organization that cares for street children in Barangay Palanan in Makati, providing them with a home and quality education.
The program concluded with an encore performance by Opus One – with a medley of English and Filipino Christmas songs and ending with their rendition of “Better World”.
To help raise more donations for the SOLV Foundation and in celebration of its silver year, New World Makati Hotel is holding an ongoing Holly Jolly Raffle, giving away 25 exciting experiences and prizes such as luxurious stays at New World hotels in Asia with premium airfare for two, two roundtrip tickets to Tokyo, Japan, the latest Apple gadgets – iPhone 11, Apple Watch Series 5, and AirPods, as well as Belo Skin treatments worth PHP5,000. Promo runs from 1 to 31 December, and for a minimum spend of PHP5,000 entitles the guest to one raffle ticket.