BY IVY TEJANO
DAVAO CITY – About 50 children of the Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation will have a merry Christmas under the Dusit Thani Residence Davao and DusitD2 Davao’s “Stars of Hope” initiative.
DUSIT D2 and Dusit Thani Davao Residence owner, Tomas Lorenzo, hotel officials and staff, representatives of the Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation, city government of Davao, and the Department of Tourism, formally light the Christmas tree of Dusit Thani Davao Residence on Friday, Nov. 8, in Davao City. (Ivy Tejano)
Dusit Thani Davao introduced Field of Dreams during its Christmas tree-lighting ceremony on Friday evening, Nov. 8, that launched a month of planned activities and underscoring its partnership with the Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation.
Dusit Thani Residence Davao owner and Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. chief executive officer Tomas P. Lorenzo said it is a tradition to partner with local charity organizations during the Christmas tree-lighting every year to give back to the community.
Lorenzo said this was the first time he attended a tree-lighting here and he is honored to participate in the beautiful celebration. He added that their Christmas tree reflects not just the Philippines but Davao and Mindanao.
“This year, we are introducing the Stars of Hope as our charity program in partnership with two organizations. For Dusit Thani Davao, we have Field of Dreams, and for Dusit Thani Plantation, we have Mabini Federation of Senior Citizens Association,” Lorenzo said.
Jerry Evangelista of the Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation thanked the Lorenzo family and Dusit Thani Davao officials and staff for their commitment to uplifting the lives of the children, emphasizing that their support extends well beyond the holiday season.
"Your commitment to our vision will ensure our children receive hope and fairness beyond the holiday season. Your commitment to positively impacting others’ lives is truly inspiring. Thank you for believing in our cause and making a meaningful difference," Evangelista said.
The Field of Dreams Children’s Charity Foundation is a non-profit organization that operates in Davao City and Davao Region.
The foundation caters to homeless, dependent, neglected, abandoned, and orphaned boys aged three to 18-years-old.
The city government, through Committee on Tourism and Beautification chairman Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, was present during the event. He delivered the message of Mayor Sebastian Duterte, who thanked the establishment for fostering a sense of community.
“The Christmas tree-lighting is more than a celebration. It inspires people to reflect on hope, faith, and love, encouraging everyone to bring light to others’ lives.”
Tanya Rabat-Tan, director of the Department of Tourism-11, said in a message read by her assistant, Judy Colaljo, that the department shares joyful celebration with the establishment, emphasizing the success and remarkable progress of Davao’s tourism sector.
“As we move forward to exciting journeys, let us take inspiration from our past, continue to nurture our present, and show optimism for our future. We hope that we will continue to work collaboratively to ensure the growth and prosperity of our tourism industry,” Tan said.
Tan said 2024 has been promising because of the many milestones they have achieved in the industry. She added that the success and progress in the tourism sector have reflected the resilience, strong cooperation, and unyielding support among its key players and stakeholders.
