Category: News

Makati, Philippines – Eight Ayala companies out of a total of forty-two local publicly listed companies (PLC) were recognized by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) in the recently concluded ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) Appreciation Ceremony held last July 31, 2018 at the Tower Club in Makati garnering the most number of companies within a conglomerate to receive such recognition. 

Pictured here (L-R): Don Cesar Teodoro L. Sevilla II, BPI Corporate Governance Officer | Atty. Gerardo M. Lobo, MWC OIC Legal Officer | Atty. Noravir A. Gealogo, BPI Chief Compliance Officer | Mae Christine L. Go, AC Internal Audit Senior Manager | Michael Blasé V. Aquilizan, ALI Associate Manager Investor Communications and Compliance | Geodino V. Carpio, COO Manila Water Operations | Michael Anthony Garcia, ALI Deputy Compliance Officer | Atty. Solomon M. Hermosura, AC Managing Director, Corporate Secretary, Compliance Officer, and Corporate Governance Group Head | Catherine H. Ang, AC Chief Audit Executive | Ma. Luisa Chiong, CHI and CPVDC CFO and Compliance Officer | Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Telecom CFO | Carmina Herbosa, Globe Telecom Chief Audit Executive | Sherisa P. Nuesa, IMI Independent Director | Yolanda Crisanto, Globe Telecom Chief Sustainability Officer and Corporate Communications Group Head | Maria Virginia Tolentino-Uy, Globe Telecom Governance Ambassador | Abelyn Evangelista, Globe Telecom Manager, Sustainability

The ICD, a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to raising the corporate governance standards of the Philippines, hosted said event to celebrate and recognize PLCs within the country who have put in significant effort to promote and sustain good governance within their respective organizations and whose governance policies and practices have been reviewed against the ACGS following the globally accepted Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Scorecard principles, namely – right of shareholders, equitable treatment of shareholders, role of stakeholders, disclosure and transparency and board responsibilities . 

ICD was appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission to serve as the domestic ranking body of the ACGS, which is part of the ASEAN Corporate Governance Initiative to assess and rank PLCs in six participating ASEAN countries (Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) based on international corporate governance best practices. 

For this year, eight Ayala companies were ranked by the ICD among the Top Performing Companies Under the ACGS in 2017, namely Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI), Globe Telecom (Globe), Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI), Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWC), Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI), Cebu Holdings, Inc. (CHI) and Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corporation (CPVDC). 

Ayala companies were also recognized among the Top 5 Philippine PLCs by Sector. These were Ayala Corporation (Holding Firm), BPI (Financial), MWC (Industrial), Globe (Services) and ALI, CHI and CPVDC (Property).     

“Governance has always been a hallmark of Ayala. It is imperative that we continue to improve our internal systems and processes towards upholding and protecting the rights of all our shareholders, from our customers to our investors. This commitment is shared at all levels across the group. I am pleased to note that our efforts continue to go beyond mere compliance, as we actively seek ways to strengthen the governance culture within the group,” shared by Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of Ayala Corporation.

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Three-time Olympian Marestella Torres-Sunang continues to compete because of her love for country and the trust of supporters as she retains her dominant form in women’s long jump.

“Meron pa ring mga tao na tuloy tuloy ang suporta not just for me but for the whole national track and field team. At saka iyong pagmamahal ko sa laro tuloy tuloy pa rin,” said Marestella in reference to Ayala Corporation which supports the Philippine track and field team and built, through its real estate arm Ayala Land, Inc., the Vermosa Sports Hub as home to the country’s elite track and field athletes.

Marestella, who lives in Bacoor Cavite, shared that with her training now so near her home she no longer has to go through the daily Ortigas traffic just to train. This allows her more time to focus on reaching her peak form as she prepares for the Asian Games.  And since the Vermosa oval is the only IAAF certified track in the country, she is now able to accurately monitor her performance and peg her progress based on international standards. 

Along with access to a world-class track oval, Ayala also provides the PATAFA athletes a hydration program care of Manila Water Company’s Healthy Family Purified Water, as well as financial support to help improve training and recruitment programs.

