Several visits to Fairmont Makati have been made more meaningful by the familiar and welcoming presence of Duty Manager Inah Dela Cruz, and Assistant Director of Rooms Juvi Maguliano. Their attentiveness, professionalism, and genuine warmth exemplify what excellent hospitality should feel like, consistent, personal, and sincere.

Learning that this culture of excellence extends beyond guest experience is both affirming and reassuring. At Fairmont, hospitality does not end with service; it is deeply rooted in corporate social responsibility, reflected not only in its operations in the Philippines but across its global footprint.

Championing Children’s Rights in the Philippines

Recent reports continue to paint a stark picture of the Philippines’ role in global child protection concerns. A UNICEF-supported national study found that millions of Filipino children have been subjected to online sexual abuse and exploitation, with some research estimating that up to two million have experienced harm through online channels such as grooming, coercion, and abuse, risks heightened by widespread internet access and heavy social media use among youth.

Complementing official government data, World Vision Philippines has underscored the urgency of the issue through advocacy and capacity-building initiatives, including Project ACE (Against Child Exploitation), in collaboration with local justice institutions to strengthen anti-trafficking and anti-OSAEC responses.

In response, action has rippled across both public and private sectors. Law enforcement agencies have intensified cybercrime operations and cross-border cooperation, while civil society organizations expand rescue, reporting, and survivor support services.

Partnerships with international organizations and responsible private-sector actors further reinforce prevention, digital safety education, corporate accountability, and reporting mechanisms, underscoring that protecting children online requires a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach beyond law enforcement alone.

Sustainability Beyond the Environment

In this broader societal context, sustainable business practices are evolving beyond environmental stewardship to encompass social protection and ethical community engagement, something exemplified by Fairmont Makati in Manila.

Fairmont’s sustainability agenda spans environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities. The hotel has implemented strategic measures aligned with circular economy principles: eliminating single-use plastics with refillable glass water bottles in guest rooms, partnering for food waste reduction through advanced systems, advocating for cage-free food sourcing, and offering electric vehicle charging to support greener transportation.

Importantly, Fairmont’s sustainability platform includes direct action against child exploitation. As the hotel’s public sustainability information notes:

“ECPAT for Accor WATCH (We Act Together for Children) Program: In partnership with ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking for Sexual Purposes), we apply a prevention and alert procedure in prevention and protection of children’s rights and all forms of sexual exploitation of children.”

This program, part of the broader Accor WATCH initiative, underscores how private enterprises in hospitality can help protect vulnerable populations, not just through philanthropy, but by embedding prevention, alerting, and employee training systems directly into their operations. Workplace training, employee vigilance, and formal partnership with ECPAT demonstrate a proactive stance against exploitation often facilitated via travel and tourism networks.

A Broader Vision of Sustainability

The connection between issues such as child protection and sustainable development might not be immediately obvious but in a country battling systemic threats like OSAEC, corporate citizenship has become essential. Fairmont’s model reflects a growing understanding among global hotel brands that corporate sustainability must encompass human dignity, community safety, and ethical engagement, not just carbon footprints and waste management.

As global awareness of the Philippines’ OSAEC challenges grows, the alignment of public agencies, NGOs, and socially responsible private sector actors offers a blueprint for how multidisciplinary efforts can protect children and strengthen communities. In that journey, hotels like Fairmont serve both as economic anchors and as potential advocates for social change, proving that luxury can truly mean responsibility in every sense.