Author: administrator

The giant replica of the solar system still dangles from the ceiling of the science classroom but it is no longer the centerpiece of learning at Sero Central School in Cotabato City, Maguindanao.

A few weeks ago, teachers and students of Sero Central and 30 other elementary schools across the country have begun viewing educational science videos requested through text and downloaded via satellite right into their won school rooms.

This classroom innovation is part of text2teach, the Philippine-based pilot of the Bridgeit Project which was launched in May by global partners Nokia, the International Youth Foundation, Pearson and the United Nations Development Programme. The project is led in the Philippines by Ayala Foundation and is managed and implemented nationwide by SEAMEO INNOTECH and the Department of Education. Technical support is given by Globe Telecom, Nokia Philippines, PMSI Dream Broadcasting System, and Chikka Asia.

Text2teach enables 5th and 6th grade teachers to introduce to their students more than 80 full-length science videos that bring to life key scientific principles. While the project does not intend to replace the need for traditional learning tools such as textbooks, it aims to give Filipinos as young as 10 years old a more informed understanding of science and technology through multimedia presentations. Proponents agree that a strong foundation in this subject can help bring progress to developing countries.

Eighty teachers from 40 schools in Cotabato City, Batangas, Laguna, Manila and Quezon City have already been trained to use the service. They have also been provided lessons plans that, while customized to include various text2teach videos, complement the national curriculum.

Changing attitudes
Since the project was introduced in elementary schools in June, teachers have begun to notice some changes in their pupils’ attitudes towards learning science. Accustomed to seeing only pictures in textbooks or drawings of well-meaning teachers, students are becoming more interested in the subject because of the videos. They ask questions after watching the videos and participate eagerly in classroom activities.

On the first day that Julie Latonero showed a science video to her class at the San Agustin Elementary School in Novaliches, Quezon City, the room was abuzz with excitement. “In fact, even before the installation of the text2teach program, the children were already looking forward to it” says Latonero. “They were very happy when they finally saw the video because they could now see how those animals look like in real life.”

Grade 5 teacher Olivia Regalado of Sto. Tomas Central Elementary School in Batangas has no problem getting students’ attention in her four science classes either. “They listen attentively and they are quiet. Before, only half of the class listen or answer my questions. Now when I say that we are going to know more about animals by viewing a video, their eyes light up.”

Moreover, the videos seem to help the students retain more knowledge from their lessons. Says 11-year old Ralph Dequiro, one of Regalado’s students: “Dati hindi po namin masyadong maintindihan yung sinasabi po ng teacher. Hindi namin matandaan kasi hindi namin nakikita. Pag sa video, madali pong maintindihan kasi nakikita namin yung nangyayari. (Before, we couldn’t understand the lesson. We couldn’t remember our lessons because we couldn’t visualize them. With the videos, it’s easier to understand because we see things as they happen).”

Even teachers claim to benefit from text2teach. Yolanda Gorrero of P.C. Hill Elementary School in Cotabato City notes: “It really helps a lot. It lessens our burden in teaching science because instead of preparing more teaching materials, we use the video clips.” She encourages other teachers in her school to use the science videos in their classes and hopes that a similar service will eventually be made for English and Filipino subjects.

For her part, Regalado says she has more time to study the flow of the next day’s lesson and develop interactive exercises. Since text2teach has already provided lesson plans, she can focus on preparing better materials for experiments and group activities.

For example, in addition to showing a video describing the different physical characteristics of animals, Regalado created picture cards of body parts that her students should match to the corresponding animals. On another occasion, she prepared riddles related to the lesson.

Text2teach may still be in its infancy but project partners are optimistic that it will achieve its intended outcomes and impact on teachers and students. It helps that the mobile communications and satellite technologies used by the project are able to surmount physical barriers such as geographic location. But a bigger factor is the enthusiasm that teachers and students have shown in embracing text2teach as way to improve their science education.

In the meantime, the UP National Institute for the Science and Mathematics Education Development (NISMED) and the UNDP are documenting and assessing the project’s implementation to determine whether the Philippine model could be replicated in other countries.

Says Ayala Foundation president Victoria P. Garchitorena: “Through text2teach, we hope to make a meaningful and sustainable contribution towards bridging the gap in the area of technology in elementary education.”