The 37-year-old Marestella goes to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang Indonesia to be held August 18 to September 2 as one of the country’s best hope for another Asian Games gold medal.

Indonesia’s Maria Natalia Londa won the women’s long jump gold during the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea with a leap of 6.55. Torres-Sunang beats this mark by a wide margin with a leap of 6.72 during the Kazakhstan Open July 2016 which is the national record. The feat assured her participation in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

She says her giving birth to a son and motherhood are not a hindrance. Rather she draws motivation from her family and her absence when she gave birth re-ignited her passion for the sport.

“Noong nag stop ako talagang na-mi-miss ko ang competition. Nag stop ako for one year. Wala talaga akong competition kasi nabuntis ako. So yon na-miss ko ang competition. So talagang naging maganda ang comeback ko dahil talagang naging eager ako na mag compete ulit,” said Marestela.

If anything, she says she is more motivated and more dedicated than ever before.

“Kung ano ang motivation ko noong dalaga pa ako doble ang motivation ko ngayong may asawa na ako at may anak. Ginagawa ko ito hindi lang para sa akin kundi para sa anak ko.  Gusto ko patunayan na kahit nabuntis ako pwede pa rin. Gusto ko ipakita na kahit nabuntis ka kung ang dedication mo nandoon pa rin then kaya mo itong gawin,” said Marestella.

The native of San Jose, Negros Oriental has always had to overcome plenty of doubters and obstacles in her career. She says he has never doubted her ability to succeed.

“Hindi naman naging hadlang sa akin ang mas matatangkad ang mga kalaban ko. Kasi napatunayan ko na noon pa na kaya ko mag compete against mas matangkad,” said Marestella.

The veteran has travelled the world representing the country. She is not fazed by the competition or in performing before an international audience in a world stage. She in fact welcomes the opportunity to compete against the best in the world which she says can only help her improve and be the best that she can be as an athlete.

“Nakita ako sa IAAF pag nagko compete ako pumapasok naman ako among the top sa world. Every time na mag compete ako, ako yung pinakamaliit at nananalo pa rin. Marami humahanga sa akin dahil ang liit ko pero malakas ako. So doon ako nagkaroon ng confidence. Kaya ko pala kahit maliit ako. Walang nagiging hadlang sa akin.”

No doubt the support of Ayala for PATAFA’s training and sports development program will be a big help for Marestella as she continues to dominate the local scene in her sport.

To learn more, visit www.facebook.com/AyalaCorporation/.

Bonifacio Global City, Philippines – UN Sustainable Development Goals 2017 Pioneer, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, shared the journey of Ayala on sustainability in an informal chat with an exclusive group of CEOs and high-level executives held recently at the Shangri-la Hotel at the Fort. The CEO SDG Circle Forum is one of the major initiatives of the Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP) this year.

The GCNP is the local entity of the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative whose primary goal is to inspire and promote collaboration primarily among business corporations by encouraging the alignment of strategies and operations with ten universal principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals through the SDG goals and develop a sustainable community. With more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 organizations, based in over 160 countries and more than 70 Local Networks, it is spreading the word that companies everywhere — of all sizes and from all sectors — can play a role in improving the world.

In the Forum, Mr. Zobel de Ayala shared that he started with 15 to 20% of his time in the late 80’s to the non-profit sector. “I tried in my own way to start making a difference in non- business issues, issues that perhaps help the country in a broad way. I lead a number of initiatives such as chaired Children’s Hour initiative, and brought a consortium with the help of Ayala Foundation and brought computers in public schools….”

“My thinking continued to evolve: using the concept of shared value from Harvard School… about beginning to align the goals of the company with the development goals of the country.”

Mr. Zobel de Ayala continued to explain that he started to transform Ayala about 15 years ago and made it more relevant to the needs of the country, by developing products and services which also touch low income groups. He highlighted the importance of promoting the spirit of bayanihan and of aligning the goals of the corporation with the national development goals of the country because it makes the organization more relevant.

