Month: July 2015

Ayala Education, Inc., the education investment arm of Ayala Corporation, announced today that it has acquired a 60% stake in University of Nueva Caceres (UNC).

UNC is located in Naga, Camarines Sur, and was founded in 1948 as the first university in Southern Luzon outside Manila. It is one of the leading universities in the Bicol region, and has approximately 7,000 students, with many well-recognized programs, including arts and sciences, business and accountancy, computer studies, criminal justice, education, engineering and architecture, graduate studies, law, nursing and basic education (K-10).

UNC’s Chairman, Mr. Felicito Payumo, stated, “We are delighted that Ayala Education is investing in UNC because we believe that it will help us to further enhance the quality of our education and the employability of our graduates, through industry and technology driven innovations. We welcome Ayala Education as a partner who can strengthen UNC’s leading role in making good education accessible to Bicolanos as envisioned by its founder, former Secretary of Finance, Dr. Jaime Hernandez, Sr., and as nurtured by his children, Dr. Dolores H. Sison (past President), Erlinda H. Ravanera, Jaime J. Hernandez, Jr. and Jesus J. Hernandez, and their families.”

Mr. Jesus J. Hernandez, the son of UNC founder Jaime Hernandez, Sr., said, “We are very happy to have found in Ayala Education, a partner who shares our values and commitment to nation building, and will ensure that my father’s vision and legacy are sustained and strengthened, and that UNC continues to be a key engine of progress and development in Naga and the Bicol region.”

As a result of Ayala Education’s investment of Pesos 450 million, it will hold the majority of UNC’s board seats. In addition, UNC appointed Ayala Education’s CEO, Mr. Alfredo Imperial Ayala, as its President. Mr. Ayala stated, “We are very pleased to have been invited to partner with UNC, given its 67 years of success, leading position in Bicol and vibrant school spirit. UNC will be Ayala Education’s flagship university, and we are committed to working closely with all of UNC’s stakeholders to build upon its traditions of excellence that have served it so well.”

Ayala Corporation started investing in the education sector in 2012 through 100% owned Ayala Education, after recognizing the strong demand for Filipino talent from the IT-BPO and other service industries, such as banking, telecom, retail and tourism. Ayala Education’s vision is to deliver affordable and high quality education at the high school and college levels in order to equip students with real world skills through co-designing programs with prospective employers, and leveraging Ayala Education’s extensive experience in services training.

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corp.’s Chairman and CEO, said, “We are excited to join forces with UNC. Education is an important priority for Ayala. There is strong global demand for Filipino talent and our vision is to deliver high quality, affordable education that can significantly enhance the employability of graduates, through partnerships with regional leaders such as UNC.”

In Higher Education, Ayala Education has developed a Professional Employment Program (PEP) which delivers a highly differentiated educational experience and significantly improved employment outcomes through the application of learning technologies, constructivist methodologies, English immersion and deep industry partnerships. It has offered PEP since 2012 with its partners, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College and University of Iloilo, and enabled many college graduates to attain attractive entry-level business employment.

Ayala Education has also been pioneering Senior High School since 2013 through its LINC (Learning with Industry Collaboration) Academy’s partnerships with Emilio Aguinaldo College and Arellano University. When they graduate, LINC students have the skills needed to either succeed in college or enter the professional workforce directly.

Ayala Education has also formed a majority owned joint venture, Affordable Private Education Center (APEC), with Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, to build a chain of low-cost secondary schools that provide quality education with affordable annual school fees. Since it started in 2013, APEC has grown to a total of 23 schools, with 3,400 students across Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite and Batangas, offering Grades 7 and 8 for less than P70 a day, inclusive of use of books and computers.

You may also visit the following:

Visit UNC’s website: http://www.unc.edu.ph
Visit AEI’s website: http://ayalaeducation.com

Visit AEI’s Facebook pages:

APEC Schools: https://www.facebook.com/APECSchools
LINC Academy: https://www.facebook.com/LINCAcademyPhilippines

Ayala Corporation, the concessionaire of the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX), a 4-kilometer tollway connecting the Daang Hari Road to the South Luzon Expressway, announced it is opening the tollway to motorists on July 24, 2015 beginning 2:00 PM.

The connector road is the first toll road awarded under the Aquino government’s Public-Private Partnership program. Ayala signed the 30-year Concession Agreement in April of 2012. Notwithstanding limitations on delivery of the Road Right of Way to the concessionaire, Ayala began early works on the road in May of 2013. Full road access was not obtained until February of 2014.

John Eric Francia, Ayala Corp. Managing Director said, “We are pleased to be able to open the road to the public. We hope this will relieve traffic congestion in the roads in Muntinlupa, Cavite and Las Pinas areas, and allow motorists coming from the Cavite area quicker and easier access to SLEX.”

It is estimated that MCX can help save travel time for road users since it is 3 kilometers shorter than the Commerce Avenue-Filinvest route and 1.5 kilometers shorter than the Daang Hari-Alabang Zapote route to Makati. It is also expected to help relieve traffic congestion along the Daang Hari Road and Commerce Avenue where build-up of vehicles reach over a kilometer long at peak hours.

