Hotel Okura Manila, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, successfully hosted The Philippine Business and News’ (ThePhilBizNews) second Embassy Night with the Captains of Philippine Industries last April 26.

The high-profile event was attended by more than 10 ambassadors and 20 embassies, including business leaders from different foreign chambers and multinational corporations, making it the biggest and most prestigious event held at the luxury hotel in the Philippines since opening on April 19, 2022.

Ambassadors and other honored guests praised Hotel Okura Manila for its staging of an Embassy Night grander than the first one last year, impressing all 200 guests at its main dining hall.

Guests enjoyed sumptuous food and overflowing wine courtesy of Hotel Okura Manila, its partners, Newport City Philippine Wine Merchants, Lydia’s Lechon, and other sponsors.

Jan Marshall, General Manager of Hotel Okura Manila, expressed pride and gratitude in hosting the Embassy Night in partnership with ThePhilBizNews.

“To honor this big event and its guests, we not only served a variety of authentic Japanese dishes from appetizer to the main course and curated desserts; we also prepared a special ‘Ambassador’s Cocktail’ exclusively served for the event,” Marshall said.

The special drink was highlighted during the ceremonial “Toast to the Diplomats and the Captains of Philippine Industries” that included at center stage, Hon. Juha Pyykkö, Ambassador of Finland; Hon. Jarosław Szczepankiewicz, Ambassador of Poland; Hon. Ilan Fluss, Ambassador of Israel; Hon. Jana Šedivá, Ambassador of Czech Republic; Hon. Anke Reiffenstuel, Ambassador of Germany; Hon. Michel Parys, Ambassador of Belgium; Dr. Beatrice Jane L. Ang, Honorary Consul of the Consulate of Ukraine in Manila; Mr. Antonio Gallo, Head of the Consular Chancery Embassy of Italy; Mr. Jan Marshall, General Manager of Hotel Okura Manila; and Mr. Monsi Alfonso Serrano, founder of THEPHILBIZNEWS.

Exemplifying the warmth of care and service at Hotel Okura Manila, guests were also treated to buffet dining and an open bar that offered various wines, whiskeys, juices and other drinks.

“I am very happy with our partnership with Hotel Okura Manila. Our guests from the diplomatic and business community who graced the event were all surprised not just with the place but also the food and drinks,” said Serrano, who is also the lead organizer of Embassy Night.

Top executives of prominent Japanese companies such as Honda Car Philippines, Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines, Toyota Motor Philippines, Yakult Philippines, and Sunny Bing Trading, among other attended the event.

D. Edgard A. Cabangon, chairman of Isuzu GenCars, also lauded the event as an occasion for the different foreign chambers – like the American Chamber of Commerce, the British Chamber of Commerce, the European Chamber of Commerce, the Italian Chamber of Commerce, and THE Israel Chamber of Commerce, and Nordic Chamber of Commerce  – to be updated on developments happening the different industries in the country, through their prime movers.

From the food manufacturing sector, there were officers from CDO Foodsphere, Meatworld & Mrs. Garcia, Atkins Import and Export, San Miguel Brewery, San Miguel Corp., and Tinapayan to name a few, a host of importers and exporters, and representatives from the Information Technology, airlines, banking and media sectors, as well.

Adeline Capindig, Marketing Director of Hotel Okura Manila, said many of the guests were also given a tour of the hotel’s different facilities and unique rooms.

Hotel Okura Manila has three main restaurants, namely, Yamazato, Yawaragi, and The Pool Bar at the SORA Rooftop. Yamazato is Okura’s signature Japanese fine dining restaurant that serves only the freshest ingredients to ensure supreme taste and unmatched quality.

Yawaragi offers international gourmet dishes with Japanese specialties and Filipino favorites, while The Pool Bar at the SORA Rooftop offers a relaxing escape high above the bustling Metro Manila.

“We really want to showcase what we have to offer, and their very own experience says a lot about who we are and what makes us set apart from other hotels,” said Capindig. 

Watch the highlights of the event:

Hotel Okura Manila is located at the Newport World Resorts, 2 Portwood Street in Pasay City and belongs to a luxury hotel chain with a long-standing reputation for providing excellent service, impeccable hospitality, and a deep appreciation for art, culture, and tradition.

