Category: News

Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for taking the time to join us today—and I hope that you all are keeping safe and healthy during these challenging times. I am delighted to welcome you to our second Ayala Enterprise Circle virtual forum, focusing on Health and Wellness for SMEs in the Time of COVID-19.

For those joining us for the first time, let me just provide a quick background on the Ayala Enterprise Circle. The AEC is the Ayala Group’s platform to support and engage our country’s Small and Medium Enterprises. SMEs are critical components of the economy, comprising 99.5% of the country’s registered businesses, and accounting for 63% of employment and 35% of the national GDP. Within the Ayala Group, 250,000 SMEs are vital economic partners of our different companies. We thank all our SME partners for your continued trust and support.

Through the AEC, we aim to provide access to useful information, tools, and partners to enable SMEs to scale and succeed through various exclusive programs. This webinar is part and parcel of a larger set of activities within the AEC, which includes industry expert mentorship, online classes and masterclass training, and business-matching and co-marketing opportunities. We will provide further information on these in the next few months. We hope that you will join us as members of this exclusive network.

The Ayala Enterprise Circle is just one component of the Ayala Group’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the crisis, we felt that it was important to find ways where we can meaningfully help the country. As we were thinking about our response as a group of companies, we made sure that the principles of Putting People First and Public-Private Partnerships will be central to our decision-making.

When the Enhanced Community Quarantine was announced back in March, our immediate priority was the welfare of the stakeholders that we touch daily. This includes our employees, our suppliers and partners—which includes all of you—and the broader community. We continue to develop programs to help in the economic and health needs of our stakeholders during the current pandemic, and in the near future, when the world finally recovers from this emergency.

Despite the pains that COVID-19 has caused, it opened an opportunity for different sectors to come together and work for a common purpose. Over the last three months, it was very encouraging to see both the government and private sector working this close together on several initiatives.

Out of this crisis, we saw a tremendous opportunity to help upgrade the country’s facilities and capabilities. Health and Wellness is one area where there is strong Public-Private Partnership. This was done through Task Force T3, which counts close to 40 private organizations working hand-in-hand with government on the COVID-19 response effort. 

For Ayala, our teams at our healthcare company, AC Health, quickly mobilized and developed a Triage, Testing, Treatment, and Tracking framework to assist both our employees and the broader public. Let me just quickly go through some components of the framework:

On patient screening, which we call triage, we continued to operate over 75 of our FamilyDOC and Healthway clinics to provide extended frontline services, and non-COVID-related treatments to patients. As of the second week of June, we have screened and referred to appropriate facilities over 15,000 suspected cases of COVID-19. In addition to our physical clinics, we also recently launched HealthNow, a free web-based platform that connects patients and doctors for teleconsultation services.

On Testing, the Ayala Group is part of a consortium of several companies that is building 7 laboratories capable of the gold standard RT-PCR tests for COVID-19. This will add approximately 5,500 tests per day to our national testing capacity. Two of these facilities have already been inaugurated: a laboratory in the Tropical Disease Foundation in Makati and QualiMed Sta. Rosa in Nuvali. We have also completed the installation of the RT-PCR machines in University of Cebu Medical Center and Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. For interested parties, AC Health is offering rapid testing services to companies and individuals. Our friends from AC Health will be able to provide more information on this service later in our program.

On Treatment, one key initiative is the upgrading of QualiMed Sta. Rosa in Nuvali into a COVID-19 facility. As mentioned, we have already completed a COVID-19 testing laboratory and triage area. This is one piece of a larger effort to improve the hospital’s capabilities, which includes the construction of quarantine areas, expansion of ICU facilities, increase in the number of beds for COVID-19 patients, and recruitment of a top-notch team of well-trained, fully-equipped, and protected medical professionals.

Aside from this, together with the Department of Public Works, the ICCP Group, and other partners, Ayala led in the conversion of the World Trade Center into a 502-bed quarantine facility, which is the biggest in the country and was completed in just seven days. We also constructed swabbing booths for the testing requirements of our returning OFWs.

These are just some of the many initiatives where the public and private sectors are working together for a strong and effective response to COVID-19. This crisis has highlighted the opportunity to upgrade our country’s healthcare capacity. COVID-19 has shown us how important it is to stay at the forefront of the country’s needs, and we remain committed to helping improve the country’s healthcare system moving forward.

