The Sampaguita continues to bloom as it builds communities

 

Team leader Charlene Go-Co, Head of Marketing Innovation, received the Virtus Award, joined by MHR executives (3rd from left) Socrates Alvaro, Cluster General Manager – Boracay, Claire Bernabe, Head of Strategic Sales and Partnerships and Group Director of Customer Experience and New Ventures, Ederlinda Decano, Group Director of Finance, Divine delos Reyes, Head of People Management, Avinash Menon, Cluster General Manager – Visayas, and Loleth So, HSMA President and Group Commercial Director

Since its launch in August 2023, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the largest homegrown hotel operator, has reached out and helped 5,000 families and has provided livelihood opportunities through its Sampaguita Project in partnership with Dwellbeing, a social enterprise that advocates upcycling and empowering communities, and Project Pearls Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing impoverished children and their families with access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and empowerment programs.

“Now on the first full year of our advocacy, we believe that hospitality is more than what happens within our hotels; it is about making a lasting impact by touching lives, creating opportunities, and fostering positive change. Moreover, this celebration aligns closely with our Circle of Happiness, our brand culture that highlights love for oneself, family, work, community, and above all, God. This then inspires us to serve with love, compassion, and a sense of shared purpose,” said Cleofe Albiso, Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts.

Megaworld Hotels & Resorts led by Managing Director Cleofe Albiso gifted Project Pearls with Sampaguita seedlings as part of its Thanksgiving activity this year

Meaningful Partnerships

With MHR’s advocacy to bring back the appreciation for the national flower, the group has now consumed 11,030 liters of the signature Cool Sampaguita scent to date across its 13 properties with its partnership with Dwellbeing, the hotel chain’s manufacturing partner. The Sampaguita Project highlights MHR’s brand of hospitality by creating a journey with the five senses. Whether it is the welcoming scent of Sampaguita, the comforting sound of kundiman, or inspiring dishes infused with floral notes, guests can fully immerse themselves in an all-around Sampaguita-inspired stay.

Chancellor Hotel Boracay Hotel Manager Johnson Del Valle and community members learned the delicate art of Sampaguita lei-making

Beyond the guest experience, MHR embraced a more meaningful tradition by focusing on giving back with a Sampaguita-themed thanksgiving event on November 27, 2024, at the Project Pearls Community in Bocaue, Bulacan. During the event, MHR engaged community members in a Sampaguita planting activity, donating 300 seedlings provided by Megaworld’s Central Nursery. The celebration also included Sampaguita-inspired interactive workshops, such as storytelling and coloring activities, feeding program, Sampaguita lei-making, and Sampaguita-flavored polvoron making.

“Ang Sampaguita” Advocacy

“Ang Sampaguita” has evolved into an advocacy and is carried out through eco-conscious operations that go beyond the four walls of MHR hotels. The Sampaguita represents the values deeply rooted in Filipino culture, such as love, honor, dignity, and healing, which MHR instills in every aspect of its operations.

Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ Sampaguita campaign was recently recognized as the Most Outstanding Marketing Campaign at the prestigious 10th Virtus Awards last October 10, 2024. Standing out among 14 campaigns, the Sampaguita Project was celebrated for its creativity, authenticity, and multi-sensory approach, connecting deeply with guests and setting a new standard in the industry.

Megaworld Hotels & Resorts and Project Pearls came together for a meaningful Sampaguita planting session using 300 seedlings from Megaworld’s Central Nursery

Charlene Go-Co, Head of Marketing Innovation for Megaworld Hotels & Resorts and team leader of the Sampaguita campaign, accepted the award alongside key members of the MHR leadership team, including Socrates Alvaro, Cluster General Manager for Boracay; Avinash Menon, Cluster General Manager for Visayas; Divine delos Reyes, Head of People Management; Ederlinda Decano, Group Director of Finance; and Claire Bernabe, Head of Strategic Sales, Partnerships, and Customer Experience.

MHR Corporate Chef Franco Lopez and Savoy Hotel Manila’s Executive Chef Kit Carpio whipped up Sampaguita-flavored polvoron with the mothers of Project Pearls

Through Megaworld’s MEGreen sustainability program, “Ang Sampaguita” has also received recognition from Anvil Awards and Malaya Business Insight.

The Sampaguita campaign exemplifies how marketing can transcend traditional boundaries, bridging brand, culture, and meaningful advocacy into a harmonious experience that resonates with both guests and the wider community.