Month: November 2013

Bulig Bisaya | The Ayala group is responding to the crisis in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda through the restoration of vital services such as telecommunications and banking, provision of potable water, as well as relief and rebuilding operations carried out by its companies and employees in cooperation with government agencies and partner organizations.

“At this stage, our company and myself personally… we’re focused mostly on restoration, we’re focused on relief, we’re focused on evacuating our own Globe corporate people.” – Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, in an interview with CNBC Asia on November 14

Ayala Foundation has received P2.1M in actual donations and P21.8M in pledges. Of these funds, P200,000 has been used by ABC Cebu for food packs for Tacloban evacuees and P60,000 was given to support DSWD’s logistical needs. In partnership with the World Food Programme, P2.15M will be deployed to provide assistance to about 4,000 families.

Ayala Land’s Alay 25 sa Visayas aims to raise P25 million or more to provide relief and temporary shelter to the homeless. On November 20, donation boxes will be available at the Ayala Triangle Gardens during the start of the lights and sound show. Ayala Malls will also present 8 Christmas concerts for the benefit of typhoon victims.

Globe has restored 70% of the network in the Visayas. Libreng Tawag and Libreng Charging are available in 54 sites. Libreng Internet is also available in San Jose, Antique, and Villamor Air Base.

Manila Water is producing an additional 15,000 to 20,000 Baso Water until Saturday. Its Mobile Treatment Plant (MTP) is now in Cebu City awaiting deployment to Bantayan Island. The company is also providing trucking services to transport relief goods from the repacking center at Ateneo de Manila University to Villamor Air Base or the Manila pier.

For updates on social media:
Facebook, Flicker – Ayala Corporation
Twitter – @Ayala_1834
Instagram – Ayala_Corporation

GIC Private Limited (GIC) and Ayala Corporation have acquired DBS Bank Ltd’s (DBS) remaining ownership interest in Ayala DBS Holdings, Inc. (ADHI). The stake is equivalent to a 9.9% indirect ownership stake in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). Through this transaction, GIC and Ayala will effectively acquire 5.6% and 4.3% in BPI, respectively.

GIC and Ayala purchased unlisted ADHI shares for a total transaction value of P29.6 billion. GIC’s investment is recognition of BPI’s long-term value and the Philippine economy’s strong fundamentals and growth prospects. Ayala’s total ownership in BPI will increase from 44.0% to 48.3%.

DBS CEO Piyush Gupta said, “DBS has been a strategic investor in BPI since 1999. This divestment is in line with DBS’ focus on its core markets. We are pleased to have been part of BPI’s growth in the Philippines over the last decade and have a productive relationship with the Ayala Group. We believe that the transaction will have a positive outcome for all parties.”

Ayala Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said, “We thank DBS for the 14 years of partnership and support in BPI which undoubtedly contributed to BPI’s continued position as the premier financial institution in the Philippines.” Mr. Zobel added, “Moving forward, we are delighted to have GIC as part of the shareholder group of BPI. GIC and Ayala both have a solid track record for making long-term investments and this partnership speaks to an alignment of values and goals as shareholders. The entry of GIC also ensures the continuity of a stable and committed shareholder base for BPI.”

Ayala President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala noted, “This acquisition is both a value and earnings accretive investment for Ayala. BPI has been a significant growth driver for Ayala over the years and we believe its earnings growth momentum will continue in step with the expansion of the Philippine economy.”

Last week, BPI announced it will raise capital of up to P25 billion by way of a rights offering. AC and GIC, through ADHI, intend to support this initiative.

About Ayala Corporation
Ayala is one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. Founded in 1834, Ayala maintains leadership positions in real estate, financial services, telecommunications, water infrastructure, electronics manufacturing services, automotive dealerships, and business process outsourcing. Recently, it expanded into other strategic sectors such as power and transport infrastructure. Ayala’s listed units have a combined market capitalization of P1.4 trillion, accounting for about 20 percent of the Philippine Stock Exchange Index’s market cap.

Ayala’s strong financial position and low gearing level provide more than adequate room to take on investments in new growth areas while optimizing the value of its existing portfolio. At the parent level, cash at the end of June amounted to nearly P36 billion, with the debt at close to P70 billion. Its net debt to equity ratio remains comfortable at 0.25 to 1. Last week, the company announced it raised P10 billion in an offering of preferred shares.

About GIC
GIC is among the world’s largest fund management companies. It was established in 1981 to manage Singapore’s foreign reserves. GIC strives to achieve good long-term returns on assets under its management, so as to preserve and enhance Singapore’s reserves. Since its inception, GIC has grown from managing a few billion dollars to well above US$100 billion today. GIC’s investment framework capitalises on its strengths which include the ability to take a long-term investment perspective, a global presence, capabilities to invest in cross-asset opportunities, and a skilled and experienced team. It has investments across 40 countries and in assets such as equities, fixed income, real estate and private equity. GIC has been investing in emerging markets for over twenty years. GIC is headquartered in Singapore with a network of offices in nine cities worldwide.

