Peninsula worldwide launches super typhoon Yolanda relief effort

MANILA, Philippines - The Peninsula Hotels recently launched  “Hope for the Philippines,” a four-pronged initiative in each Peninsula hotel across Asia and the USA ongoing until Jan. 31, 2014 to raise funds to support the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. “Hope for the Philippines” comprises a donation for each guest stay, plus the proceeds from a special Philippine-themed “Tea of Hope,” the classic Filipino halo halo and “Trees of Hope” in each hotel.

All proceeds from “Hope for the Philippines” will be donated to the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Inc., with the stipulation that funds go directly to its mission of rebuilding homes and communities in the affected areas of Eastern Visayas.   Gawad Kalinga was founded in 2003, and The Peninsula Manila has been working with the organization since 2008.  Peninsula Manila executives will oversee Gawad Kalinga’s work on The Peninsula Hotels’ behalf, while hotel staff are already donating their time packing relief supplies and helping with the disaster effort.

The Peninsula Manila along with other Peninsula Hotels will make a donation of $5 per room night of each guest’s stay, while guests wishing to make an additional contribution may simply request to have the amount added to their credit card upon check-out.

The signature Peninsula Afternoon Tea is celebrated around the world, and so a special Philippine-themed “Tea of Hope” will be served in all Peninsula lobbies, with 100 percent of the retail price of each tea set donated to “Hope for the Philippines.” Focusing on the tropical fruits of the Philippines, the special tea features mango, coconut, banana and pineapple-flavored treats. The Peninsula “Tea of Hope” will retail in Manila for P980.

The Peninsula halo-halo is served at the lobby for P425 is now available in each Peninsula hotel, with 100 percent of the retail price donated to “Hope for the Philippines.”

Now in its 10th year across all hotels, The Peninsula Hotels’ annual groupwide “Trees of Hope” fundraising campaign for 2013 is dedicated to “Hope for the Philippines” with specially created SnowPage glass ornaments for guests making a donation to take home. Taking as its inspiration the iconic Peninsula pageboy but with a light-hearted seasonal twist, SnowPage was created specially for the 2013 holiday season and will retail in Manila for P500.  For every SnowPage ornament purchased, guests receive a yellow sun designed by a member of The Peninsula Manila team that they can hang on a “Tree of 1,000 Suns.”