At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Ayala Corporation held today, 26 June 2003, the Board approved the declaration of a regular cash dividend of P 0.03 per share corresponding to the first semester ending 30 June 2003, to all outstanding shares of the Company’s capital stock as of record date 31 July 2003, payable on 21 August 2003.

The dividends will be covered by the unappropriated retained earnings of the Corporation of 31 December 2002. The Stock and Transfer Books of the Corporation will be closed for the transfer of shares from 28 July 2003 to 31 July 2003.

Manila Water Company has signed a US$30 million loan agreement with World Bank’s investment arm, International Finance Ltd. (IFC).

The agreement provides for favorable rates and re-payment scheme, including a 15-year loan duration and a 3-year grace period. This is Manila Water’s second major international loan after borrowing US$20 million from DEG (German Development Bank) last year. Both loans form part of the financing package that will be used to fund Manila Water’s capital investments in the next three to five years.

The IFC loan marks a significant event for Manila Water as it affirms the international community’s confidence in the Manila-based water utility company amidst present global uncertainties.

Manila Water president Antonino T. Aquino cited the support of IFC for the company’s infrastructure thrust and expressed appreciation for this vote of confidence.“This loan agreement is a manifestation of the meaningful and mutually rewarding relationship between these two institutions,” said Aquino.

IFC director for infrastructure Declan Duff noted: “By supporting this successful private water concessionaire, IFC hopes to send a positive signal to the market and to other governments about the benefits of private participation in infrastructure.”

Manila Water is one of the two concessionaires which were awarded in 1997 the right to operate the water service in Metro Manila. The company has since made significant improvements in service in terms of water quality and service availability throughout the east concession area. The company is an affiliate of Ayala Corporation, one of the largest and most established conglomerates in the region, with investments in the real estate, telecom and the banking sectors.

Science classes in elementary schools will soon experience the benefits of multimedia learning.

A new project called text2teach officially launched using the power of mobile technology to deliver rich educational content to teachers and students even in the most outlying areas of the country.

text2teach is the initial Philippine-wide pilot of Bridgeit, a global program developed jointly by Nokia, the International Youth Foundation (IYF), Pearson and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The four organizations combined their expertise in technology, training, content, and processes to create an impact on the learning of young people.

In the Philippines, text2teach is spearheaded by Ayala Foundation in cooperation with the Department of Education and local partners Globe Telecom, Nokia-Philippines, SEAMEO INNOTECH, PMSI-Dream Broadcasting, and Chikka Asia.

text2teach enables teachers to use mobile phones supplied by Nokia to request more than 80 full-length videos provided by Pearson, each of which introduces and illustrates a key component of the Philippine science curriculum. Upon texting, the requested video will be sent via satellite to a digital recorder connected to a television in the teacher’s classroom. Each video’s interactive demonstration of science concepts and ideas is expected to benefit both teachers and students.

Explains Ayala Foundation president Victoria P. Garchitorena:

“The program will enable teachers to use digital technology to share and illustrate new ideas with their students. As a result students will have the opportunity to learn new skills, to participate actively in classroom lessons with their teacheres, and to learn and see more about the world around them.”

The project implementation will begin in June in the 5th and 6th grades of 40 schools in key areas including Quezon City, Batangas, Laguna and Cotabato City. Ayala Foundation has been tapped as the project leader in the Philippines to ensure that the program achieves its desired impact. Together with the Department of Education and SEAMEO INNOTECH, The International Youth Foundation has begun training 80 teachers to use the technology to benefit more than 10,000 students across the country.

Globe Telecom, Nokia-Philippines, PMSI-Dream Broadcasting, and Chikka Asia are providing technical support to meet the hardware, software and communication requirements of the program. The Philippines was selected as the pilot venue for Bridgeit because of its good telecommunications infrastructure, Filipinos’ good command of English, and the government’s focus on education as a means to overcome poverty.

Adds SEAMEO INNOTECH director Dr. Erlinda Pefianco: “text2teach has long-term benefits, since in addition to providing quality educational materials it will provide ongoing teacher training and development.”

A successful and sustainable implementation of text2teach will encourage Bridgeit partners throughout the world to develop similar cost-effective learning solutions globally. The Philippine pilot will provide a “blueprint” for replication program in other less developed nations.

At the launch, Ayala Corporation president and chief executive officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II noted the program’s potential to bridge the digital divide by allowing learning materials to be disseminated equally among urban and rural schools.