On the SDG, Mr. Zobel de Ayala said that “The SDG…… is an extraordinary framework. It’s clear. People are aligning to it globally. It’s United Nations-driven.” He felt that most companies are judged by Profit and Loss statements but it was equally important to look at how companies can contribute to issues like employment or health and be able to put a framework around it. He felt that it is time for private corporations to be recognized for such efforts.

Mr. Jose Teodoro “TG” Limcaoco, Chief Finance Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director of Ayala Corporation also joined the discussion and explained why SMEs can follow the sustainable path. With SMEs contributing to 99% of the employment of the country, Mr. Limcaoco explained that SME need only to take one or two

SDGs that are relevant to its business to start with. It is more important to find out what would work well for the business so that it can also help grow the business and the community it operates in.

Mr. Limcaoco also mentioned that sustainability can equal to profitability. This has been proven by the way Ayala has established its operations around sustainability. “It is about building business models around sustainability”, said Limcaoco.

For more information on the GCNP, please visithttps://globalcompactnetworkphilippines.orgor contact the GCNP Secretariat at 634-5722 and through email address localnetworkrepresentative@globalcompactnetworkphilippines.org.

The United Nations and the GCNP presented a plaque of recognition to Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala in the recently concluded CEO SDG Circle Forum. In the photo with Mr. Zobel de Ayala are (L-R) President of Dale Carnegie Training Philippines, Doodz Policarpio, UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines and Local Network Representative, Ola Almgren, Philippines, GCNP Chairperson, Yayu E. Javier, Ayala Corp. Head of Group Risk Management & Sustainability Vickie Tan and Ayala Corp. Managing Director TG Limcaoco.

Ayala Corporation (Ayala) has reaffirmed its support to the development and training of the country’s national track and field athletes, giving them access to the facilities of its newly opened Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.

Ayala had recently linked up with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and served as title sponsor of the just-concluded Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships in Ilagan, Isabela.

“We believe in our national athletes’ potential to inspire, drive and instill collective nationalism through sports,” said Ayala’s John Philip Orbeta. “One of the biggest gaps is an internationally certified athletics facility which the Vermosa Sports Hub provides as a means to improve their performance and competitiveness.”

At PATAFA’s new official home, athletes will train in the only International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) certified track & field oval in the Philippines with specifications and standards equivalent to those they will compete with internationally. Aside from the existing oval and Olympic- sized pool, upon completion of the Sports Hub’s first phase, PATAFA will also have access to the 600-square meter Sante Fitness Lab, a first-of-its- kind combination of facilities in the country, which will feature a strength and conditioning fitness facility, sports rehab areas, a Sports Science Laboratory, a dance studio, a spinning class area, bike shop and services, a nutrition and fitness café, VO2 max/lactate testing, plus conference and lecture rooms. Future plans include a provision for a 3,000 seat multi- purpose indoor sports arena.

Manila Water Company, Inc., through its subsidiary Manila Water Total Solutions (MWTS), will also be supporting this project with Ayala through a hydration sponsorship of Healthy Family Purified Water to the PATAFA athletes. Healthy Family will be supplying 4,000 bottles monthly of its 500ml variant to PATAFA for the duration of their training at Vermosa.

As advocates of environmental sustainability, MWTS will also be working together with PATAFA on a program called “Toka ng PATAFA”. This program is an advocacy on environmental stewardship and responsible consumerism that helps promote the value of waste segregation through the recovery of used PET (polyethylene) bottles. This is an initiative to be spearheaded by our athletes as champions for health and wellness, as well as, staunch partners for the environment.

Ayala will provide financial support to facilitate and strengthen PATAFA’s recruitment and training programs.

“Ayala’s support will help the athletes train better, perform better and hopefully bring more medals and recognition for the country,” said PATAFA President Philip Juico.

The eagerness to help improve the skills and international ranking of our national athletes has spurred the Ayala Group to do its part in helping Filipino athletes achieve excellence in their respective sports and succeed in various international competitions.