However, let us continue to keep in mind that the battle against the virus is far from over and there will continue to be challenges, given the unprecedented scale and nature of this crisis. Nevertheless, with quarantine restrictions relaxing and parts of the economy steadily restarting, I encourage everyone to continue to remain vigilant. Most importantly, I encourage everyone to continue placing the health and safety of our people and employees at the top of our priorities. They are, after all, the main reason why our businesses exist. We hope that this afternoon’s dialogue will provide valuable insights and guidance on how your businesses can best navigate today’s challenging times.  

We have a full agenda today, so let me not take any longer and quickly introduce our guests for today.

We are privileged to have Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit, our former Health Secretary, who was the lead person of government during the SARS outbreak back in 2003. He will be sharing with us his views on the COVID-19 crisis from a public health perspective, as well as present some thoughts on the various health challenges that are affecting Small and Medium Enterprises.

We also have Paolo Borromeo, President and CEO of AC Health, who will talk on various healthcare access options for SMEs as we transition out of strict quarantine and as we recover from the pandemic.  He will also be joined by members of our leadership team from Generika Drugstore, our FamilyDOC and Healthway clinics, and our Health Technologies company, Vigos to respond to your specific questions on healthcare access.

Once again, thank you for joining us this afternoon. I look forward to an enlightening and productive session. I wish you all continued strength of health and spirit in these difficult times.

The Ayala Group, led by Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc (AC Health), has partnered with the Aboitiz Foundation, ABS-CBN Corporation, Alfonso Yuchengco Foundation, Gokongwei Brothers Foundation, and Metrobank Foundation to build 4 Biosafety Level 2 modular laboratories in Qualimed hospitals across the country. This consortium was formed as part of the Ayala Group’s initiative to contribute an additional capacity of 5,500 confirmatory RT-PCR tests per day in support of the Department of Health’s and the Inter-agency Task Force’s Project T3 (Test, Trace, Treat). Project T3 aims to expand national testing capacity to 50,000 tests per day by end-June.

“Increasing the country’s confirmatory testing capacity is not easy. We are grateful to have been able to form a consortium of friends from the private sector who are just as committed to battling this pandemic. The challenges we are all facing highlights the importance of private sector working in collaboration with the government to ensure our country’s recovery,” said Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of the Board of AC Health.

The Memorandum of Agreement between the different companies was accomplished on June 16, 2020. The donations will go towards the construction of facilities and the purchase of equipment for the new laboratories to be built under the Qualimed Health Network, led by its President and CEO, Dr. Edwin Mercado.

The members of the consortium have addressed COVID-19 through various initiatives.

The Aboitiz Group has so far contributed over P1.85 billion to COVID-19 response initiatives including monetary and in-kind (e.g. PPEs, food, and support equipment) donations. With its nationwide presence, Aboitiz has also been proactively assisting communities in Visayas and Mindanao through its various business units operating in the area.

“The Aboitiz Foundation is looking forward to partnering with AC Health and other private sector partners for this initiative. Our country needs to ramp up its confirmatory testing capacity, especially for our vulnerable communities, and we will do all that we can to respond to that need,” Sabin M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group President and Chief Executive Officer said.

For its part, ABS-CBN launched the “Ligtas Pilipinas sa COVID-19” information campaign. The network and the ABS-CBN Foundation also launched “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig,” a fundraising campaign, which has provided food and basic necessities to over 750,000 families with the help of private companies and local government units.

“ABS-CBN will continue to serve the Filipino people and work with our partners to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from our other initiatives, we hope this donation will reach critical areas that require much-needed access to confirmatory testing,” Carlo L. Katigbak, President and CEO of ABS-CBN Corporation added.

Meanwhile, the Alfonso Yuchengco Foundation (AYF) continues its financial and non-monetary aid for frontliners and vulnerable communities. This includes contributions to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation to support Project Ugnayan and financial support to the Serosurveillance Campaign of the National Action Plan Against COVID-19.

“The AY Foundation is one with the government and the private sector in addressing the gaps in our country’s response to the pandemic. We are strong advocates of testing and hope that this initiative will strengthen the government’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19,” said Mrs. Helen Y. Dee, AY Foundation Chairperson.