Says Zobel: “While we cannot replace nor should we seek to the need for traditional learning materials such as textbooks, Bridgeit has opened new ways to improve learning opportunities for thousands of elementary school children throughout the Philippines through new technology. This gives us the opportunity to remake the face of education to help the poor, not only in our country, but in other developing nations as well.”

Now on its 41st year, Ayala Foundation renews its commitment to bridge business and society in order to eradicate poverty in all its forms. It is reaching out to thousands of Filipinos through programs in education, youth development, information technology, environmental concerns, and the arts and culture.

Established by businessman Col. Joseph McMicking and his wife, Mercedes Zobel, as the Filipinas Foundation, it was renamed Ayala Foundation in 1990 to emphasize its role as the social development partner of one of the country’s leading conglomerates.

At the heart of Ayala Foundation’s social development programs is the belief that Filipinos can help themselves rise from poverty given the opportunity and right mechanisms in place. This has led the foundation to develop and support projects that have a far-reaching impact on the lives of individuals and communities.

Poverty alleviation
One such project is the government’s poverty alleviation program, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan, or KALAHI. With Ayala Foundation coordinating the activities of various Ayala companies, some 200 families in Mandaluyong received a development package that included health services from Globe Telecom and Ayala Land, potable water from Manila Water, livelihood fund from the Bank of the Philippine Islands, and an Internet laboratory.

There is also the Mindanao Silk Weaving Project, a home-based program that trains women residents in Misamis Oriental in handloom weaving and gives them a revolving loan fund for business operations.

Even information technology programs can be designed to equip Filipinos with tools to improve their lives. For instance, Project Youth Tech and iLinK train high school students and teachers and provide a computer laboratory with free one-year Internet access from Globe Telecom. The Ayala Intel Computer Clubhouse allows young students to use its after-school facilities to explore their creativity.

Yet another way of bringing information technology to the grassroots level is the Barangay.Net Cebu Alliance, Inc., which computerizes basic local government functions.

In addition, Garchitorena explans that it is equally important to address what is called “poverty of spirit”. The Ayala Museum and the Filipinas Heritage Library to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the country’s rich cultural heritage through exhibits, lectures, books, and online resources.

The foundation also created programs that aim to develop future leaders. The annual Ayala Young Leaders Congress now has 350 alumni from all over the country who are committed to creating positive changes in their own communities. Focusing on a much younger generation, the Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Education or Centex provides bright children from poor families an exceptional learning environment that empowers them with the value of service to others.

Forging new partnerships
Garchitorena says that a great part of the Ayala Foundation’s work has to do with networking. Partners are sought to extend the reach of its programs and help create innovative solutions to address poverty. On many occasions, it collaborates with other businesses and institutions in programs such as Children’s Hour, Tabang Mindanaw, La Mesa Reforestation Project, World Wildlife Fund, and Habitat for Humanity.

In celebration of its 41st anniversary yesterday, Ayala Foundation honored partners, donors, and sponsors and highlighted collaborative efforts with key institutions. For instance, it announced plans to enter agreements with publications to inform migrant Filipinos about social development programs in the Philippines and advise them on how to support these programs through Ayala Foundation USA.

The Mindanao Silk Weaving Project has coordinated with the Philippine Textile Research Institute and the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines to upgrade the skills of its beneficiaries and help them market their products.

At the same time, Ayala Museum accepted donations and long-term loans of prized collections from its partners. These are the Fernando Zobel collection of modern art from the Ateneo Art Gallery, a portrait of Romana Suarez by Fernando Amorsolo and 60 oriental trade ceramics from the Zuellig Collection, and Rina Ortiz’s collection of 17th to 19th century Piña clothing.

Says Garchitorena: “Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all our funders, trustees, officers and staff, and to all our partners. We find strength in their generosity which has sustained us through the 41 years of service that Ayala Foundation has offered to the country.”

Ayala Corporation and its subsidiaries garnered high ratings in the Asia’s Best Companies 2003 survey conducted by FinanceAsia.

The Hong Kong-based magazine polled institutional investors and equity analysts from around the globe to rank the performance of top companies in 10 countries in Asia. They were asked to rate companies in each country according to various categories, notably: Best Managed Company, Investor Relations, Commitment to Shareholder Value, Corporate Governance, and Financial Management.

Ayala Corporation, the country’s leading conglomerate, was named Best Managed Company in the Philippines. The company earned the top spot in two other categories: Best Corporate Governance and Best Financial Management.

