Month: February 2021

Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) through Healthway Philippines, Inc. (HPI), has completed its  acquisition of a majority stake of Mercado General Hospital Inc. (MGHI) through the purchase of shares  from White Knight Holdings, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ayala Land, Inc. and other shareholders.  MGHI owns and operates the QualiMed Health Network, which includes 4 hospitals: QualiMed Sta. Rosa  located in Nuvali, QualiMed San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan, QualiMed Iloilo in Iloilo City, and Daniel O.  Mercado Medical Center in Tanauan, Batangas. In addition, QualiMed also operates an ambulatory  surgical center in UP-PGH, and has clinics in Makati, Quezon City and in Cebu IT Park.  

The agreement was signed on February 26, 2021 between HPI, led by Paolo Borromeo, AC Health  President and CEO, Dr. Edwin Mercado, QualiMed’s founding President & CEO, and Alfonso Javier D.  Reyes, representing Ayala Land, Inc.

QualiMed also introduced its new President and CEO, Jaime “Jimmy” E. Ysmael, who was formerly the  President and CEO of Ortigas Land Corporation. Jimmy previously held the position of Senior Vice  President and Group Chief Financial Officer of Ayala Land, Inc., and was a Managing Director of Ayala  Corporation. 

“The addition of QualiMed into the AC Health network comes at an opportune time, now that health has  become top of mind for all of us. QualiMed helps complete AC Health’s service delivery network by  providing healthcare at the tertiary level, and by expanding its portfolio of specialty clinics. We have big  ambitions for QualiMed. This year our focus will be on integration to drive QualiMed’s clinical, operational  and financial performance, building on the strong foundation established under Dr. Mercado’s leadership”  said Jimmy Ysmael, newly appointed President and CEO of the QualiMed Health Network  

With this acquisition, AC Health’s clinics and hospitals portfolio will now include QualiMed’s four general  hospitals, more than 85 outpatient clinics and 80 corporate clinics under the Healthway brand, and the  country’s first specialty cancer hospital, which is set to open in 2023.  

“We are excited and honored to be part of the AC Health family. Over the years, we have worked hard to  establish the QualiMed Health Network as a trusted provider of affordable and accessible healthcare. This  is a common vision that we share with AC Health, and we look forward to becoming even stronger now  that we are part of a broader healthcare ecosystem. We are also excited to develop synergies with the AC  Health family, including a stronger pharma supply chain, digital integration, and our upcoming COVID-19  vaccination program” said Dr. Edwin Mercado, founding President and CEO of the QualiMed Health  Network.  

The QualiMed Health Network will be housed under Healthway Philippines, Inc. (HPI) along with the  family, multi-specialty, and corporate clinics, and the specialty cancer hospital.  ###  

AC Health  

Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ayala Corporation, and  serves as the portfolio company for healthcare businesses. Its vision is to build an ecosystem that links  every patient to a seamless healthcare experience. Its portfolio includes Generika Drugstore, the pioneer  in generic retail pharmacies, IE Medica and MedEthix, major pharmaceutical importer and distributor,  Healthway Medical, one of the most trusted brands of community, mall-based multi-specialty and  corporate clinics in the country. AC Health is also investing in health technology solutions, such as its  HealthTech arm, Vigos Health Technologies, HealthNow, a healthcare super app that offers online  consultations, medicine delivery, and clinic and diagnostic booking, AIDE, a home health care platform,  Fibronostics, an algorithm-based health-risk assessment tool, and ObvioHealth, a digital clinic trials  platform.  

For further inquiries, contact:  

Nicole B. Bautista  

Strategy and External Affairs Associate  

Contact: 0917-143-7831  

E-mail: bautista.nb@achealth.com.ph

The Ayala group of companies immediately mobilized resources to assist families affected by Taal Volcano’s seismic activity. 

Through Ayala Foundation, the Ayala group provided food and non-food items for families staying in three evacuation centers in Talisay, Batangas on February 17 and 18. According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Batangas, 406 families or 2,030 individuals living on Taal Volcano Island (called “Pulo” by locals) were brought to evacuation centers in barangays Tumaway, Poblacion, and Aya. 

Among the items distributed were canned good and instant noodles, toys and clothing, and 5,000 protective face masks. Five hundred washable Magiting Face Masks, produced by Ayala Foundation as part of its Maging Magiting advocacy for nationalism, were also distributed.

