The Peninsula Manila celebrates its 50th anniversary with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and gala, honoring five decades of hospitality, cherished memories, and Filipino warmth.
Beneath the iconic sunburst that crowns The Peninsula Manila’s Lobby, guests gathered to welcome another Christmas season. For decades, the Makati landmark, affectionately known as “Manila Pen” or simply “The Pen,” has witnessed countless arrivals, farewells, and reunions, each leaving behind a story of its own. The Peninsula Manila 50th anniversary took place on October 7, 2026 with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and galaGalaA formal, festive social event, usually with dinner, entertainment, and dress codes such as black tie, often held to raise funds for a cause or celebrate an occasion. Galas areGo to Gala Glossary, gathering some 900 guests for an evening of music, champagne, and dancing. Leading the celebrations was The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, joining generations of friends of The Pen to toast a place that has become part of their own family histories.
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How The Peninsula Manila Lit Its Christmas Tree
Hosted by musical theater star Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, the evening opened with a song written for the hotel’s 50th anniversary and a video tracing its history since 1976. Managing Director Kevin Tsang welcomed guests to one of The Pen’s most cherished traditions, recalling its place in the lives of Filipino families and its reputation as the “home of Christmas.”
For the lighting itself, Sir Michael was joined by HSH Deputy Chairman Philip Kadoorie, Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Vuchot, Chief Operating Officer Gareth Roberts, and Tsang. Together, they illuminated the 45-foot Christmas tree and the hotel, as the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir, dressed as miniature Peninsula pages, filled The Lobby with carols.
The celebrations continued over champagne and buffet stations featuring specialties from all 12 Peninsula hotels worldwide. From The Upper Lobby, the AMP Big Band played favorites spanning the 1970s to the present, with guests taking to the dance floor in The Lobby and Salon de Ning. For a hotel marking five decades, there was something fitting about a party where several generations could find their song.
50 Years Of Hospitality Worth Celebrating
Long before the Christmas gatherings and family celebrations, The Peninsula Manila began with a friendship. In his remarks, Sir Michael recalled the partnership between his father, Lord Lawrence Kadoorie, his uncle Horace Kadoorie, and their Filipino counterparts, whose shared vision brought the first Peninsula hotel outside Hong Kong to Manila.
Designed by National Artist for Architecture Gabriel Formoso, the hotel opened in 1976 at the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenues. Its sweeping façade and grand Lobby would become familiar features of a growing city, welcoming travelers from around the world and Manila residents who soon made it their meeting place.
Over the decades, the hotel would evolve alongside its surroundings. Among its most recognizable additions was National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva’s sunburst, which transformed The Lobby’s ceiling into a landmark of its own. Beneath it, new generations would find their way into a room already filled with memories for their parents and grandparents.
As Makati grew and its skyline shifted, The Pen remained a familiar address for occasions both grand and everyday: wedding receptions, Christmas lunches, afternoon tea, or simply a catch-up in The Lobby. The people who once came as children returned with their families, adding new traditions to a place they’d known all their lives.
Sir Michael’s own recollections included Las Guitarras playing “Cielito Lindo” in The Lobby, but his warmest tribute was to the “unmatched Filipino charm” of the hotel’s colleagues. That hospitality has traveled well beyond Makati, carried by Filipino staff who’ve gone on to serve and lead Peninsula hotels around the world.
Here’s To Another 50 Years At The Pen
Back in The Lobby, the anniversary celebrations continued beneath the sunburst, with the Christmas tree aglow and guests dancing into the evening. It was a fitting way to mark the milestone: a room full of people enjoying the very place they’d gathered to celebrate.
There will be more reunions in The Lobby, more family photographs by the tree, more champagne poured over celebrations big and small. 50 years on, Manila still has a standing date with The Pen come Christmas. Here’s hoping that never changes.
All photos courtesy of The Peninsula Manila
Frequently Asked Questions
The Peninsula Manila celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and gala on October 7, 2026. The event honored five decades of hospitality, friendships, and cherished memories.
The Peninsula Manila opened in 1976, marking the arrival of the first Peninsula hotel outside Hong Kong.
Approximately 900 guests attended the golden anniversary gala, which featured music, fine food, Champagne, wine, and dancing.
Highlights included the lighting of a 45-foot Christmas tree, Christmas carols performed by the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir, music from the AMP Big Band, and buffet stations featuring specialties from all 12 Peninsula hotels worldwide.
The Peninsula Manila was designed by architect Gabriel Formoso, who was posthumously conferred the Order of National Artists in 2026 in recognition of his contributions to Philippine architecture.