Media Contact :

Ayala :

Emily De Lara

Tel: +632 908 3456

Analysts Contact:

Ayala:

Nona Torres

Tel: +632 908 3446

GIC:

Ms. Mah Lay Choon

Senior Vice President

Corporate Governance & Communications

GIC Pte Ltd

DID: +65 6889 6841

Mobile: +65 98389425

Celest Jovenir

Tel: +632 908 3394

GROUPWIDE UPDATES

• Donation and fundraising drives among employees have been activated across Ayala companies in cooperation with DSWD, Red Cross, and other partner organizations.
• Globe continues to substantially improve mobile connectivity in the Visayas region. As of 6AM, November 12, Globe has restored 54% of base stations in afffected areas. Restoration of affected sites including those in southern Luzon and Mindanao involved 870 base stations.
• Globe has also increased the number of Libreng Tawag and Libreng Charging operations in the Visayas, to 12 and 28 stations, respectively. The company is also providing Libreng Internet broperations in Antique, in coordination with the Red Cross. Relief operations were also undertaken in Ormoc, Iloilo, Bantayan, Roxas, and Antique.
• Of the 92 BPI and BFSB branches in southern Luzon and VisMin, five remain closed; for the rest, it’s business as usual except for 12 branches operating offline due to the absence of communication lines. Regular monitoring of all ATMs is done to ensure their availability; about 64% of ATMs in affected areas are working.
• Manila Water produces Baso Water (potable water in sealed plastic cups) and distributes these to affected areas.
• Ayala Aviation’s plane and choppers fly daily from Manila/Cebu to support the Ayala group’s relief efforts in Leyte.
• Ayala Foundation has partnered with ADeals.ph to allow member-users of the Ayala Malls portal to make a donation to help victims of the typhoon.

HOW TO HELP
Donate cash through these channels:

Ayala Foundation Laging Handa | Go to www.ayalafoundation.org
Globe GCash | Dial *143# and select GCash, enter your MPIN and select Red Cross
BPI eDonations | Log on to www.bpiexpressonline.com, choose Payments & Reloading>eDonations

Donate in kind and bring the items to:
Tower One and Exchange Plaza – Ground floor, Room E2
Ayala Malls – Concierge

Volunteer
The DSWD National Resource Operation Center is open 24/7 for relief goods repacking at Chapel Road, Pasay City (near Airport Terminal 2). Contact 851-2681 or 852-8081 for scheduling.

Need updates or help? Use these hashtags on Facebook or Twitter: #YolandaPH #ReliefPH #RescuePH

With reports from Ayala, BPI, Globe, Manila Water, and Ayala Foundation

On November 8, Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), a Category 5/Signal #4 typhoon, made six landfalls in the Philippines over most of the Visayas region and parts of southern Luzon and Mindanao. In its aftermath, the Ayala group mobilized people and resources to reach out to affected communities.

GROUPWIDE UPDATES

As of 3AM, November 11, Globe has restored 50% of its communication services in the Visayas
To serve the communication needs of residents, Globe sent a mobile cell site to Tacloban on Sunday in coordination with the Philippine Navy. It also put up Libreng Tawag booths in the severely battered areas of Iloilo, Antique and Romblon and has opened its manned cell sites in Southern Leyte, Bohol, and Antique. Twenty four Libreng Charging stations have been set up in areas with no commercial power in Southern Leyte and Bohol. For the list of locations, visit facebook.com/globePH.
Manila Water’s Mobile Treatment Plant is ready for deployment to provide clean and potable water to residents of affected areas in the Visayas. In the meantime, Baso Water (potable water in sealed plastic cups) will be produced and distributed.
Ayala Aviation’s plane and choppers fly daily from Manila/Cebu to support the Ayala group’s relief efforts in Leyte.
AFI Visayas office is coordinating with partners on the ground for distribution of donations.
Globe is undertaking its first wave of relief operations today in these areas: Iloilo, Roxas, Antique in Panay Island; Malapascua and Bantayan in Northern Cebu; and Ormoc, Leyte.

HOW TO HELP
Donate cash through these channels:

Ayala Foundation Laging Handa | Go to www.ayalafoundation.org
Globe GCash | Dial *143# and select GCash, enter your MPIN and select Red Cross
BPI eDonations | Log on to www.bpiexpressonline.com, choose Payments & Reloading>eDonations

Donate in kind and bring the items to:
Tower One and Exchange Plaza – Ground floor, Room E2
Ayala Malls – Concierge

Volunteer
The DSWD National Resource Operation Center is open 24/7 for relief goods repacking at Chapel Road, Pasay City (near Airport Terminal 2). Contact 851-2681 or 852-8081 for scheduling.

Need updates or help? Use these hashtags on Facebook or Twitter: #YolandaPH #ReliefPH #RescuePH

With initial reports from Ayala, Globe, Manila Water, and Ayala Foundation