Manila Water Foundation and Globe Telecom also provided support for displaced  families. For its part, Manila Water Foundation brought 500 units of 5-gallon water bottles, while Globe set up “Dyip Sagip” stations, providing “libreng tawag,” phone charging, and WiFi connectivity in evacuation areas.

Since the eruption of Taal Volcano in January 2020, the Ayala group has been providing much needed help for affected communities. As much as PhP11.4 million was mobilized to provide immediate relief for 4,000 families or 20,000 individuals. Part of the support was the distribution of 10 Kia 2500 Vans from AC Motors. These vans continue to be used by the recipient communities for relief and other public service activities.

Batangas was also one of the areas served by the Ayala group’s nationwide Brigada ng Ayala initiative, which supports public school teachers and students as they adapt to the new normal of education. In Batangas alone, Brigada ng Ayala covered 78 public schools, providing e-learning kits for 1,740 teachers and “Ayala EduCare” learning and hygiene kits for 9,417 students. To date, Brigada ng Ayala has expanded its reach nationwide, reaching 258 schools and serving 5,649 teachers and 21,123 students.

The Ayala group also provided food assistance for 2,000 families from Batangas communities affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly in November 2020. 

As Taal’s seismic activity continues, the Ayala group regularly coordinates with the office of Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, as well as with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Association of Barangay Captains. 

For more information:

Yla Alcantara

Head, Brand & Reputation Management

Ayala Corporation

e-mail – alcantara.ypg@ayala.com

Cel Amores

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Ayala Foundation

e-mail – amores.cr@ayalafoundation.org

Ayala Group among Thirteen New Large and Small Businesses and Nonprofit Organizations to Implement More Inclusive Practices

MANILA, February 18, 2021 – The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican has welcomed Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala into the global nonprofit coalition of business and public sector leaders working to build a “more trusted, fair, responsible, dynamic, and sustainable economic system that addresses the needs of people and planet.” Ayala is the first business group from the Philippines to be represented in the Council. 

“I am thrilled to welcome these new members as they take the necessary actions to ensure a better future for us all,” said Meredith Sumpter, CEO of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism. “Whether you are a small-town grocer, or a CEO of a global corporation, we all have a role to play to build more inclusive economies and societies.”

Launched in December 2020, the council is a “historic collaboration of CEOs and global leaders” provided moral guidance by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Vatican through His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. It serves as a forum for interaction and sharing best practices, and a core group of guardians for inclusive capitalism. Guardians include leaders of the United Nations, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, and Mastercard, among others.

Hailed by the UN Global Compact as a Sustainable Development Goals pioneer, Zobel is among the 17 new stewards of the council–business and investment leaders from around the world working to “change capitalism for good” via measurable public commitments toward more inclusive and sustainable practices.

“All of us who thrive on the success of capitalism need to have a sense of responsibility and empathy to counteract the forces of inequity that the system also creates. We need to collectively harness our resources, ingenuity, and energy to align our institutions to the broader, progressive development goals of humanity, in general, and our host communities,” Zobel said. 

Last year, Zobel was also named co-chair of Trade and Investment Taskforce at B20 Saudi Arabia, the official voice of the global private sector to the G20. As part of the Taskforce leadership, he has been an instrumental part of the policy formulation process, providing his continuous guidance and expertise to other leaders and members.

“I believe that no challenge is insurmountable if we harness our collective ingenuity and energy, most especially when we are driven by a shared commitment to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people; and the future of our children and our planet. The Council for Inclusive Capitalism is an excellent coalition to push this agenda forward, and I am committed to contribute and to learn,” Zobel added.

Watch Zobel’s full message to The Council here:

-END- 

About the Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican:

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican is a global nonprofit organization established to harness the potential of the private sector to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and trusted form of capitalism. The Council is led by a core group of global CEOs and public leaders, known as the Guardians for Inclusive Capitalism, who convene annually with the Vatican to advance the Council’s mission. Further information can be found at www.inclusivecapitalism.com. 

Media contact:

Yla Alcantara 

Head, Brand and Reputation Management 

alcantara.ypg@ayala.com 

Amanda Byrd

Director of Communications

Amanda@inclusivecapitalism.com 

MANILA, February 16, 2021 — The testing capacity of the country’s biggest city gets a boost as Ayala Group of Companies donates testing kits and other medical supplies via Ayala Foundation.   

In a virtual turnover ceremony today, Mayor Joy Belmonte received P4.5-M worth of supplies that would further expand the city’s mass testing efforts.  Partners in this effort are Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship Foundation, Inc., who led the Pooled PCR Testing Program with QC LGU; and Assurance Controls Technologies Co., Inc., who assured the efficient supply of needed test materials and consumables to the accredited laboratories for the Pooled PCR testing. 

