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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine PH/Megaworld Hotels & Resorts) |
The University of the Philippines Asian Institute of Tourism (UP AIT), Southeast Asia’s first tourism education institution and the country’s premier school for tourism studies, has strengthened its commitment to Filipino identity and hospitality through a meaningful partnership with Megaworld Hotels & Resorts (MHR). Together, they planted 250 Sampaguita seedlings at the entrance of the UP AIT campus in Diliman, Quezon City — marking the site as a new landmark in a growing national movement that honors the Philippines’ national flower as a symbol of culture, pride, and service.
The activity brought together more than 200 participants including over 100 UP students, 30 faculty members and staff, and representatives from Megaworld Hotels & Resorts led by the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel team. Their collective participation reflected the deep ties between academe and industry, united by a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of tourism professionals and advancing the future of Philippine tourism. Beyond its visual transformation of the campus entrance, the initiative highlights a deeper purpose: reinforcing the idea that tourism begins with identity. It reminds future industry leaders that Filipino hospitality is rooted in culture, heritage, and national pride. “We welcome everyone at the UP AIT campus. This is a national pride, not only for the country, but also for the first tourism educational institution in Southeast Asia. Our campus landscape, designed by a National Artist, already represents a strong sense of place. Planting the Sampaguita alongside Megaworld Hotels & Resorts further strengthens that identity by creating a welcoming landmark that reminds everyone of our pride of place and our shared Filipino heritage,” said UP AIT Dean Giovanni Francis A. Legaspi.
As the country’s pioneering institution for tourism education, UP AIT has shaped generations of professionals who now lead the Philippine tourism and hospitality industry. The Sampaguita planting serves as a symbolic starting point for students. It is a daily reminder of the values they are expected to carry into their future roles on the global stage. For Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the initiative is part of its continuing Sampaguita advocacy, which has expanded beyond its hotel properties and into schools and communities nationwide. Since its launch in 2023, the company has planted nearly 8,000 Sampaguita seedlings and has integrated the emblematic flower into its Sampaguita Brand of Service, anchored on Love, Honor, Dignity, and Healing. The collaboration with UP AIT reflects the next phase of this advocacy which is to embed its values within the institutions that shape future tourism professionals. “Our advocacy has always been about more than planting flowers. It is about cultivating values that define Filipino hospitality. As someone who once walked these halls as a student, I am deeply honored to give back to the institution that shaped my career. Through this partnership, we hope future tourism leaders will carry with them a strong sense of pride, compassion, and cultural identity wherever they go,” said MHR NCR Cluster General Manager and UP AIT alumnus Jun Justo. Dean Legaspi echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the broader meaning of the Sampaguita in nurturing professional identity, stating, “Together with Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, we are promoting the Sampaguita not only as our national flower but as a symbol of our national identity. It represents nationalism and patriotism, while reminding us of pride, excellence, heritage, and peace. These values help us build a stronger sense of place and inspire future generations to proudly represent the Philippines.”
As the Sampaguita seedlings take root at the UP AIT entrance, they stand as a shared commitment between industry and academe — one that nurtures not just a landscape, but a legacy of values that define Filipino hospitality for generations to come.