Similarly, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) created a P100 million COVID-19 relief fund dedicated to helping frontliners and government efforts to contain the virus. GBF has provided ventilators, COVID testing equipment, RT-PCR test kits, PPE sets, and food packs and vouchers to hospitals, LGUs, and other vulnerable sectors.

“We at the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation continue to mobilize efforts for COVID-19. From our frontliner relief efforts to our contributions to Project Ugnayan, we believe that this partnership is a great addition to the work we are doing. Through this, we aim to support the government’s request to help expand testing capacity in the country. We definitely see this as a priority,” Lisa Y. Gokongwei-Cheng, General Manager of the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation emphasized.

As for the Metrobank Foundation, this partnership is part of the P200 million pledge by Metrobank and GT Capital Holdings Group through MBFI and GT Foundation, to fund and support efforts for COVID-19 such as the purchase of PPEs for frontliners, production of RT-PCR test kits, implementation of Rapid Testing in communities, distribution of meals, and construction and equipping of labs for testing.

“This health crisis necessitates a collective response. The Metrobank Foundation remains an ally of the government, private sector, and Filipino communities in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that this partnership will contribute to arresting the spread of the virus through increased testing capacity,” Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, President of Metrobank Foundation, Inc added.

The laboratories will be located in hospitals of the Qualimed Health Network in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Tanauan, Batangas, and Iloilo City, Iloilo. Each lab, equipped with 1 automated RNA extractor and 2 RT-PCR machines, will have the capacity to perform 1,000 RT-PCR tests/day. The innovative and efficient modular set-up, designed and built by Makati Development Corporation (MDC), will accelerate construction timelines for the laboratories. The laboratories are expected to be accredited and operational by July 2020.

Previously, AC Health announced its partnership with the Tropical Disease Foundation in Makati, the University of Cebu Hospital in Mandaue City, Cebu, and the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao to upgrade their laboratory facilities for COVID-19 testing.

Davao City, Philippines – June 4, 2020. Davao City is set to increase its daily testing capacity for COVID-19 by 1,000 tests with the help of medical equipment being donated to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) today.

An automated RNA Extraction machine and 2 RT-PCR machines and their accessories were received by officials of the SPMC Davao in a handover ceremony this morning led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte–Carpio. This donation will help boost Davao City’s COVID-19 testing capacity by a maximum of 1,000 tests per day.

“The people of Davao City and the entire Mindanao are truly grateful for this generous assistance from Ayala Foundation. Know that this donation will help us with our offense. Noon, we were scrambling to defend our areas, but now we are on the offensive against COVID-19 and these donations will greatly help us in our work,” said Duterte–Carpio.

The donation is an expression of the Ayala group’s continuing commitment to helping contain the COVID-19 pandemic, as it participates in Task Force T3 (Test, Trace, and Treat) convened by the Inter-Agency Task Force–National Task Force (IATF-NTF) and the Department of Health (DOH).

The SPMC donation is one of other similar initiatives that seek to capacitate existing testing facilities and build testing laboratories in different parts of the country. Ayala, through Ayala Land and AC Health, are constructing testing labs in Bulacan, Batangas, Laguna, and Iloilo.

Together, the Ayala group’s various contributions to Project T3 will boost the country’s daily testing capacity by 5,500. At present, the country conducts about 34,000 tests daily.

“We welcome the testing laboratories from Ayala, as these will be a big help to our efforts to stamp out COVID-19 in the country, and improve the country’s health situation in general,” said Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the IATF National Action Plan Against COVID-19.

“We recognize that the private sector plays an important role in our shared fight against COVID-19, and Ayala’s donation of testing equipment and laboratories are a welcome contribution,” said Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the IATF  National Action Plan Against COVID-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Ayala group has mobilized resources in support of national efforts through the provision of equipment and protective gear for medical and community front-liners, as well as food and other basic necessities for families in different communities nationwide.

Together with partners from the business community, PDRF and Caritas Manila, Ayala took an active part in Project Ugnayan, which provided grocery vouchers for nearly 7 million individuals or 1.5 million families in Greater Manila Area’s poor communities.

Ayala also helped convert the World Trade Center into the 500-bed We Heal As One Center for COVID-19 patients. The group also helped build the testing facilities of Philippine Red Cross.

Through Ayala Foundation, the Ayala group’s 50,000-plus employees initiated Project Pananagutan, which supports “no work, no pay” employees of partner companies, front-line health workers in need of protective personal equipment, and families in need of food and other basic needs.

