Conrad Manila recognizes women champions of sustainability

For their support and meaningful contribution in driving the social, ecological, and economic well-being of communities, Conrad Manila proudly recognized five Filipina women as Champions of Sustainability.

The online recognition program was held in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, themed “Harvest,” as a tribute to the collective bounty that these women champions reaped for the country in their respective fields.

Conrad Manila General Manager and strong advocate of sustainability, Linda Pecoraro, said, “As we celebrate the tradition of Mid-Autumn Festival, we are turning on the spotlight on the Filipino’s harvest of bountiful produce, borne from the nation’s hard work and ingenuity. Today, we celebrate this festival to highlight the Philippine culture.

“It has been a good harvest season for Conrad Manila. We did it with the strength of our corporate vision to spread the warmth and light of hospitality, and with our passion to make a difference in the market which we serve.

“We could not have achieved our good harvest without the inspiration of industry and community leaders who, in our modest but sincere tribute to their individual achievements, are our harvest of five women Champions of Sustainability!”

The recognition program then cited the women champions with these individual tributes.

Hon. Loren Legarda, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. She is a noted Filipina political leader, environmentalist, cultural worker, and former journalist who is currently serving as the representative of Antique and as the House Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines.

Her strong advocacy on sustainability has been internationally recognized with a long list of national and international distinctions. These include the 2001 UNEP Laureate by the United Nations Environment Programme, 2008 Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaption for Asia and the Pacific, and declared by the United Nations as a UN Global Champion for Resilience in 2015.

She initiated a number of culture, human rights, education, and environment-related laws in the Philippines, such as the Climate Change Law and Anti-Domestic Violence Act.

Berna Romulo-Puyat, Secretary of Tourism. She is a distinguished Iskolar ng Bayan – pursuing Economics for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of the Philippines where she also taught for 12 years.

Her government posts range from Economic Consultant at Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture.

Upon her appointment as Secretary of Tourism in 2018, she focused on the development of areas supporting sustainable tourism, increasing investments in the sector, and enhancing programs for tourism infrastructure. She is the country’s driver to the journey of resilience towards recovery in the hospitality industry.

Hon. Imelda “Emi” Calixto-Rubiano, Pasay City Mayor. She is another Filipina political leader, serving as legislator and now as the top executive of the City Government of Pasay. She champions health as a major focus, infrastructure for a better urban way of life, diversity and inclusion, and empowering persons with disability – endeavors that complement sustainability.

Her efforts were recognized as she became an awardee of Outstanding and Significant Achievement in Public Service, Golden Globe Annual Awards for Outstanding Filipino Achievers in 2016. Putting the needs of local people at heart is the key attribute of this Filipina – a good leader.

Maria Lourdes Locsin, chairperson of the DFA Ladies Foundation, International Bazaar Foundation and Asean Ladies Foundation. She is the magical link among the Department of Foreign Affairs Ladies Foundation, the International Bazaar Foundation, and the Asean Ladies Foundation. She steers the collaborative projects and partnerships with the 10 Embassies of the ASEAN member states including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

She is the quiet, gentle-mannered visionary and project director of annual cultural events that aim to foster unity and cooperation among the Asean community. Her strong promotion of the Filipino indigenous fashion, heritage cuisines, and visual arts for the international community are her distinct contributions to nationalism and sustainable environment.

Mons Romulo, Founder of Katutubo PH and Board Member of Child Protection Network and Pink for Life Foundation. She is a columnist in the lifestyle section of The Philippine Star and a book author of Baro: Philippine Fabric and Fashion published in 2003.

In 2016, she had the idea to combine a passion for fashion with a desire to help Filipino artisans and entrepreneurs. In time, Katutubo PH became a regular supporter of indigenous artists who strive to find livelihood through their crafts and art. From curated events to an online platform, Katutubo PH aims to continue showcasing local products. She also champions child rights against abuse, as well as providing health care for cancer victims.

Celebrating ‘Harvest’

An interesting highlight of the occasion was the presentation to each woman champion of Conrad Manila’s innovative Mid-Autumn Festival limited edition handcrafted bag, titled Harvest, which is a tribute to their individual harvest of achievements. It’s the brainchild of the Conrad Manila team and done in collaboration with community artisans with Filipino bag designer Zarah Juan.

A fine testament to local craftsmanship, the bag’s embroidery is a depiction of the traditional barong fabric with an intricate design of rice grains, a graceful and seamless homage to Mid-Autumn’s lunar harvest and the national wear of Filipinos. Each bag is handcrafted from upcycled wood by artisans of Paete, Laguna. The intricately designed bags come in two classic colors: luscious red and coral tan.

Pecoraro defines this as “an artisanal celebration combining festive treats and fashionable fanfare in one elegant, sustainably sourced and packaged [creation].”

She added that the two limited editions are “proudly designed with the intention of preserving the cultural heritage of the Philippines.”

Each Harvest bag is packed with the hotel’s signature four delightful flavors of mooncakes from the award-winning Executive Chinese Chef Eng Yew Khor of China Blue by Jereme Leung.

Heightening the ante this Mid-Autumn season, they took inspiration from the designer bag collection to introduce the new Baked Fragrant Pandan with Taro Black Gold Charcoal Mooncake. Embellished in classic black and edible gold paint finishing, this finesse treat is handcrafted in round perfection with a luscious balance of smooth pandan paste and a creamy taro center.

Crowd favorite mooncake boxes are making a comeback for a limited time this year. Conrad Manila offers the vibrant Tropical Allure by Christy Ng in purple or red, elegant Pacific Allure Bag and Pacific Box.

Celebrate a joyful abundance this Mid-Autumn season with the diverse gifting selections for business associates, family, and friends. Each mooncake gift set comes in a box of four delightful baked mooncakes, with options to mix and match flavors including Baked Red Bean Single Salted Egg Yolk and Baked White Lotus Single Egg Yolk.

Source: The Manila Times

https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/08/22/the-sunday-times/filipino-champions/conrad-manila-recognizes-women-champions-of-sustainability/1811815