MANILA - "Let's not kid ourselves, there is no misconception," said Hotel Sogo CEO Gus Corpuz when asked about the Filipino public's perception that their rooms are only used for sexual rendezvous.

"It's just that we feel na if it is for lovers, pang-lovers lang iyan. Hindi puwede maging pang-family," added Corpuz, who launched a campaign to reinvent the sleazy image of Hotel Sogo.

He envisions a future where families will not hesitate or be ashamed to book one of their rooms.

"If we continue to cater to just this small market [of Filipinos looking for a place to indulge in sexual fantasies], we cannot grow. We knew for quite some time now that it made sense to cater to different segments of the market," he reasoned.

On Tuesday, Corpuz unveiled celebrity couple Robin Padilla and Mariel Rodriguez as the hotel's newest brand ambassadors, less than five days after the hotel revealed a themed room decked out in the colors of Hello Kitty.

For Corpuz, getting a famed couple who just announced that they are expecting a child and offering more "family-friendly" themed-rooms are just some of the "best ways to communicate to the general public that Hotel Sogo is more than just a [love] hotel."

Speaking with reporters on his new endorsement, Padilla, accompanied by his wife Rodriguez, lauded Corpuz's plans to turn Hotel Sogo into a haven where families can spend a weekend without having to sell an arm and a leg.

"Kaya po kami sumusuporta sa Sogo ay kasi ang misyon ng Hotel Sogo ay 'yung mga hindi nakakapag-hotel ay makapag-hotel, na maramdaman nila ang pagaalaga ng isang hotel," he said.