Month: January 2020

Over 320 evacuees, most of whom were residents in “locked down” towns of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas, have been housed at the Municipal Covered Court of Alitagtag. Those coming from the San Andres Elementary School in Bauan were mostly from Lemery where some areas are still partly locked down. The evacuees needed medical assistance for treatment of common cough and colds, muscle pains, hypertension, diarrhea, diabetes and other skin care concerns. A number of patients also required nebulization services and wound treatment.

In coordination with the Batangas provincial government and the municipal health office, the Ayala group sent a medical mission organized by AFI with various business units and partners – AC Health, Ayala Land’s Makati Development Corporation (MDC) and the Ateneo School of Medicine & Public Health.

The medical mission composed of 41 doctors and 50 allied health professionals was also able to provide patients assorted medicines, supplied by AC Health’s Family Doc and Healthway clinics, Generika drugstores, IE Medica and MedEthix.

The Filipino Young Leaders Program Alumni (FYLPRO), an AFI affiliated non-profit next generation leadership organization based in the United States, also donated 200 N-95 face masks to protect against possible ashfall. They were distributed by AFI to residents of Lemery who were staying in the town of Bauan.

Additionally, Manila Water Foundation (MWF) provided the volunteers with five hundred 500ml bottles of Healthy Family drinking water to ensure proper hydration as they attended to patients throughout the day.

“Bayanihan is very much alive in the hearts of the Batanguenos. In a letter written by Archbishop Garcera, he said and I quote – Tayo ay Taal. Tatag. Abilidad. Angas. Lingap. Qualities that kept the Batanguenos knitted together. No words can express the gratitude we give to all who are lending a helping hand to lift us back to our feet,” shared Dr. Flordeliz Castillo, Alitagtag Municipal Health Officer as she welcomed the medical mission team.

Aside from the medical outreach, one of the 10 KIA K2500 Karga utility vehicles recently donated by AC Motors to the Batangas provincial government was deployed in Alitagtag, a fourth class municipality. The vehicle allowed the Alitagtag Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) to transport patients, evacuees and relief goods to and from the neighboring towns. Prior the assignment of the vehicle, the MDRRMO said that the only utility vehicle available at their disposal was a garbage truck covered with canvas.

With Taal volcano’s alert level status reduced to level 3 last January 26 by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), many of the displaced families have begun to make their way back to their residences. However, it is clear that there is still a lot more to be done as a significant number of them have lost all their possessions and sources of livelihood. Some of those who were allowed to return to their homes eventually made their way back to evacuation centers as their houses were found to be severely or totally damaged. A provincial evacuation center was set up in the town of Ibaan to accommodate evacuees from areas declared as permanent danger zones.

The Ayala group will continue to work closely with the concerned local government units in bringing other relief and rehabilitation efforts to communities to help rebuild lives.

Makati, Philippines – January 29, 2020 Ayala Corporation (Ayala) received a B rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for its commitment to continuously measure and manage its environmental performance in 2019. The company is the first and only organization in the Philippines to achieve such a score.

The CDP, a UK-based organization which supports the disclosure of major corporations’ environmental impact, annually sends out a Climate Change questionnaire. Last year, it received responses from more than 8,000 companies worldwide, and awarded Ayala the Management status for its climate change disclosure. Ayala is one of the 19% of companies who made it to the management & leadership band worldwide. 

Ayala’s B rating is higher than the Asia Region Average Performance and Global Average Performance, which both have a C rating. DBS Group Holdings from Singapore, and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation from Japan received a B rating, together with other companies from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, South Korea and Thailand. 

This CDP rating recognizes the group’s efforts on environmental stewardship to help mitigate climate change, its proactive and robust risk management, and continuous strong undertakings to adopt sustainability best practices. These endeavors are further reflected in the Ayala Sustainability Blueprint which the company launched in 2019. In this masterplan, each of the group’s business units has set a target that supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that its business naturally aligns with. Guided by this blueprint, Ayala has committed to continuously measure its performance against its targets in support of the UN SDGs’ 2030 agenda. Ayala also pioneered the integration of sustainability, risk management, and corporate governance in the country. 

The group continues to intensify its efforts, and strives to be among the CDP A-Listers in the future. The CDP A-List community is the top two percent who are high-performing global leaders on corporate climate action. 

“This CDP rating is a testament to our focus on the climate change agenda. For years, the importance and urgency of protecting the environment has been a priority across our businesses. We will continue our efforts and commitment to UN SDG 13 in our Ayala Sustainability Blueprint,” said Jose Teodoro Limcaoco, Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director of Ayala Corporation. 