The Ayala companies also figured prominently in the survey. Globe Telecom placed second in Best Managed Company, Best Corporate Governance, and Best Financial Management. Globe Telecom’s Delfin Gonzales was named Best Chief Financial Officer for the second year in a row.

Ayala Land, Inc. and the Bank of the Philippine Islands were also cited in the top 10 leading companies across all categories. Other companies that were recognized are San Miguel Corporation, SM Prime, Jollibee Foods Corporation, PLDT, Union Bank, Smart, Meralco, Alaska Milk, Metrobank, JG Summit, Petron Corporation, and Universal Robina. These companies approximate 61 percent of the country’s total market capitalization.

The full results of the Asia’s Best Companies 2003 survey will be revealed in the April issue of FinanceAsia.

Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) and the Campos group of United Laboratories, Inc. (Unilab) and Greenfield Development Corp. (GDC) today signed a US$90-million agreement with Metro Pacific Corp. (MPC), enabling the partners to gain control of Bonifacio Land Co. (BLC), thereby securing a firm hold on Bonifacio Global City – a most sought-after real estate property in the country.

Following the signing of the memorandum of agreement at the Tower Club in Makati City, ALI and Campos group officials hailed the agreement as highly beneficial to the country – underscoring the fact that a transaction of this magnitude between major Filipino firms should further boost confidence in prospects for the Philippine economy.

ALI chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala expressed satisfaction that such a transaction will enhance Ayala Land’s dominant position in the real estate industry.

“Adding Fort Bonifacio to our portfolio will provide a great opportunity for Ayala Land to replicate its success in the development of the Makati central business district as the country’s commercial and financial center. We are also delighted at this opportunity to continue our close relationship with the Campos group,” he added.

Unilab chairman and CEO Joselito D. Campos Jr. referred to the transaction as a natural consequence of the excellent relationship of Unilab and Greenfield with Ayala Land and Metro Pacific, together with its parent company – First Pacific.

“We have been privileged to consummate the acquisition from First Pacific of Darya Varia, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia. And now, together with Ayala Land, we look forward to our joint development of Bonifacio Global City as a prime landmark project,” he said.

Carlos C. Ejercito, president and COO of both Unilab and GDC, underscored the Campos group’s partnership with Ayala Land on two major fronts.

“Bonifacio Global City in Makati and the 600-hectare Ayala Greenfield Estates in the foothills of Mt. Makiling in Calamba, Laguna are rekindling interest in real estate. Both projects, given their magnitude and long-term implications, manifest our strong confidence in the Philippine economy,” he said.

Emphasizing the significance of the agreement, ALI president Francisco Licuanan III pointed out that the Fort Bonifacio property is the single most attractive available parcel of land of that size in Metro Manila today and that the partnership is acquiring it at a fair price.

“We took an interest in this property as early as 1995; and we continue to see opportunities related to it. We envision Fort Bonifacio as a natural and complementary extension of the Makati central business district,” he said.

Licuanan also noted that Ayala Land and GDC have the financial capability to see the project through as well as the combined resources to bring the property to the market sooner.

“It’s a good time to be buying properties such as Fort Bonifacio, since such assets can be acquired at fairly good valuations. When the real estate market recovers, we’ll be in a solid position to capitalize on opportunities, having established our strategic position in two of the most sought-after business and residential areas in the country, namely Makati CBD and the Bonifacio Global City,” he added.

ALI has already committed to develop Market! Market! – a super-regional shopping center consisting of 180,000 square meters of gross leasable area in a 10-hectare property in Bonifacio. The center is now under construction and is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2003.

ALI has also proposed to develop an 8.3-hectare lot adjacent to Market! Market! into a residential community consisting of medium to high density housing and catering to, among others, Makati professionals. Development is expected to commence within the next 18 months.

ALI’s partnership with GDC has had a recent successful run with Ayala Greenfield Estates, a high-end residential project featuring a world-class golf course now being completed in Calamba, Laguna

In the short term, the partnership sees some controlled sales of selective inventory and leasing of commercial areas to continue the build-up of critical mass at the Bonifacio Global City. Over the medium and long terms, its development will mirror the evolution of Makati’s highly successful central business district.