Ayala invested around P2.2 billion to build the road, including a 902 million cash payment to government and will operate and maintain it for 30 years. Makati Development Corporation served as the general contractor for the construction while Spanish firm Getinsa, an engineering firm and toll road concessionaire itself, served as Ayala’s technical adviser during construction. Operations and maintenance is in partnership with Egis Philippines, a toll concession operator based in France and who is involved in operations and maintenance of the North Luzon Expressway.

MCX toll rates are set at 17 pesos for Class 1 vehicles, 34 pesos for Class 2 vehicles, and 51 pesos for Class 3.

Ayala Corporation, its 80%-owned subsidiary MCX Tollway Inc. (MCXI), South Luzon Tollway Corporation (SLTC), and Manila Toll Expressway Systems Inc. (MATES) today signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the Interoperability of the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX) (formerly known as the Daang Hari-SLEX Connector Road) and the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), as well as an accompanying Addendum to the MOA on Interoperability.

The MOA on Interoperability and its Addendum provide the framework that will govern the interface and integration of the technical operations and toll collection systems between MCX and SLEX to ensure seamless travel access into MCX and SLEX for road users. MCX is Ayala’s first toll road project under the Philippine government’s Public Private Partnership Program. It is a vital access road that links the rapidly growing city of Muntinlupa and the province of Cavite to Metro Manila and the rest of Southern Luzon.

MCXI, which is 80% owned by Ayala and 20% by Getinsa Ingeniera SL, is the facility operator of the MCX. SLTC is a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation and is the grantee of the concession to finance, design and construct the SLEX, while MATES is the grantee of the concession to operate the SLEX.

MATES and MCXI also executed today a Toll Collection Services Agreement, under which MATES was appointed a sub-contractor of MCXI for the provision of toll collection services for the MCX toll plaza.

Ayala Land and Globe tied for the second spot as the Philippines’ Best Company in the 2015 All-Asia Executive Team, an exclusive ranking of the country’s corporate leaders by investment professionals. The annual ranking is presented by Institutional Investor, one of the world’s foremost financial publications.

Globe’s Ernest Cu placed second as Asia’s Best CEO in the Telecoms sector, and Ayala Land’s Bernard Vincent Dy placed third as Asia’s Best CEO in the Property sector, tied with Ming Li of China’s Sino Ocean Land Holdings. Globe’s Albert de Larrazabal was ranked third Asia’s Best CFO in the Telecoms sector, tied with Pankaj Miglani of India’s Bharti Airtel.

Ayala Land earned two more honors: third place for Asia’s Best Investor Relations (Property) and the same ranking for Asia’s Best Analyst Day (Real Estate), tied with Stockland Corp. of Australia. The rankings were obtained from sell-side analyst responses.

“Once again, Ayala group is represented through strong placements for Globe Telecom and Ayala Land,” said Institutional Investor Asia Publisher Prachish Chakravorty. “These are an excellent set of results and proof again of the success of Ayala’s commitment through its various businesses to transparency and open communication with global institutional markets.”

The survey results were based on feedback from 820 buy-side analysts and money managers at nearly 500 firms that collectively manage an estimated $1.09 trillion in Asia (ex-Japan) equities, and from 625 analysts at 94 brokerages. They evaluated a total of 1,568 companies across the region based on eight IR attributes, including accessibility of senior management, quality and depth of answers to inquiries, and transparency of financial reporting and disclosure. Buy- and sell-side responses were tabulated separately to produce distinct rankings. The poll concluded in March and results were published in July.

For more than 45 years, Institutional Investor has served as a premier resource for information on research, sales, trading, investor relations and hedge funds in Asia, Europe, Japan, Latin America, Russia, and the United States.

For more information, visit www.institutionalinvestor.com

The Ayala group is entering the affordable retail healthcare space with the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the Generika group, one of the pioneers in the retail distribution of quality generic medicines in the country with over 500 stores nationwide.

Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayala Corporation, signed agreements today to acquire a 50 percent stake in the Generika group from the family of Mr. Julien Bello. Mr. Teodoro Ferrer and his group, who co-founded Generika with Mr. Bello, will continue to hold the remaining 50 percent ownership in Generika. Mr. Ferrer shall continue to serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the group.

“We are excited to be part of Generika and help address the gaps in affordable retail healthcare. We believe this is an excellent platform for Ayala to reinvent the space and serve as foundation for our emerging healthcare portfolio,” Ayala President and Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

“With the combined strengths and management capabilities of Ayala and Generika, we believe we can raise the level of efficiency and accessibility of this platform to better serve Filipino families by providing a wide range of quality medicines at affordable prices,” Mr. Zobel added.

“On behalf of Generika, we wholeheartedly welcome the entry of Ayala Healthcare. We are especially excited by the enhanced capability to have a meaningful impact on the health and lives of many more communities all over the country,” Mr. Ferrer said.

The Ayala group started its footprint in the healthcare sector in 2014 through QualiMed, Ayala Land Inc.’s chain of hospitals and satellite clinics, in partnership with the Mercado medical group.

Mabuhay Capital served as financial advisor to the group of Mr. Bello in its transaction with Ayala Healthcare.