DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru officially ushered in the joyous Christmas season with a simple yet memorable Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, bringing together hotel guests, partners, media friends, and the community for a night filled with warmth, holiday cheer, and festive spirit.

Held at the hotel’s elegant lobby, the ceremony featured a beautifully decorated Christmas tree that instantly transformed the atmosphere into a magical holiday haven. The event reflected DoubleTree by Hilton’s commitment to creating meaningful moments for its guests through heartfelt hospitality and memorable experiences.

The festive evening was led by the hotel’s dedicated team, whose bright smiles and enthusiasm elevated the ambiance and highlighted the true essence of the season — togetherness, joy, and gratitude. The lighting of the Christmas tree symbolized a hopeful start to the holidays, marking an important milestone in the hotel’s annual celebrations.

During the ceremony, the General Manager shared a warm and uplifting message with all attendees, saying:

This heartfelt note underscored the hotel’s appreciation for its guests and its ongoing mission to spread positivity and festive joy throughout the community.

As the holiday season unfolds, DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru invites guests to enjoy its range of festive offerings, warm hospitality, and signature DoubleTree experiences.

This heartwarming Christmas celebration is another great discovery by Jomtaralets — a foodie and travel blogger you can trust, bringing authentic travel experiences and inspiring stories from across Malaysia and beyond.

It has been 9 years since I first arrived in Malaysia. Looking back to January 2016, right after I got married to my Malaysian spouse in the Philippines a month earlier, I never imagined how long, emotional, challenging, and meaningful this journey would be. Today, I am finally holding my Red IC — a symbol of my Permanent Resident status in Malaysia.

Right after our marriage in 2015 in the Philippines, we already prepared ourselves for all the requirements needed for the long process. If you have been following my blog for a long time, you would have seen some past entries on how I started this journey — going through spouse visa renewals, documents, and paperwork stages year after year.

I first came to Malaysia in 2013 as part of the ASEAN Youth Programme organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), during the time I was still working under the Office of the President in the Philippines (President Aquino’s term). However, my official entry into Malaysia for long-term stay began in 2016 with a multiple-entry visa, which was eventually converted into a Spouse Visa in February that same year.

By the time I became eligible for PR application after 5 years of stay, the exact timing fell during lockdown. I wasn’t able to get the Green Form earlier. Only in 2022 I managed to secure one through the STO Online Appointment System during COVID-19 social distancing SOPs.

During the interview, everything was conducted in Bahasa Melayu. The officers were friendly, casual and respectful — and yes, they noticed my Filipino accent mixed with a bit of Sabah tone (because Filipinos pronounce “A” as “Ah”). They asked about my background, my children, my family, and my spouse’s family. It was a casual conversation based on what was written in my application.

We followed up through reference numbers, online status updates, and occasional checking with officers. By end of 2024, we were informed that our documents had already reached Putrajaya level processing.

In August 2025, when I checked the immigration portal, I saw the word “Lulus” (means approved). That moment, everything stopped and I called my wife to informed her about the status.

I took leave again and proceeded to Putrajaya. I informed my director about it and she is very happy about the status. The officer there was very friendly, witty but authoritative and he even confirmed he was the same frontliner sending letters to applicants (who passed the PR application).

We then went back to JB. I took another leave to proceed my IC application at  JPN Setia Tropika office.  The form are easy to fill up so just be patient. Due to some technical issues we had to return another day. After submitting everything and paying RM40, we waited about 30–90 days.

This is one of the biggest milestones of my life in Malaysia and a great discovery worth sharing for everyone.