Ayala Corporation and Central Equity Ventures, Inc. signed an agreement with the Municipality of Carmen as a first step in realizing an undertaking that will increase the water supply of Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) by 35 percent.

Ayala Corporation executive managing director Fernando Zobel de Ayala, CEVI chairman Sabino R. Padilla Jr., and Carmen Mayor Amytis de Dios Batao today formalized their support for the Carmen Water Supply Project. The project involves the development, financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of a water facility that will extract, treat, and deliver water from the Cantumog-Luyang River in Carmen to meet the needs of Metro Cebu households.

Cebu currently consumes 280,000 cubic meters of water per day, 50 percent of which is supplied by MCWD. The rest is provided by privately-owned deepwells. However, studies indicate that Cebu’s aquifer is now overdrawn by two or three times its sustainable capacity. Meanwhile, businesses have noted the effect of a water supply shortage to Cebu’s economic development.

The proposed project seeks to address this need by adding 50,000 cubic meters of water per day to MCWD’s current capacity. An increase of 35 percent in the supply of MCWD will address 20 percent of the total water requirements of Metro Cebu.

CEVI, which has rights to abstract water from the Luyang River, invited Ayala as a partner in the Carmen Water Supply Project. CEVI is involved in special projects in water, power, mass transportation, and rural financial intermediaries.

Components of the proposed project include the construction of a rubber dam, a water treatment plant, booster pumping stations, reservoirs and a 27-km transmission line that will deliver potable water to MCWD’s distribution network. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued CEVI an Environmental Compliance Certificate for the Carmen Water Supply Project upon evaluation of its environmental impact assessment as required by P.D. 1586 (Environmental Impact Statement System).

Other government agencies including NEDA and the Local Water Utilities Administration are yet to evaluate, review, and approve the proposal. The project will then be opened for public bidding as required by the Build-Operate-Transfer Law for unsolicited proposals. The Ayala-CEVI consortium has the right to match the most attractive offer received by MCWD as the original proponent of the project. The winning bidder will be awarded a 25-year water concession in Cebu.

The Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) has issued Ayala Land a Notice of Award to cover Lot B,an 8.5 hectare lot which BCDA had bid out initially in 2000 for disposition, among other lots, under its Asset Disposition Program Phase I. BCDA had declared a failure of bidding of Lot B in 2000, but allowed new proposals to be submitted this year for the acquisition of Lot B pursuant to the procedure agreed upon in the Terms of Reference and Bid Bulletins adopted by BCDA for its Asset Disposition Program Phase I. Ayala Land, together with several other interested parties, submitted new proposals for the acquisition of Lot B. The Notice of Award stated that the Board of Directors of BCDA found the proposal submitted by Ayala Land as the most favorable to BCDA.

The bid of Ayala Land for Lot B was made on the basis of a joint development structure, and subject to the terms and conditions stated in its bid, includes an upfront cash payment of P700,000,000.00 and a guaranteed annual revenue stream totaling P1.1 billion over an 8-year period. The execution of the joint development agreement between Ayala Land and BCDA remains subject to Ayala Land and BCDA agreeing on certain issues.

Lot B is adjacent to Lot C, a 9.9 hectare parcel which was also bid out in 2000 under BCDA’s Asset Disposition Program and was awarded to Ayala Land under a leasehold structure. Lot C which is located adjacent to C-5 is the site of Market! Market!, a regional mall development being constructed by Ayala Land.

———————————–

Statement issued by Ayala Land, Inc. on October 21, 2002

Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. (IMI), Ayala Corporation’s electronics flagship company, recently announced that it would merge its subsidiary, Electronic Assemblies Inc. (EAI), into IMI effective January 1, 2003 to be more globally competitive. The decision was made by the stockholders of both companies during their meeting held on September 17, 2002.

The merger represents the best strategic alternative for delivering increased value to both companies stockholders in addressing the challenges and opportunities in a fast changing global market.

IMI president and CEO Arthur R. Tan said,“The merger allows IMI to create a stronger and more efficient operating model which translates to improved earnings. It will also position IMI to attract and retain the best employees who will be working in boundary-less collaboration.

Tan added,“We believe that quick and decisive action is needed to address the business opportunities and challenges facing our business operation. The merger provides stronger partnerships with both our customers and suppliers. The focus is not just cost reduction synergies, but also synergies that will generate revenues.

The merger is expected to effectively sustain IMI capital requirements and improve its positioning for future public listing plans.