The Ayala group has also been working closely with the SPMC in the past few years. In 2018, Ayala donated laser eye equipment for the treatment of cancer patients at the SPMC Cancer Institute. Last December, the Ayala group officially turned over the newly refurbished House of Hope Halfway House, where pediatric patients of the SPMC Cancer Institute can stay with their families or caregivers, while they are undergoing treatment.

“The people of Davao City and the entire Mindanao are truly grateful for this generous assistance from Ayala Foundation. Know that this donation will help us with our offense. Noon, we were scrambling to defend our areas, but now we are on the offensive against COVID-19 and these donations will greatly help us in our work,” said Davao City Mayor, Sara Duterte – Carpio who formally accepted the medical equipment donation of the Ayala group to Southern Philippines Medical Center to boost the city’s daily testing capacity by 1,000 per day.  In photo – upper left-right: Saiya Mohammad-Facility Manager of Manila Water, Kennedy Kapulong-General Manager of Seda Abreeza, Art Gerald Perez-Area Business Director for BPI, Janice Parreño- Mindanao Area Head of Ayala Malls.  Bottom left-right: Dr. Annabelle Yumang- DOH Redional Director, DOH USec. Abdullah Dumama Jr., Dr. Leopoldo Vega- Medical Director of SPMC, Mayor Sara Duterte, James Lopez- Globe External Affairs for Mindanao, DOH ASec. Roy Ferrer

The Ayala Group, led by its healthcare unit, Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health), will build 4 BSL-2 laboratories and help capacitate 3 existing laboratories in Makati, Cebu, and Davao, for an additional capacity of 5,500 confirmatory RT-PCR tests per day for the country. This is part of the group’s contribution to the Department of Health and the Inter-agency Task Force’s Project T3 (Test, Trace, Treat), that aims to expand the national confirmatory testing capacity to 50,000 tests per day by June.

“At the Ayala Group, we are big believers in testing and are one with the government in their efforts to expand our country’s capacity. By constructing new laboratories and expanding capacity for existing ones, we will increase access to confirmatory RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 in many critical areas,” Ayala Corporation President and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

In the past week, the AC Health group, led by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, welcomed Gen. Carlito Galvez, Jr., Chief Implementer, and Sec. Vince Dizon, Deputy Chief Implementer of the IATF’s National Action Plan Against COVID-19, to the laboratories at the Tropical Disease Foundation and Qualimed Sta. Rosa for a tour of the facilities that the Ayala Group has upgraded and built.

“These additional testing laboratories will provide a major boost to the country’s health system, particularly in scaling up our capacity to conduct targeted COVID-19 testing, as we gradually open up our economy,” Gen. Carlito Galvez, Jr. said.

“The DOH and the IATF are grateful to see our private sector partners, such as the Ayala Group, quickly and actively step up to this challenge and contribute to expanding testing capacity in the country. These are important wins for all of us, and we look forward to our continued partnership as we face the long-road ahead in the battle against COVID-19,” Sec. Vince Dizon added.

AC Health partnered with the Qualimed Health Network, led by its President and CEO, Dr. Edwin Mercado, to build 4 modular-type BSL-2 laboratories that will be located in their hospitals at Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Tanauan, Batangas, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, and Iloilo City, Iloilo. This innovative and efficient modular set-up, designed and built by Makati Development Corporation (MDC), will accelerate construction timelines for other laboratories.

Currently, the laboratory in Qualimed Sta. Rosa is on Level 3 of the DOH-RITM’s accreditation process and aims to be accredited by June 8. AC Health has been working closely with the Department of Health to ensure timely accreditation, and the rest of the laboratories of the Qualimed network target to be accredited and operational by end-June.

The modular BSL-2 laboratories, which follow the recommended design by the DOH, RITM, and WHO, are equipped with fully-automated RNA extraction and RT-PCR systems and can process about 1,000 confirmatory RT-PCR tests per day. The laboratory will be supervised by 2 Board-certified pathologists with training in molecular diagnostics.

AC Health and the Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI) have also partnered with the Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF) to establish TDF’s capability to conduct confirmatory RT-PCR tests for COVID-19. TDF is an existing Biosafety Level 2+ lab, and a specialty laboratory in tuberculosis research. AC Health and BCFI provided the facility with RT-PCR machines and equipment such as PCR and RNA extraction kits, biological safety cabinets, and a laboratory-grade refrigerator, among others.

