The Philippines’ first integrated resort to receive the distinction joins a select global group of properties recognized for independently verified responsible hospitality practices
Okada Manila, the Philippines’ largest Forbes Five-Star integrated resort, has earned the Forbes Travel Guide VERIFIED™ Responsible Hospitality badge for the second consecutive year, reinforcing its commitment to delivering responsible luxury at the scale of an integrated resort.
The distinction places Okada Manila among a select group of hospitality properties worldwide. Forbes Travel Guide lists 412 hotels globally with the VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality badge, including four properties in the Philippines. Okada Manila became the first integrated resort in the country to receive the distinction in 2025.
The badge recognizes properties that meet more than 100 stringent standards designed to protect the environment and support the well-being of employees, guests, and communities. The annual program covers waste management, energy efficiency, resource conservation, and responsible practices across front office, rooms, food and beverage, fitness, and spa operations, as well as community engagement, health security, and vendor selection.
Developed by Forbes Travel Guide in collaboration with hospitality sustainability expert Hervé Houdré, the program provides trusted third-party verification for guests and travel advisors. It recognizes responsible practices that support environmental and human well-being without compromising the guest experience.
“Earning the Forbes Travel Guide VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality badge for a second consecutive year affirms that responsible hospitality is not separate from luxury—it is an integral part of how we define excellence at Okada Manila,” said Nobuki Sato, President and Chief Operating Officer of Okada Manila.
“What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is the scale and diversity of our operations. Across our guest rooms, restaurants, extensive grounds, engineering systems, team member programs, and community partnerships, responsible practices are integrated into how we operate every day. This achievement belongs to our people, whose dedication enables us to deliver exceptional experiences while creating positive impact for the environment and the communities we serve.”
Responsible Luxury at Integrated-Resort Scale
As a 30-hectare integrated resort, Okada Manila brings together luxury accommodation, dining, entertainment, wellness, retail, meetings and events, and gaming within one destination.
This scale presents a unique opportunity to embed responsible practices throughout a complex hospitality ecosystem. Through Okada Green Heart, the resort-wide ESG framework integrates environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and good governance into everyday operations.
The approach reflects Okada Manila’s distinctive hospitality philosophy—Japanese excellence and Filipino hospitality supported by responsible operating practices—and demonstrates how sustainability can be incorporated into a premium guest experience without compromising comfort, convenience, or service.
Turning Resource Conservation into Measurable Action
One of Okada Manila’s most significant responsible hospitality initiatives operates behind the scenes.
The resort’s sewage treatment plant treats approximately 2,217 cubic meters of wastewater daily. Treated water is reused for irrigation across 9.3 hectares of external grounds and in cooling towers supporting the resort’s air-conditioning systems.
The initiative reduces the resort’s reliance on external water resources for non-potable use while helping maintain the extensive landscaped environment and facilities that form part of the guest experience.
This reflects Okada Manila’s approach to responsible luxury: using technology, infrastructure, and operational discipline to make sustainability part of the experience without requiring guests to compromise.
Responsible Practices Integrated into the Guest Journey
At Okada Manila, responsible practices extend to everyday guest touchpoints.
Digital registration helps reduce printed materials while streamlining the arrival experience. In guest rooms, wooden key cards and glass water bottles provide alternatives to conventional materials, while in-room tablets allow guests to access room controls and resort services conveniently.
Smart lighting and climate-control systems also support energy efficiency while maintaining the level of comfort expected of a Forbes Five-Star destination.
Rather than positioning sustainability as an additional layer of the guest experience, Okada Manila continues to integrate responsible choices into the way guests arrive, stay, dine, and experience the resort.
Reducing Waste and Extending Impact Beyond the Resort
Responsible hospitality also extends beyond the resort’s physical boundaries.
Through its partnership with Scholars of Sustenance Philippines, Okada Manila recovers surplus food from selected buffet and banquet operations for redistribution to communities in need.
As of July 2026, the partnership had rescued and donated 1,614 kilograms of food, equivalent to 6,773 meals.
The resort has also reduced its reliance on conventional plastic food packaging. In October 2025, Okada Manila introduced sugarcane-based food containers through partnerships with SECAED Global Enterprise and EcoNest. During the year, the resort used 105,300 of these containers as alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.
These initiatives demonstrate how the resort seeks to create value beyond the guest experience—reducing waste, conserving resources, and extending the benefits of its operations to the wider community.
Investing in the People Behind the Experience
For Okada Manila, responsible hospitality begins with its people.
The resort continues to invest in team member health and wellness through programs that support preventive care and overall well-being.
In 2026, its flu vaccination program reached 2,664 team members, while a four-day PhilHealth YAKAP Caravan served 1,549 team members. Monthly Wellness Wednesdays sessions further encourage physical activity and mental well-being.
These programs reflect the resort’s belief that exceptional guest experiences begin with a healthy, supported, and engaged team.
From Recognition to Continuous Commitment
The second consecutive Forbes Travel Guide VERIFIED Responsible Hospitality badge reinforces Okada Manila’s commitment to making responsible hospitality an ongoing operational discipline.
Through Okada Green Heart, initiatives in resource conservation, waste reduction, team member well-being, community support, and responsible business practices are brought together under a unified ESG framework. Its six pillars—Waste Management; Energy Efficiency; Water Conservation; Talent and Community; Safety, Security, and Welfare; and Responsible Gaming—translate these commitments into measurable action across the resort.
As part of this select global group, Okada Manila continues to demonstrate that world-class luxury and responsible hospitality can coexist at scale.
By translating ESG commitments into measurable action across a 30-hectare integrated resort, Okada Manila aims to set a distinctive benchmark for responsible luxury hospitality in the Philippines.
To learn more about Okada Manila and its sustainability initiatives, visit https://okadamanila.com/okada-green-heart/.