Succeeding in today’s volatile and uncertain times requires harnessing the power of innovation and effective collaboration. Recognizing this, Ayala Corporation held an insightful forum with key partners to better understand emerging disruptive forces, and discuss how to thrive in this era of extreme change. Held on 21 June 2018 at the Shangri-la at The Fort, the Creativity and Innovation Forum (C&I) was traditionally an internal event that is part of Ayala’s ongoing initiative to institutionalize a culture of curiosity and disruptive thinking across the group. This year, Ayala engaged its key partners and friends from outside the group, recognizing that the most impactful innovations emerge from the power of creative combustion—the intersections of diverse cultures, experiences, and capabilities.

“In parallel to the challenge of adapting our organizations against disruption, we are also called to build bridges of synergy between organizations… Collaboration between and among different groups is essential in all our efforts to harness innovation and solve the world’s biggest challenges,” shared Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and CEO of Ayala Corporation.

This year’s Forum welcomed back Prof. Hitendra Patel, Managing Director at IXL Center, and Professor at Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), who spoke about this year’s theme, Thriving in the Age of Disruption.

“You want to be the first to help drive what looks like a logical trend…and use that to create solutions,” shared Prof. Patel. “Disruptions happen very fast… you need to move faster than ever before. You need to be able to look into the future and create a picture of what it looks like. In that future world, you’ve got to see what the business impact is with the growth gap and everything else. From there, you’ll find your space to play in. And in that space, you can place teams that can run to make things happen.”

After the keynote address, Prof. Patel was joined in a panel by Rohan Sakpal, Country Managing Director (India) at IXL Center, and Prof. Joel Litman, Financial Innovation Expert at IXL Center and President and CEO at Valens Research. Vince Tobias, Head of Innovation at Ayala Corporation and Board Director at the Global Innovation Management Institute, moderated the lively discussion, where the panelists shared their thoughts on the value of innovation in building and safeguarding businesses.

Moderated by Cathy Yang, Managing Editor and Anchor at the ABS-CBN News Channel, a dynamic CEO Panel on Corporate Innovation followed to discuss how Globe Telecom, Sun Life Financial, and Pilipinas Shell—three of the country’s most forward-thinking companies—anticipate disruption, adapt their organization, and contribute towards building a Philippine Innovation Ecosystem.

Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe Telecom, discussed how Globe’s burning platform mentality helped the company anticipate disruptions in telecommunications, and successfully pivot Globe from being a pure telecommunications provider, to a digital lifestyle enabler powered by data. Riza Mantaring, CEO & Country Head at Sun Life Philippines Financial, meanwhile, highlighted the contributions of disciplined experimentation and adaptation to changing consumer behaviors as contributors to her company’s success despite being one of the world’s oldest companies, also in one of the world’s oldest industries. Lastly, Cesar Romero, President and CEO at Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, discussed Shell’s globally-recognized excellence principles and methodologies in forecasting scenarios, as well as how the company proactively and collaboratively responds to these forecasts.

Clearly, what used to be sources of strength are now vulnerabilities that can be exploited. What has brought success in the past may not be the same ones that will propel companies into the future. While disruption exists all around, innovation goes beyond increasing a company’s bottomline—there is a bigger, more meaningful goal as organizations respond to disruption. As such, Ayala and its partners remain committed to building a Philippine Innovation Ecosystem to drive the country forward. As Cathy Yang concluded, “Innovation in business is of critical importance—and having the courage to thoughtfully question the status quo is a good start in innovating. [There is] no room for complacency in this day and age of innovation. As they say, the only thing constant is change, so
embrace it. Onwards we go on our innovation journeys.”

from left to right: Rohan Sakpal – Country Managing Director (India) at IXL Center, Paolo Borromeo – President and CEO of AC Health, and Group Head of Corporate Strategy and Development at Ayala Corporation, Prof. Hitendra Patel – Managing Director at IXL Center and Professor at Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), Ernest Cu – President and CEO of Globe Telecom, Riza Mantaring – CEO & Country Head at Sun Life Philippines Financial, Cesar Romero – President and CEO at Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Cathy Yang – Managing Editor and Anchor at the ABS-CBN News Channel, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala – Chairman and CEO, Ayala Corporation, Prof. Joel Litman – Financial Innovation Expert at IXL Center and President and CEO at Valens Research, Vince Tobias – Head of Innovation at Ayala Corporation and Board Director at the Global Innovation Management Institute.