On May 28, TDF was officially accredited by the DOH and can now process about 200 confirmatory RTPCR tests per day.

In the Visayas region, AC Health has set out to partner with the University of Cebu Medical Center in Mandaue City, one of the leading private hospitals in Cebu, to expand their capacity by 250 tests per day. In the Mindanao region, AC Health and the Ayala Foundation will donate RT-PCR machines to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City to increase their capacity by 1,000 confirmatory RT-PCR tests daily.

Apart from the Ayala Group, this network of laboratories has been made possible through the generous donation of a consortium of private sector companies.

“Increasing the country’s confirmatory testing capacity is not an easy feat, but AC Health, together with all of our partners, remain committed to fill these gaps in our healthcare system. I would like to thank all of our partners in both the public and private sector who continue to work towards the same goal of fighting COVID-19 by improving the testing capabilities of the entire country,” AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo added.

Makati, Philippines – May 29, 2020 Ensuring the safety of employees and customers should be the top priority of the private sector as the economy reopens, said Ayala Corporation Chairman & CEO, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, during the multi-sectoral webinar “Balik Kabuhayan” hosted by Go Negosyo today.

“I don’t think there is ever a perfect time. I think the government did the right thing in forcing a hard quarantine. I think it’s been good for the country. But it’s a balancing act against the need for an economy to come back to life,” Zobel said, urging his fellow business leaders to establish safety protocols as Metro Manila is placed under general community quarantine.

According to Zobel, the private sector has the ability to move quickly and address issues upfront. Hence, he sees the “new normal” as the perfect time to strengthen public–private partnership, which has proven to be very fruitful in the last few months of ECQ.

The Ayala group has contributed close to P6.5 billion in anti-COVID initiatives. Most notable of which is its support to the government-led Taskforce T3, which included the conversion of the World Trade Center into a 502-bed quarantine facility, donation of swabbing booths for all 4 Mega Swabbing Centers, conversion of Qualimed – Sta. Rosa into a COVID-19 referral hospital, and the building of 5 COVID testing facilities in strategic areas in Luzon and Visayas to augment the country’s capacity to trace, test, and treat COVID-19 patients.

Ayala is also a supporter of Project ARK (Antibody Rapid test Kits), a private sector-led initiative that complements the government’s effort to make massive testing accessible at the community level.

Also present in the webinar were Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion, former health secretary Esperanza Cabral, Representative Janette Garin, and Deputy Speaker Sharon Garin. All speakers agreed on the reopening the economy but urged the private sector to take strict safety protocols.

Internally, the Ayala group adopted a healthcare protocol called the 4T Framework for Triage, Testing, Treatment, and Tracking to protect the collective heath of the organization and prepare for the eventual re-entry of its workforce. This framework enables the group to monitor each employee’s risk conditions and health profile, allowing it to extend the necessary healthcare assistance, if and when needed, and to make informed decisions about which work arrangement would be best for a specific individual.

Zobel also noted that this pandemic has made the private and the public sectors realize the importance of strengthening the healthcare industry. As for the Ayala group, the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened AC Health’s commitment to the healthcare space by continuing to invest in capacity and capability building through an integrated healthcare ecosystem with key pillars in pharma, clinics, hospitals, and digital healthcare.

“There is always something to learn from difficult situations, both personal and professional, and we should reflect after this as a community. See where we need to strengthen so we create a society that’s stronger and can face these problems better in the future,” Zobel said.

The Ayala group adopted a 4T Framework for Triage, Testing, Treatment, and Tracking to protect the collective heath of the organization and prepare for the eventual re-entry of its workforce. This framework enables the group to monitor each employee’s risk conditions and health profile, allowing it to extend the necessary healthcare assistance, if and when needed, and to make informed decisions about which work arrangement would be best for a specific individual.

Makati, Philippines – May 29, 2020 The Ayala Group of Companies has released an original song written by Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, National Artist of the Philippines for Music in 2018, to pay homage to over 18,000 members of its essential workforce.

