Cover Michael Krispli, Trevor Hammond, Sean Knights, Shalom Rea Bernales, Patrick Ian Jumamil, Alicia Noel, Udo Wittich, May Adolfo, Vincent Fajarda at the opening of Your Holiday Village at NUSTAR Resort Cebu
Michael Krispli, Trevor Hammond, Sean Knights, Shalom Rea Bernales, Patrick Ian Jumamil, Alicia Noel, Udo Wittich, May Adolfo, Vincent Fajarda at the opening of Your Holiday Village at NUSTAR Resort Cebu
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NUSTAR Resort Cebu opened its holiday season with a tree lighting led by survivors of childhood illness and a charity village that invites guests to give
Sean Knights, chief operating officer of NUSTAR, was asked for a single hope to carry into 2027. “Sharing,” he said, without pausing. After the evening that came before the question, he had no need to.
On October 24, NUSTAR Resort Cebu held its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, opening Your Holiday Village at NUSTAR. Knights gave the opening remarks, followed by a performance then the Dance of the Stars. Through all of it, the tree stood unlit and unfinished, waiting for four stars.
Those stars were carried by young people who had survived serious illness in childhood, as part of the ceremony’s annual Installation of the Stars.
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Above NUSTAR Resort Cebu welcomed the holiday season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on October 24, 2026
NUSTAR Resort Cebu welcomed the holiday season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on October 24, 2026
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Angel Mae Donaire bore the Star of Love. A leukaemia survivor supported by the Cancer Warriors Foundation, she was moved by her treatment to study nursing, so that she might one day care for children in the beds she once occupied. Sheila Marie Dungog, diagnosed with leukaemia at four and supported by the Everlasting Hope Foundation, carried the Star of Peace. Mark Louie Mabini was five when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma. He held the Star of Joy, supported by the Kythe Foundation. Now in Grade 12, he plans to teach science someday. Kianna Chrizia Kasayan carried the Star of Hope. She was six when she learned she had leukaemia, and she spent her treatment dreaming of becoming a lawyer. She earned her Political Science degree in 2023 and is now a second-year law student at the University of Cebu.
Peace, love, joy and hope are easy words to hang on a branch. Here they went to the people who know what they weigh, and those people were trusted to finish the tree.
Then Knights placed the New Star, the last piece, and the tree lit. Confetti fell, and the guests raised star-shaped lightsticks over their heads until the crowd held a constellation of its own.
Above Michael Krispli, Katrina Mae de Jesus, Trevor Hammond, Sean Knights, Adrian Lee, Barbara Gothong-Tan, Kenneth Huan, Michael Eric Go, Udo Wittich, May Adolfo, Vincent Fajarda
Michael Krispli, Katrina Mae de Jesus, Trevor Hammond, Sean Knights, Adrian Lee, Barbara Gothong-Tan, Kenneth Huan, Michael Eric Go, Udo Wittich, May Adolfo, Vincent Fajarda
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Earlier, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival had greeted the room in Cebuano. The city, he said, was “honoured to join NUSTAR in lighting the first Christmas tree in Cebu City this season.” He then shared a message of unity: “May these lights remind us to continue working together for a brighter Cebu City where no one is left behind.”
“Being part of this community, we have a responsibility,” Knights said. “Part of the responsibility at Christmas time and the lighting of the tree is to remind people what Christmas is truly about. And that’s that spirit of giving. It’s also the spirit of sharing and helping.” Of the survivors on stage, he added: “The fact that we have such wonderful cancer survivors and they’re here today is very meaningful to us. If we’ve made a small part in those kids’ journeys, then I’m very proud.”
See also: Dining delights at NUSTAR Cebu
Your Holiday Village at NUSTAR brings together festive attractions, dining experiences and entertainment, while the Christmas Village of Love Cebu offers guests an opportunity to extend the celebration to those who need support
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The evening also marked a change of home for a long-running charity. This year, Universal Cultural Foundation Inc, the philanthropic arm of Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc, which owns and operates NUSTAR Resort Cebu, took over Christmas Village of Love Cebu. It now sits within Your Holiday Village at NUSTAR.
Its centrepiece is the Adopt-a-Village initiative. Guests choose a miniature house, train carriage or other village landmark, then confirm their donation at the on-site booth. The donor’s name or logo is displayed on the adopted piece. Working with the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the proceeds go to Kythe Foundation, Cancer Warriors Foundation and Everlasting Hope Foundation, supporting their continuing programmes for children and families facing serious health challenges.
“We chose the idea of a village,” Knights said, “because it represents something we value: a community where people come together, look after one another and share what they have.”
For more information, visit nustar.ph or follow NUSTAR Resort Cebu on Facebook and Instagram.
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Images: courtesy of NUSTAR Resort Cebu
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is a digital editor at Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