The Okura Hotel brand is known all over the world, with locations in Japan, the United States, Europe, and Asia, mainly for its Japanese-inspired design and aesthetic, which is reflected in the architecture, interior design, and amenities of each property.

The brand prides itself on its attention to detail, and this is evident in the quality of the furnishings, linens, and amenities provided in each room, setting it apart from other luxury hotel chains.

Ambassadors from around the world reiterated their support for media freedom in the Philippines, noting that it is the foundation of democracy.

At the Second Embassy Night of the THEPHILBIZNEWS Embassy Night in Hotel Okura Manila recently, Ambassador Jana Sediva of the Czech Republic said, “Media freedom is super important, and…I can say that you can rely on all embassies from European Union, that we will definitely do everything to support media, freedom of media, in this country.”

In her speech, Ambassador Sediva, whose term in the Philippines is ending soon, congratulated THEPHILBIZNEWS head Monsi Serrano for upholding truth and fighting disinformation.

“I would like to…express my special thanks to my dear friend, Monsi Serrano, and all his colleagues from THEPHILBIZNEWS because what they do for this country and also for us or diplomatic communities is super important…I would like to express my thanks to him, and [the] commitment of the Czech embassy to be on his side always,” Ambassador Sediva said.

On the other hand, Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel of Germany echoed Ambassador Sediva’s sentiment and told her story as a new envoy in the country.

“I would like to thank Monsi Serrano for organizing tonight’s event and for his friendship…Very soon after my arrival in the Philippines, almost four years ago, Monsi attended a concert at my residence and right on the spot, we set up my very first interview in this country,” she said.

“Only a few weeks later, Monsi almost made me eat balut. But only almost, I haven’t eaten ever, and I think I won’t ever. But Monsi is much more than a personal friend. He is a professional and reliable journalist and media personality,” Ambassador Reiffenstuel shared.

Germany’s chief diplomat commended journalists in the Philippines for providing objective and reliable information in a professional manner, as they are the Filipino people’s primary source of information.

“This highly important role and function as a journalist is constantly being challenged. Fake news and disinformation are gaining ground worldwide, especially but not only in social media. And what we currently see the Russian narrative on its aggressive invasion on Ukraine is just one example for this. Together, we have to counter such developments,” Ambassador Reiffenstuel said.

Belgian Ambassador Michel Parys shared the embassy’s commitment to protect the journalists and defend freedom of the press in the country.

“Belgium remains committed to different human rights, including women’s rights, children rights, LGBTs rights, during the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines. Belgium gives recommendation to protect the life of journalists to press freedom and to protect the life of human rights defenders and I was very glad that the Philippines accepted this recommendation,” Ambassador Parys said.

For her part, British Ambassador Laures Beaufils stressed the “fundamental importance of media in this country, as in every other country.”

“[Media] is a pillar of democracy and we celebrate that and we will continue to forever champion media freedom here in the Philippines. It is one of our priorities. And you can you have my commitment that this will remain the case,” Ambassador Beaufils said.

In the same event at Hotel Okura Manila, THEPHILBIZNEWS’s Monsi Alfonso Serrano emphasized the role of independent media outfits in promoting cross-border bonds in business, culture, education, and friendship around the world.

“Our media company may not be well-known, but we are proud to have a big vision and mission. We believe in the 4Ps—Purpose, Public Service, People above Profit,” Serrano said.

THEPHILBIZNEWS is finishing its documentary video on the war in Ukraine, and Serrano thanked the embassies of the Czech Republic and Poland for supporting him and his team on the project.

Watch the trailer:

Serrano also thanked the foreign embassies for their statements condemning the murder of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid.

“On media welfare, the embassies have been very supportive of us, valuing the freedom of the press. Case in point, [in] the murder of Percy Lapid, the embassies of Canada, France, US, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and even Ambassador Koshikawa [Kazuhiko of Japan] issued their statement condemning this brutal and cowardly act to scare journalists in the Philippines,” Serrano said.

THEPHILBIZNEWS head highlighted the company’s mission: “To be every Filipino’s preferred source of factual information wherever they are in the world remains. We commit to further promoting investments and people-to-people understanding,” he said.

May 4, was World Press Freedom Day.