With each ornament hung, hope shines a little brighter.

The partnership between GMA Network and Marco Polo Plaza Cebu for the Tree of Hope project has reached a milestone in 2024: Fifteen years of shared purpose.

All these years, the Tree of Hope has allowed guests of Marco Polo to share their blessings at Christmas through ornaments they pick for the tree in exchange for a modest donation. Their donations went to the GMA Kapuso Foundation for projects like the ‘Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan’ and ‘Give-A-Gift.’

The Tree of Hope has raised over P2 million, by far, which has helped thousands of school children in Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Samar, and Leyte in the Visayas and Lanao del Norte in Mindanao.

As the tree lit up Marco Polo’s lobby anew in 2024, the hotel turned over proceeds of the 2023 Tree of Hope amounting to P100,000 to GMA Network.  

Receiving the check from Marco Polo Plaza Cebu General Manager Maximilian Schwalbe was GMA Senior Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV and Synergy Oliver Victor Amoroso who also sits in the board of the Kapuso Foundation.

“This year, 2024, is extra special because it marks a milestone: our partnership for the Tree of Hope is now 15 years strong. We can’t thank you all enough for being a blessing to GMA Network and to the Kapuso Foundation,” Amoroso said during the tree lighting ceremony on November 6, 2024.

“Daghan kaayong salamat to Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, now led by GM Maximilian Schwalbe, for being our ally in this initiative,” he added.

Schwalbe, for his part, said the partnership and the Tree of Hope highlight Marco Polo’s commitment to give back to its community.

"[It] is not only cultural, but also giving back to the community and being part of the community… being the community," he said.

TREE OF HOPE 2024

As a cherished tradition, the lighting of the Tree of Hope also ushers in the Christmas celebration at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.

For 2024, the hotel is putting the spotlight on sustainability and its commitment to eco-friendly practices by using recycled materials for the Tree of Hope and the rest of its holiday decorations. It sourced materials from the local community.

"If we want to keep the planet safe and healthy, especially in Southeast Asia where we have challenges, we need to focus on this," Schwalbe said.

The evening of November 6 progressed to the sound of yuletide carols from the University of Cebu Choir made festive by performances from the Cebu Center of Dance. Guests were treated to a selection of culinary treats inspired by diverse traditions, blending local delicacies and European influences that captured the warmth and spirit of family gatherings.

Rev. Msgr. Guillermo Gorre, H.P., S.T.L. said blessed the tree.

As the twinkle lights were switched on, another year of the Tree of Hope project also unfolded, reminding those present at the ceremony of the power of compassion, community, and a shared purpose.