“We are giving a special tribute to our many fellow Ayala citizens, who continue to provide critical services to our stakeholders amidst COVID-19—those who ensure that our facilities remain safe for our employees, clients, and customers; those who ensure the continuous delivery of essential services through our banks and our power, water, and telco, facilities; and the many others who brave the dangers of the ongoing pandemic as we adapt to this new world,” said Ayala Corporation President & COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala.

Since the pandemic struck the Philippines, essential workers across the group have been selflessly dedicating themselves to serving the needs of the Filipino. AC Health’s medical practitioners across its network of clinics and drugstores have been reporting to work to provide much needed clinic, pharmaceutical, and telemedicine services. Manila Water, AC Energy, and Globe Telecom personnel have worked non-stop to ensure the continued availability of water, power, and connectivity, respectively. Ayala Land’s property management team has also continued to keep its malls, buildings, and communities safe and clean during this pandemic. The Ayala Group recognizes these workers, among its many others, who continue to serve the nation during this difficult period.

“We offer this tribute to our Ayala heroes, to honor their spirit of hope amidst today’s troubling times. We hope that this captures and reinforces Ayala’s promise to our fellow Filipinos—that in the face of the darkest of challenges, we remain committed to building a brighter tomorrow for all our stakeholders; and that through unity of strength and purpose, we can all make a meaningful and indelible impact to the lives of the Filipino,” said John Philip S. Orbeta, Ayala Corporation Chief Human Resource Officer and Group Head of Corporate Resources.

The Ayala Group essential workforce was featured in a music video together with Cayabyab’s original song, entitled “Nandiyan Ka”, in a livestreamed private event earlier today.

“For a song like this, which is a tribute, I decided that it was going to be a theme for you, for the individuals. So nandiyan ka. Nandiyan ka kahit bumabagyo o umuulan, nandiyan ka in normal times, nandiyan ka in crises, and in pandemics like this… Nandiyan ka—you are there. You are working. So this is a song for all of you,” said Cayabyab in his address to the Ayala Group, as he explained the meaning behind the song.

“Nandiyan Ka”, will be available on Spotify starting May 31, 2020, and the music video can be viewed at bit.ly/AyalaNandiyanKa.

Makati, Philippines – May 22, 2020 The Ayala Group (Ayala) has launched the Ayala Enterprise Circle (AEC), a group-wide Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) network that enhances the group’s ongoing initiatives to educate, connect, and enable SMEs. This synergistic initiative is currently focused on helping its existing 250,000 SME partners continue their operations and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today’s times are certainly unprecedented and very challenging for enterprises of all sizes, much especially for our SMEs who have always been critical players in our country’s economy… We realized that now, more than ever, do we need to accelerate our efforts to proactively reach out to you,” said Ayala Corporation Chairman & CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala during his welcome address at AEC’s first ever webinar attended by over 900 Ayala SME clients, suppliers, and partners. “We envision the Ayala Enterprise Circle as a network where you, our valued SME partners, can have access to exclusive Ayala Group solutions and offerings, expert mentorship from industry leaders, online dialogues and masterclasses, and business-matching and co-marketing opportunities. We are very excited for what this program has to offer, and we hope that you would continue to join us in this journey as members of this exclusive network.”

The group has been working since the onset of the pandemic to help meet SMEs’ critical needs, such as financial support, business continuity, and healthcare.

As of May 19, 2020, the Ayala group has helped ease the strain on its SME partners through P766-M worth of free services and business operations fees. The latter includes, among others, rental condonations. Ayala Malls alone has waived P280-M covering over 2,400 of Ayala Malls’ SMEs in the last two months.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has encouraged its SME clients to take advantage of its Loan Reprieve Program (a loan payment deferment program) for up to 90 days to help them manage their cash flows affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ). BPI also waived interbank transfer fees to lighten client costs when transferring funds to other local banks for the duration of the ECQ.

Similar grace period programs were extended for qualified loan clients (for credit card, auto, personal, and home loans). BPI was one of the first banks to proactively offer deferred payment programs when the ECQ was first announced, and have since updated them to align with the Bayanihan Act. BPI is now working with PhilGuarantee to refine its loan products for qualified clients.

Ayala is also helping SMEs cope with the disruptions brought about by the ECQ through various business continuity solutions. Globe Telecom (Globe), for example, is helping SMEs thrive through various connectivity offerings to keep their businesses running from home, or to support their online operations. Similarly, Ayala Malls and Zalora are exploring new retail and ecommerce models to give SME tenants an alternative digital channel, with the former serving as community pick-up points for digital purchases.