Volkswagen Philippines unveiled at the Shangri-La at the Fort on May 18 five new models to re-define how the world-renowned German marque in the Philippines will develop and expand its local presence.

Ayala Corporation President and Chief Operating Officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala led the unveiling ceremony by driving one of the highlight vehicles onto the stage – the Santana MPI M/T Trendline. Other models introduced were the Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, the Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline, the Santana GTS MPI A/T Comfortline, and the Lamando 280TSI DSG Highline.

Three of the five new models— the Santana, the Lavida, and the Tiguan —are available at the entire dealership network starting May 19, while the Santana GTS and the Lamando will be offered in November.

Volkswagen, which according to Shanghai Volkswagen First Vice President David Powels in his welcome remarks, continues to be a strong brand worldwide and even the number one choice for car buyers in many markets, offers these five new models as being “tailor made” for Asian customers. In fact, these five models have had notable successes in China, the world’s biggest and most competitive automotive market.

The Santana, which was among the 10 best-selling models in China in 2017, is powered by a 1.4-liter Multi-Point Injection (MPI) 4-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, with maximum power output of 90 Ps at 5,500rpm and maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3,800rpm. For ride comfort and stability, the Santana features electronic power steering, front McPherson Independent Suspension, and rear composite torsion beam semi-independent suspension. Safety highlights include ISOFIX anchorage points (mounting fixture for two child seats on rear seat bench), Anti-lock BrakingSystem (ABS), and immobilizer. Available exterior colors are Polar White, Reflex Silver, Pepper Grey and Deep Black with an SRP starting at P686,000.

The Lavida, which is still the best selling sedan and second best-selling model for the entire Chinese car market, is equipped with a 1.4-liter Turbocharged Stratified Injection (TSI) 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission, capable of 130 Ps of power at 5,000 rpm and 225 Nm of torque at 1,400 to 3,500 rpm. The interior features and comfort amenities include leather seat material, cruise control, Climatronic air conditioning, and sunroof. Safety highlights include the Electronic Stabilisation Program (ESP) with Brake Assistant, ABS, Electronic Differential Lock and Anti Slip Regulation (ASR), hill hold control, Push Start, and Front and Rear Park Distance Control (PDC). Available exterior colors are Polar White, Reflex Silver, Deep Black, Limestone Grey, Sunset Red, and Opalsilver Metallic with an SRP starting at P1,171,000.

The Tiguan, which has comfortably maintained its position as segment leader in China with 330,000 units sold, has a 1.4-liter TSI 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 6-speed DSG transmission. Maximum power output is 150 Ps at 5,000 rpm, while maximum torque is at 250 Nm at 1,750 to 3,000 rpm. Its interior features and comfort amenities include “Vienna” leather seat material, 2-zone Climatronic airconditioning, Panoramic sunroof, 8 speakers, and driver power 12-way seat adjustment.

Safety systems include ISOFIX anchorage points, ESP, ABS, brake assistant, ASR, EDS, EDTC, hill hold control, and rear PDC with acoustic warning signal. Available exterior colors are Polar White, Titanium Beige, Hunting Brown, and Deep Black with an SRP starting at P1,648,000.

On the other hand, the Santana GTS is powered by 1.5-liter 4-cylinder in-line MPI gasoline engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission while the Lamando is equipped with a 1.4-liter TSI 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission.

The warranty coverage for all these five new models are comprehensive. Aside from the 3 years or 100,000-km general warranty, whichever comes first, Volkswagen Philippines also offers a 3-year warranty for paint and another 3-year warranty for through-corrosion of the main steel body structure.

The periodic maintenance service (PMS) interval schedule for these new models is also structured for its owners’ convenience. The PMS interval is once a year, or every 10,000 kms, whichever comes first. This is more convenient and more cost-efficient compared to the industry-standard 5,000-km PMS interval.

