Some great stories begin with small things

When throwing things away, the reality is, there is no “away.” We only have one planet and everyone must play an active role in caring for it. As we move towards the “next normal,” emphasis on caring for the environment has become synonymous to starting fresh. Okada Manila, Asia’s largest integrated resort, has shifted its focus to finding ways to care for the environment.

Through its efforts, the iconic destination’s core value of “true heart for service, sincerity, and people” takes on more meaning. From providing world-class hospitality to everyone who walks through its doors, Okada Manila has implemented seemingly small, but impactful changes that would make staying in the property more fulfilling.

The grand property fronting picturesque Manila Bay is indeed a preferred travel destination because of its breathtaking beauty and elegance. To encourage local and international travelers to embrace a more environmentally conscious travel lifestyle, Okada Manila has changed its plastic amenity kits with 99% recyclable ones from Roberto Cavalli. With nearly 1,000 rooms, these new amenity kits will significantly reduce plastic waste in the property. It is projected that around 1,000,000 of these new amenity sets will be utilized in 2022 alone.

Okada Manila SVP for Hotel Operations Ivaylo S. Ivanov emphasizes that sustainability and luxury can and should go hand in hand. “Continuously reducing plastic waste has always been one of our top priorities, as we strive to be even more responsible members of our community. The new amenity line by Roberto Cavalli and La Bottega is a true statement that all types of businesses can be even more environment-friendly while continuing to deliver exceptional experiences to their customers. With this step forward, Okada Manila would also like to encourage our guests to have a more environment-conscious travel lifestyle. We only have one planet and we should all play our part in making a positive impact daily.”

Instead of discarding fabrics such as linens, beddings, bedroom slippers, and uniforms, Okada Manila has partnered with Goodwill Industries of the Philippines (GIPI), an organization committed to supporting the community through various livelihood opportunities. In addition to reducing fabrics that may end up in landfills, the partnership has generated livelihood for PWDs.

Fabric items are given a new life through upcycling. Fabrics are treated in a sustainable way: they are segregated into types and aren’t re-dyed to minimize waste. PWDs are empowered by this income-generating project that also enables them to exercise creativity. The linens, beddings, bedroom slippers, and uniforms are turned into pencil cases, wallets, pouches, bags, and even furniture.

A portion of proceeds from selling upcycled items are then allocated to education initiatives for PWDs in order to give them more opportunities in the long term. Funds go to training programs such as basic and advanced reflexology, beauty care, candle making, frame-making, food preparation, sign language, and basic computer literacy classes. “It may be a small contribution, but this endeavor allows us to care for the environment by cutting down fabric waste while also empowering PWDs. Okada Manila is very happy to support this initiative,” shares Sumire Kamura, Vice President for New Business Development. “It’s great to see that old items are given a new life that in turn enrich the lives of others.”