Lastly, the Ayala group has been working to help protect the health of its workforce, including its SME network, by ensuring the continued availability of AC Health’s clinic, pharmaceutical, and telemedicine services. AC Health has made HealthNow, a web-based online consultation platform, available to everyone including Ayala Group SMEs, free of charge until June.

According to a DTI report, SMEs and microbusinesses cover 60% of the total annual revenues of all Philippine businesses, contribute 35% of the country’s GDP, and employ 63% of working Filipinos. Though SMEs have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 crisis, the Ayala group recognizes their significance in sustaining the national economy. It remains fully committed to supporting its existing SME partners during this difficult period through various AEC initiatives in the months to come.

“Across the Ayala Group, we have a renewed commitment to all of our partner SMEs, who have been with us through so many years and have been gravely affected by the COVID-19 crisis. We want to assure them all that we at the Ayala group remain steadfast in our support, and we thank them for their continued trust in us. Through Ayala Enterprise Circle, we hope to forge even deeper partnerships with our SME network as we move forward together into the ‘New Normal,’” said John Philip S. Orbeta, Ayala Corporation’s Chief Human Resource Officer and Group Head of Corporate Resources, who heads the AEC. 

Learn more: https://www.ayalaenterprisecircle.com/

May 19, 2019, Laguna, Philippines. Bilang sagot sa kakulangan ng ventilator na kailangan ng dumaraming COVID-19 patients ng bansa, nagkaisa ang Integrated Micro-electronics, Inc. (IMI) at ang UK-based subsidiary nitong Surface Technology International Limited (STI, Ltd.) upang sumangguni sa mga eksperto, health practitioners, at mga sangay ng gobiyerno hinggil sa pagbuo ng isang lisensyadong Ventura Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device solution.

Ang Ventura CPAP ay isang uri ng ventilator na may kakayahang mag-apply ng patuloy na mild air pressure sa mga pasiyenteng nahihirapang huminga. Ang device na ito ay isang non-profit initiative na hango sa isang off-patent CPAP system na may kakayanang mag-optimize ng oxygen consumption. 

Aprubado ng Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ang paggamit ng Ventura CPAP sa UK. Ang disenyo nito ay lisensyado rin ng University College London Hospital (UCLH) and Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains para magamit sa special conditions tulad ng COVID-19. Mayroon nang basbas ang IMI mula sa UK proponents ng device upang simulant ang manufacturing nito sa Pilipinas. 

Ayon sa UCLH, ang paggamit ng Ventura CPAP ay nagbunga ng 60%-70% success rate sa mga COVID-19 patient na kailangang i-intubate at kinalaunan ding gumaling. Kasalukuyan nang nakikipagtulungan ang IMI sa Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Technologies (IBEHT) ng De La Salle University upang i-localize ang produksiyon ng Venture CPAP. 

Ang IMI ay isang global technology and manufacturing solutions expert na may headquarters sa Philippines. Ito ang unang nagdaos ng series of multi-industry consultative sessions dito sa bansa. Kabilang sa na nakikipag-ugnayan sa consultative sessions ay si Nick Davey, ang chief technology officer ng IMI. Si Davey ang nag-set up ng research and development team ng STI Ltd. noong 2011. Siya rin ay key member ng UK Ventilator Challenge Consortium na nakikipagtulungan sa UK cabinet officials.

Ang IMI, STI, Ltd., at AC Health ay patuloy sa paghahanap ng iba’t ibang alternatibong ventilator para sa COVID-19 patients.

May 19, 2019, Laguna, Philippines. In support of the Philippine government’s call for the local sourcing and manufacturing of low-cost ventilators and other breathing aid solutions in caring for COVID-19 patients all over the country, Integrated Micro-electronics, Inc. (IMI), along with its UK subsidiary Surface Technology International Limited (STI, Ltd) is organizing a series of virtual consultative and information-sharing sessions with medical experts, health practitioners, and concerned government agencies to explore non-invasive alternative ventilatory strategies using the device solution. CPAP is a form of ventilator that applies mild air pressure continuously and effectively supports patients with breathing difficulties. The proposed solution is a non-profit initiative based on an existing off-patent CPAP system that has been further modified to optimize oxygen consumption. 