A network of investors with USD 96 trillion in assets, purchasers, and policymakers around the globe use CDP data and insights in decision-making. It is also used by major global indices such as MSCI, Sustainalytics, Bloomberg, and more. Companies with a high rating get a boost in their competitive advantage and reputation. 

Makati, Philippines – January 22, 2020 Ayala companies across the group continue to contribute additional relief efforts for thousands of families devastated by the on-going eruption of Taal Volcano, which started spewing volcanic ash on January 12, 2020. Ayala has been on the move for over a week and steps up multiple donation drives where employees volunteered to help pack and deliver critical aid to evacuees.

On January 20, AC Motors and Ayala Foundation employees delivered relief items carried in a convoy of 30 vehicles from Volkswagen, KIA, Maxus, KTM, Honda and Isuzu. Part of the delivery convoy were 10 brand new KIA K2500 Kargo vehicles turned over to the Batangas provincial government for deployment to evacuation sites that need them the most. To date, three of the vehicles have already been dispatched to the municipalities of San Nicolas, San Luis and Mataas Na Kahoy.

AC Motors, Ayala’s automotive unit under AC Industrials, canceled its annual media thanksgiving event last week and instead reallocated the fund to procure emergency goods such as blankets, mattresses, sleeping mats, slippers, towels and other hygiene products.

Separately, Ayala Foundation’s volunteers at the CENTEX school in Batangas provided meals for families staying at the Bauan Central School, West Bauan Elementary School, and Manghinao Elementary School on January 16. With its partner, GMA Kapuso Foundation and Manila Water Foundation, they distributed relief items, including hygiene kits, food, and water, to evacuees staying at Alagao Elementary School and Inicbulan Elementary School, also in Bauan.

Similarly, employees of AyalaLand Malls Inc, Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts, and Ayala Land Offices, brought and distributed relief items on January 18 to 248 families in Brgy. San Antonio, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. Donations included sleeping mats, blankets and food items, and were procured through employees’ personal cash donations.

Makati Development Corporation (MDC), the construction arm of Ayala Land Inc., sent relief goods to Batangas on January 20, with donations from employees, partner contractors and suppliers. MDC distributed P1.5 million worth of goods to 235 families in Paaralang Elementarya ng San Antonio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. Relief goods included food items, hygiene kits and sleeping mats. MDC’s in-house medical team conducted free medical check-ups and distributed medicines. A total of 50 employeevolunteers joined the activity, including 10 doctors, five dentists and 20 nurses.

On January 18, 55 volunteers from MDC’s BGC Operations Center distributed 1,500 relief packs containing food and hygiene items in Brgy. Banilad, Nasugbu, Batangas.

Currently, MDC is conducting a cash donation drive where employees can contribute to a fund for future relief initiatives.

On January 15, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) employee volunteers packed relief goods including masks, blankets, sleeping mats, slippers, non-perishable food, clothes, water, medicines and hygienic items and distributed to about 500 families and 3,000 individuals from Lemery, San Nicolas and Agoncillo, who were relocated to Bauan, Batangas.

Part of BPI’s holistic approach to disaster response, an employee-led fundraising initiative is ongoing, wherein funds to be raised will be matched by BPI Foundation. BPI employees started donating on January 20, raising P600,000 in just two days. The employee fund drive will end on February 7, 2020, with the combined amount (raised + matched) to be given to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF).

Meanwhile, several tankers from Manila Water, and its operating units Laguna Water and South Luzon Water, that were deployed last January 13 continue to deliver water to various evacuation sites and communities in Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna. As of January 20, these were refilled more than 190 times, and have provided over 1,800 cubic meters of water to almost 42,000 individuals.

AC Health has also been proactively providing medical assistance to the affected communities in light of the public health threats caused by the Taal eruption. FamilyDOC has been giving free consultations since January 16, in Laguna (South City and Canlalay in Binan, Rosario Complex, Landayan and Poblacion in San Pedro, and Tagapo, Sta. Rosa) and Cavite (Carmona, Portal Mall in GMA, DiviMart Manggahan and Gov. Ferrer Ave. in Gen. Trias, Sabang, Fatima 2 and Salawag in Dasmarinas, and Bulihan in Silang). Free consultations end on January 31, 2020.

The Ayala group remains alert for the imminent eruption of Taal Volcano and continues to work with relevant LGUs to anticipate and respond to the urgent needs of the displaced communities.

Makati, Philippines – January 14, 2020 The Ayala group sustains its relief efforts to aid the communities hardest hit by the ongoing eruption of Taal Volcano. The incident displaced thousands of Filipinos and has placed Batangas province under a state of calamity.

