SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) pays tribute to the hospitality workforce and ably primes its properties through the SustainablySafe program

The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 has posed incredible and unrelenting challenges for our country. More significantly, unprecedented obstacles are being faced by essential key workers, including not only the dedicated frontline staff at retail, hospitality, and service workforces, but also those at the helm of healthcare institutions.

Amidst this health crisis, we as a community hope and yearn for support, unity, and positivity. SM Hotels and Conventions Corp.’s (SMHCC) properties not only heed this call, but have taken decisive steps to show appreciation for the brave men and women at the forefront of our battle against this pandemic.

Conrad Manila joined forces with a partner hotel to deliver 500 packed meals to the frontliners of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Conrad Manila also recognized its skeletal workforce for their continuous ardor during the hotel’s ECQ Recognition Day.

To help them assimilate to the new normal, Park Inn by Radisson Clark offered free haircuts for their team members, Vitamin C, face masks, and merienda as a token of their deep appreciation for their consistent hard work.

Park Inn by Radisson Davao has placed emphasis on maintaining a physically active lifestyle during the ECQ by conducting various sports events indoors. Personalized thank you letters from the Park Inn by Radisson Davao General Manager were also given to each member of the hotel’s skeletal workforce, showing the appreciation deeply felt not only by the management, but also by every other employee.

Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo continued to put significance in social responsibility through this year’s Earth Hour event. Celebrating with a video dedication, the hotel turned off the lights for our environment. In line with their community support efforts, the hotel also contributed shower caps to a local hospital, delivered 200 packed meals to 6 hospitals, and 500 food packs to Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), border patrols, and other frontline personnel. The hotel likewise joined and supports the Iloilo MICE Alliance’s frontliners-to-frontliners donation program.

In a genuine expression of Park Inn by Radisson North EDSA’s pride toward its frontliners, an Employee Appreciation Board was launched, where everyone can write down positive, hopeful messages to help uplift each other. Additionally, the hotel was able to donate 1,000 pieces of disposable shower caps to the Lung Center of the Philippines.

Radisson Blu Cebu launched wellness and recreational programs to engage hotel employees currently staying in-house. Furthermore, each employee has been empowered by embodying the hotel’s “YES I CAN” spirit. One way they are able to do this is through PAGPAKABANA, a customized term they use in reference to their scheduled Clean-Up Drive happening every weekend.

Over at SMHCC’s convention center arm, the SMX spirit remains high and hopeful, with some of the employees contributing to their communities by helping to provide frontliners with food and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). Notably, they helped raise funds through donations to purchase 30,000 pieces of PPEs, including masks, gloves, and protective suits.

“For SMHCC, hospitality surpasses the confines of the walls of a hotel. Exceptional service has never just been limited to the corners of a convention center,” Ms. Peggy E. Angeles, SMHCC’s Executive Vice President, said. “We have always believed in the nation’s undying spirit. Our vision and mission are deeply founded upon the unique brand of Filipino hospitality, resilience, and passion. Certainly, we take pride in the fact that our properties have imbibed this to the very core of their service culture. This is why we have confidence in our united healing, both as a community and as one of the Philippines’ foremost hotel and convention companies.”

In each of its properties, SMHCC goes above and beyond, more so in these trying times. On top of the best practices we have continuously performed, additional proactive and precautionary actions crucial to the safety and security of each guest and staff have been implemented. These points, along with prospective innovations and applications in operations, encompass and comprise the goals of SMHCC’s SustainablySafe initiative, the ultimate goal of which is to provide guests with the utmost safety and quality of experience.

• Temperature reading and hand sanitation at the entrance;
• Disinfection of reception desks before attending to each guest;
• Staff wears masks, gloves, face shields, and other PPEs at all times when on-duty;
• Fill-up of health and travel history forms upon check-in or registration;
• Sanitation of room keys and disinfection of hotel vehicles before the use of each guest;
• Periodic disinfection and deep cleaning of high traffic (like lobbies, facilities, function rooms, and food outlets) and touch areas (like handles and handrails, elevator panes, remote controls, light switches, and toilet fixtures);
• Laundry is cleaned by DOH-accredited providers, where linen is processed at 83°C to kill microbial life that causes disease or the fermentation of bacteria;
• Conducting 24-hour continuous fresh air intake in all guest rooms and corridors to ensure the best possible air ventilation to deter contamination and transmission;
• Tableware are sanitized through dishwashing machines as opposed to the typical practice using sinks to avoid contact and ensure complete cleanliness;
• Firm execution of social distancing amongst staff, who will also assist, enable, and ensure that guests are able to practice social distancing in all areas of the property.

Undoubtedly, strategic measures to ensure business continuity have been put in place. Clearly, SMHCC’s properties will be more than equipped to bounce back after the lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

These activities and efforts have so far just been the beginning. SMHCC incessantly pursues the highest standards of excellence and adheres to stringent protocols that meet international standards. The company is geared towards institutionalizing industry best practices as the world redefines and adapts to the new normal. Moreover, the company continues to reach out through actionable programs as its properties stand confident and strong as a haven of hope and comfort for their guests amid the crises. With an unmatched passion, SMHCC seeks to assure each staff, guest, and member of the community that in each step we take toward recovery, growth, and change, we do so together.