Diamond Hotel Philippines welcomed the Christmas season with its traditional tree-lighting ceremony held recently at the hotel lobby.

The tree was decked in white and turquoise Christmas ornaments.

There was a program that featured a performance of the bayanihan, the national folk dance of the Philippines.

There were also musical numbers from the Our Lady of Pillar Chorale and renowned pianist Ingrid Sala Santamaria.

Lighting the 25-foot Christmas tree were Santamaria; Diamond Hotel’s Carmela Ang; and general manager Vanessa Ledesma Suatengco.

This year, the hotel’s charity beneficiary is the Salvador and Pilar Sala Foundation Inc. (SPSFI), headed by its chair, Santamaria.

Every purchase of handcrafted angel ornaments from Diamond Hotel for P200 will benefit SPSFI. The angels will be then displayed by the Christmas tree with the buyer’s name.

Diamond Hotel Philippines is at Roxas Boulevard corner Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila; call 5283000;  visit www.diamondhotel.com; follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/diamondhotelphilippines and on Twitter @DiamondHotelPh.