MANILA, Philippines - Don’t be surprised if, on a first Saturday of the month, you should happen to be at The Ascott in Makati at night and find that the lights are off. It’s the monthly Earth Hour.
“For two hours, from 8 to 10 p.m. every first Saturday of the month, the lights in the public areas are turned off,” general manager, Lew Yen Ping, explains.
This is one way of showing their commitment to helping the environment by moving towards a greener lifestyle. “Residents are also encouraged to join in the movement.”
Ascott provides Going Green reusable grocery bags as part of the welcome package for long-staying guests. “There are no plastics in the rooms, no plastic water bottles, no plastic laundry bags. Even the breakfast placemats are made of recycled paper.”
They espouse the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. “We have green offices and meeting rooms. We also use energy-saving light bulbs,” says Yen. There are recycling bins at the back of the house to encourage waste segregation.
All the hotel employees are involved in the environment program. “The Going Green committee generates ideas with the aim to help protect and preserve the environment for a greener future,” says Marian Villar, director for human resources. For example, they were able to generate P10,000 in one month simply from the sale of old newspapers and recyclables, which in turn was donated to the Gawad Kalinga
(GK) that builds houses for the poor. Aside from monetary contributions, the employees also volunteer and donate their time and energy for a good cause.
As part of their CSR program, Project Green Heart was launched in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. “Project Green Heart will help raise funds through its green initiatives to help provide children in GK communities with a better learning environment,” Marian shares. Proceeds from their projects are used to refurbish schools and educate children about the importance of taking care of the environment. The employee-volunteers help in packing school kits and hygiene kits, which they distribute to the school children. To date, they have visited schools in Pasig, Pateros, Quezon City, and Zambales, where 800 children have benefited from the program. The volunteers also spend time with the children, playing games and sharing meals with them.
“It’s eye-opening,” says Norman Lim, resident manager of Somerset Olympia, another Ascott property. In cooperation with the Kids Food Fund program, a donation of 125,000 Singapore dollars was made to benefit 2,400 schoolchildren in the Visayas. Participating in the outreach feeding program are 14 employee-volunteers who paid out of their own pockets for their airfares from Manila. The activities during the out-of-town visit include demonstrations on how to prepare nutritious meals as well as backyard gardening.
“We are happy to participate and help change people’s lives,” Norman says. “The satisfaction is immense.”
At The Ascott in Makati, children of long-staying guests belong to a kids’ club with like doing activities like doing crafts such as masks using recycled stuff, as well as artworks and drawings showing their impressions about the environment. Seminars are also conducted for the house helpers of long-staying guests to raise their environmental awareness. “Going green” tips are released regularly via e-mail to residents and guests as well as hotel employees. There’s even an herb garden in the patio right outside the Cafe on the 6th for the benefit of the residents as well as for hotel use. Everyone is encouraged to join in the spirit of the monthly Earth Hour. “We serve refreshments at the lobby during that time,” Yen says.
At The Ascott in Makati, the afterglow of candlelight is green.