Yesterday, January 13, 2020, Manila Water dispatched 30 water tanker trucks from its Balara headquarters in Quezon City. Initially, they carried a combined 248 cubic meters of water to 19 evacuation centers in Batangas and Laguna, where they continue to be stationed. These tankers have been refilled thrice by Laguna Water since yesterday. A total of 10,000 evacuees availed of free potable water by filling up containers.

In coordination with the Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Batangas PDRRMO), Manila Water continues to provide clean drinking water to the evacuation centers in the towns of Sto. Tomas, Tanauan City, Lipa City, Batangas City, San Pascual, San Luis and Cuenca including Tagaytay City and Alfonso in Cavite.

Similarly, Manila Water Foundation distributed 2,000 units of 5-gallon bottles of potable water to Sta. Teresita and Bauan, Batangas where it provided the water needs of the evacuees from the municipalities of Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Laurel, Taal and Talisay. This was done in coordination with partners from Batangas PDRRMO, MMDA, RAF International Forwarding Phils. Inc., GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc., Philippine Air Force 710 SPOW, 730^th Combat Group – Nasugbu, Batangas and Bureau of Fire Protection – Laurel, Batangas and representatives from Barangay Labas.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom (Globe) has set up five Libreng Tawag and Charging Stations in Cavite (Brgy. Amuyong Covered Court, Bagong Tubig Barangay Hall, Brgy. Kaybagal South Old Rehab Center, and Luksihin National HS in Brgy. Luksuhin) and Batangas (Sto. Tomas City Evacuation Center Poblacion 3) from January 13-16, 2020.  More Libreng Tawag and Charging centers will be set up as the need arises, to help keep people connected during the disaster.

Globe also continues to provide free and unlimited GoWiFi internet connection in all four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which cancelled hundreds of flights due to the risk from volcanic ash released by Taal Volcano. Globe is also providing free and unlimited GoWiFi internet connection in select malls in Laguna, Cavite and Batangas. Free GoWiFi will be available until today.

AC Health continues to be on standby to provide medical assistance to those affected by the eruption. All 74 FamilyDOC clinics are open today, i­ncluding branches in affected areas in Cavite and Laguna. As of January 13, 2020, most Generika Drugstore branches are open and ready to serve the public, except for branches in the immediate danger zone in Batangas and Cavite.

Meanwhile, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branches are open today except for branches in Tagaytay Highway, Tagaytay Ayala Malls Serin, Lemery Batangas and Solenad 3, which are in the immediate danger zone.

The Ayala group continues to work with concerned LGUs to deliver aid to the affected communities. According to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the country’s major private sector vehicle and coordinator for disaster risk reduction and management, these communities urgently need the following donations: N95 face masks, food items, sleeping mats, hygiene kits, gensets (and fuel), and more drinking water.

Makati, Philippines – January 13, 2020 Companies across the Ayala group are driving efforts together with concerned LGUs to help provide urgent relief efforts amidst the eruption of Taal Volcano, which started in the afternoon of January 12, 2020.

Manila Water and its other operating units in Laguna and Batangas, in cooperation with Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), has sent a convoy of 30 water tankers to various evacuation centers in Batangas, including Bolbok Provincial Sports Complex, three sites in Tanauan, and one in Sto. Tomas. Twelve tankers are allocated for these sites. Manila Water Foundation is also sending an initial 2,000 five-gallon units of bottled water.

Laguna Water, a joint venture between the Provincial Government of Laguna and Manila Water Philippine Ventures (MWPV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MWC, has also preemptively evacuated its employees from Silang to its Nuvali Office as of 7:35pm on January 12, 2020.

Ayala Land (ALI) has announced that all Ayala Malls in Metro Manila and Calabarzon have extended the waived overnight parking fee and free WiFi connection on January 13, 2020 to help customers whose vehicles might be affected by the ash fall from Taal Volcano and may need internet connection.

In Ayala Malls Solenad, the cinema building ground floor is open to any customers who are in need of shelter and charging stations.

Meanwhile, Globe Telecom network is up and running at full capacity in all affected areas.

In anticipation of possible adverse health effects related to the Taal eruption, AC Health’s Generika drugstore and FamilyDOC clinics are on high alert to provide medicine, medical supplies, first-aid, and medical consultation. Adverse health effects may include exacerbations of respiratory and skin diseases and eye irritation, among others. Ash fall may also increase the risk of accidents. AC Health reminds the public to remain indoors as much as possible.

More relief efforts are underway as the Ayala group continues to work with relevant LGUs to meet the immediate needs of the affected communities.