“We appreciate the support that we have been receiving from many stakeholders, including the private sector who have been truly supportive and helpful throughout this ordeal,” Belmonte said. “The Ayala group is not just among the top corporate icons in the country but is also one of the leading private organizations leading the COVID-19 response in our country. And Quezon City is blessed to have received your generosity and kindness.” 

Last September 2020, the Ayala group, through Ayala Foundation, Inc., also donated a Bio Rad PCR machine to capacitate QC’s first molecular laboratory, which passed the Department of Health’s proficiency test last October 13. The Quezon City Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory obtained a perfect score after it obtained accurate results from five samples, as verified by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. 

“About 4 months ago, on September 18, we met with you, Mayor Joy, and your team to turn over our donation of a Bio Rad PCR machine for the newly constructed Quezon City Bio-Molecular Laboratory. At that time, our country badly needed to increase its testing, treatment, and tracing capacity,” said Ayala Corporation President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala. “So we built facilities and procured equipment.  And, while we have made significant progress since then, the need remains for continuous testing, treating, and tracing; the need remains for replenishment test kits and medical supplies.” 

According to the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, QC reported 29,558 total COVID-19 cases as of January 21; 27,620 of these patients have already recovered.  Such high recovery rate can be attributed to the city’s testing, tracing, and treatment efforts. 

The Ayala group has been actively helping boost the COVID-19 testing capacities of different LGUs. In partnership with the City of Manila, Ayala constructed a new molecular laboratory inside Sta. Ana Hospital, enabling the city to offer free serology testing to barangays and frontline workers. Ayala also donated automated RNA Extraction machine and 2 RT-PCR machines to Davao City’s Southern Philippines Medical Center, thereby increasing the city’s daily testing capacity by 1,000 tests.  

“We have not seen a problem of such proportions as COVID-19. Hence, our response needs to be equally massive.  We can do this by working together – the private sector and the public sector – leveraging our unique resources and combining our strengths. We can collectively scale our response and multiply our results,” Zobel added. 

MANILA — Companies from the Ayala group bagged top accolades at the 2019 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Awards held by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Institute of Corporate Directors on Friday.

Ayala Corporation, BPI, Ayala Land, Inc., and Globe Telecom were hailed ASEAN Asset Class Awardees after scoring at least 97.5 points. Last October, the London-based Ethical Boardroom also named Ayala Corporation and Globe as Best Corporate Governance awardees in Asia and Australasia.

In addition, Ayala Land, Inc. and Globe Telecom were named two of the top three publicly-listed companies in the Philippines. Both companies have also made it to ASEAN’s top 20 list.

The ASEAN Corporate Scorecard is an assessment based on publicly available information and benchmarked against international best practices on corporate governance of six participating ASEAN member-countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. According to the SEC, these awards aim to motivate the private sector to continue their initiatives despite the difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This award is very meaningful to our company as it acknowledges the efforts that we have put in to improve and align our practices with regional and global standards,” Ayala Land, Inc. President and CEO Bobby Dy said. “Good corporate governance has always been part and parcel of the way we do business at Ayala Land. With the onset of COVID-19, its importance is highlighted now more than ever as we pivoted to adapt to the next normal.”

“We are grateful for the continued support the company receives from our partners, regulators and stakeholders as we continue to strengthen and uphold corporate governance in our business alongside creating a wonderful world of Globe for all,” Globe Telecom President and CEO Ernest Cu said.

With good corporate governance and prudent investing, the Ayala group is able to look after its employees, protect its partners, serve the broader community, and continue to add value to its shareholders amidst the nation’s battle with COVID-19. During the pandemic, BPI launched the COVID Action Response Bonds—or CARE Bonds—to help fund pandemic response initiatives. Ayala Land, Inc. also pioneered the country’s first real estate investment trust, called AREIT, which has a portfolio of commercial and office assets that have mostly been resilient during the pandemic. With strong support from the national government, Globe continued to invest in cell sites and towers to hit its target of helping accelerate the country’s digital transformation and thus give reliable Internet connection to all Filipinos.

“The pandemic has revealed both the vulnerabilities in our institutions as well as the opportunities to improve the way our businesses serve our communities,” said Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala. “Ayala Group renews its  commitment to the highest standards of corporate governance and will continue doing its part in helping the Filipino overcome this crisis.”