It wasn’t just business as usual at Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts this October as hotel team members traded their uniforms for paintbrushes, aprons, shovels, and garden gloves — all in celebration of Travel with Purpose Week 2025.
The annual event, part of Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ global sustainability and social impact initiative, came alive through a week-long lineup of projects focused on community empowerment, environmental protection, and sustainable living across Mega Manila.
The festivities kicked off at Don Bosco Pugad Center in Makati, where scholars aged 17 to 24 got a taste of the hospitality world — literally. Hilton Manila chefs guided students through hands-on pastry-making sessions while sharing career insights meant to build skills, confidence, and hope for a brighter future.
Midweek, volunteers rolled up their sleeves at Pasay Social Development Center to refresh a beloved community playground with new paint and a revived mural originally crafted by volunteers in 2018. The once-faded space now bursts with color again, offering children a brighter, safer place to play and heal.
The spirit of giving didn’t end there. At Sta. Ana Church, team members teamed up with Scholars of Sustenance Philippines for “Feeding Hope: Community Kitchen,” preparing hot meals for 150 people, including inmates from a nearby detention center. The initiative addressed both hunger and food waste, putting the spotlight on food rescue and responsible consumption.
The following day brought team members out of the city and into the heart of nature. Partnering with Conrad Manila and the Dumagat Tribe, they planted 1,000 cacao seedlings around Angat-Ipo Dam — the lifeline of Metro Manila’s water supply. The activity not only supports watershed protection but also boosts the tribe’s livelihood through tablea-making and cacao farming.
Back at the hotel, the week wrapped up with “Greens in the City,” a rooftop gardening activity where herbs and ornamentals found a new home in Hilton Manila’s sixth-floor garden — a nod to the property’s commitment to sustainable urban living and farm-to-table dining.
“Travel with Purpose is not just a program—it’s a reflection of who we are and what we stand for,” said Gagan Talwar, General Manager of Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts. “This week reminded us that hospitality goes beyond service; it’s about uplifting communities, protecting our environment, and creating moments that matter. I’m incredibly proud of our team members for leading with compassion and purpose.”
Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy advances responsible travel through goals that reduce environmental impact, drive social progress, and foster inclusive opportunities. Hilton Manila has embedded these principles into everyday operations — from maximizing natural daylight in meeting spaces to cultivating its own hydroponic vertical farm and sourcing 80% of its vegetables from Atok farmers in Benguet.
By aligning global ambitions with local action, Hilton Manila Newport World Resorts shows that sustainability can be both heartfelt and hands-on — a philosophy that turns every stay into something bigger than just a hotel experience.