The Ventura CPAP system is approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in the UK.  Its design is licensed from the University College London Hospital (UCLH) and Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains under special conditions particularly for use in COVID-19 cases.  The proponents in the UK have granted a license to IMI in the manufacturing of the product in the Philippines.

UCLH reported that the use of the Ventura CPAP system has resulted in 60-70% success of sustaining COVID-19 patients needing intubation.  The patients eventually went on to full recovery. IMI is working with the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Technologies (IBEHT) of DLSU University in localizing the manufacturing of the system. 

In today’s webinar, one of the resource speakers is Nick Davey, IMI’s chief technology officer. Davey set up the Research and Development team in the IMI’s UK subsidiary Surface Technology International Limited (STI Ltd.) in 2011 and is a key member of the UK Ventilator Challenge Consortium, working closely with the UK cabinet officials.

IMI, a global technology and manufacturing solutions expert with its headquarters based in Philippines, is the first to organize this series of multi-industry consultative sessions here in the country. The company along with its UK-based subsidiary STI, Ltd. and local affiliate AC Health, continue to explore various possible ventilator alternative solutions.

Makati City, Philippines – May 18, 2020 Companies within the Ayala group settled taxes of about P9.86-B before the extended June 14, 2020 deadline to help boost the government’s coffers and allotment to COVID-19 response, as the country gears up for the “new normal.”  

The core value drivers of the Ayala group—Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecommunications, Inc., AC Energy, and Manila Water Corporation—paid a total of P9,858,293,348 of taxes. 

In a joint statement made last week, brothers Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, who serve as the group’s chairman and president, respectively, expressed their gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte for recognizing Ayala’s support to the government’s initiatives. 

“We are committed to help the President tackle the many challenges he has to deal with and are confident that by working together, our country can overcome each challenge, save lives, and gradually put the country back on a path of growth,” the joint statement reads. 

The brothers also emphasized the importance of public–private cooperation as the country deals with the vast impact of the pandemic.

Group-wide Bayanihan 

To date, the Ayala group has contributed about P5.6 billion in anti-COVID-19 initiatives aimed to protect its employees, support its partners and clients, and provide for the communities it serves.

Related story: Letter to the Ayala Community
Link: https://ayala.com.ph/letter-ayala-community

The Ayala group also took the lead in the conversion of the World Trade Center into a 500-bed quarantine facility that features safe and controlled isolation cubicles as well as examination rooms and quarters for medical personnel. The conversion of this 9, 700 square meters of space took only seven days and was effectively turned over to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

Related story: Ayala Group takes part in conversion of World Trade Center into a COVID-19 facility called WTC: We Heal As One Center
Link: https://www.ayala.com.ph/press-room/press-releases/ayala-group-takes-part-conversion-world-trade-center-covid-19-facility

Ayala also donated all the testing booths for four Mega Swabbing Centers at the Palacio de Maynila Tent along Roxas Boulevard, the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Enderun Colleges in Taguig City and the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. These Mega Swabbing Centers aim to swab 55,000 individuals in the Greater Manila Area over the next three weeks.  

Related story: Ayala Supports Government’s TASK FORCE T3​
Link: https://www.ayala.com.ph/press-room/press-releases/ayala-supports-government’s-task-force-t3 

Through Go Negosyo’s Project ARK, the Ayala group also joined other business groups in donating RT-PCR machines to ramp up the testing capacities of six government hospitals at 7,000 swab tests per day. 

The group also collaborated with other members of the private sector for Project Ugnayan, a multi-sectoral initiative with various distribution channels, to give immediate and much needed relief to the poor communities in Greater Metro Manila. 

As of April 27, Project Ugnayan—through its Caritas Manila’s Project Damayan, ABS-CBN’s Pantawid ng Pag-ibig, Asian Development Bank’s and the Government’s Bayan, Bayanihan, and Jollibee’s FoodAID program—has reached about 2.4 million families or 12 million individuals. 

Related story: Project Ugnayan beneficiaries reach over 7.6 million people in Greater Metro Manila​
Link: https://www.ayala.com.ph/press-room/press-releases/project-ugnayan-beneficiaries-reach-over-76-million-people-greater-metro 

Amid the crisis brought by the pandemic, the Ayala group remains true to its commitment to serve its employees, partners, clients, and the communities around it.