Beyond the vehicles’ value-for-money specifications, features, and the warranties and PMS intervals, the five new models unveiled open new chapters to the continuously evolving relationship between Filipinos and Volkswagen, making the world-class auto brand much more accessible than ever to the Filipino car-buying public.

This unique, cross-generational relationship between Volkswagen and the Filipino was highlighted when AC Industrials President and CEO Arthur Tan took to the stage before the formal unveiling to address guests and the media. He stressed that the new models would undoubtedly add to the growing heritage of the Volkswagen brand in the Philippines, helping Volkswagen continue to be an integral part of the Filipino culture, crossing over many generations and economic classes.

Tan also remarked how Ayala Corporation provided that special relationship the needed boost when, on May 27, 2013, Volkswagen AG appointed Ayala Corporation as its sole importer and distributor of Volkswagen vehicles in the Philippines, making the German brand become part of the globally renowned family of automotive and motorcycle brands, such as Honda, Isuzu, and KTM, under the nurturing wing of AC Industrials. AC Industrials comprises AC Automotive and Integrated Microelectronics Inc, or IMI, representing Ayala Corporation’s manufacturing and automotive assets. Since then, under the able management of AC Automotive, Volkswagen Philippines has achieved a string of successes, most notably the establishment of 8 dealerships in Luzon and in Visayas. Volkswagen cars have also received accolades from various local award-giving bodies.

And now, as declared by Fernando Zobel de Ayala himself, more Filipinos who are involved in their own passions—whether they be businessmen, adventurous outdoorsmen, millennials, or even everyday working men or women—can now own a Volkswagen.

History has been made, now that automotive excellence and heritage unique to Volkswagen are within reach of the hardworking, daring Filipino. And when these cars eventually bring you to the verge of your own personal breakthrough, that’s when you know that with Volkswagen, Your Drive Just Got Better. The Santana MPI M/T Trendline, Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, and Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline are available at all eight Volkswagen Philippines dealerships: Volkswagen BGC at 938 28th Street City Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; Volkswagen Quezon Avenue at 1229 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City; Volkswagen Alabang at Caltex along Alabang-Zapote Road, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Volkswagen Greenfield District Service Center at 833 Sheridan Street, Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City; Volkswagen Pampanga at McArthur Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga; Volkswagen Cebu at A. Soriano Avenue, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City; Volkswagen Iloilo (upper ground level of SM Iloilo along Benigno Aquino Sr. Avenue), and Volkswagen Bacolod (along Araneta Street, Singcang, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental).

Makati, Philippines –  Ayala companies were among the top winners in the recently concluded 2018 StrategicRISK Asia Pacific Risk Management Awards, which culminated in an event held last May 8, 2018 at the Grand Hyatt Singapore.

“The StrategicRISK Award has been launched to recognize those individuals or firms who have gone the extra mile to embed risk into the decision-making fabric of their organization. We want to recognize and reward organizations and individuals who can demonstrate they have gone the extra mile with measurable results to introduce or improve their risk management strategies in Asia-Pacific,” StrategicRISK Asia-Pacific publisher William Sanders explained.

For this year, the award for Asia-Pacific Risk Management Team of the Year, a category that recognizes risk/management teams who achieved notable success in the implementation of risk management initiatives in 2017, was presented to Ayala Corporation.

Ma. Victoria Tan, was also recognized for her individual contributions to the risk management community in her role as Ayala Corporation’s Head of Group Risk Management & Sustainability and was awarded the Asia-Pacific Risk Manager of the Year award.

The Enterprise Risk Programme of the Year award was bagged by Manila Water Corporation. This category gives recognition to organizations who have been able to successfully implement or improve their enterprise risk management approach in 2017. All three other nominees in this category were notably also from the Ayala group of companies, namely Ayala Corporation, Globe Telecom and Bank of the Philippine Islands. This was the same award garnered by Ayala Corporation in 2017.

From left to right: Duncan Ainsby, Regional Director, Strategic Account Management of Aon Hong Kong | Jocelyn Frances Sison, Chief Risk Officer of MWC | Ma. Victoria Tan, Head for Group Risk Management & Sustainability of Ayala Corporation | Lauren Gow, StrategicRISK Asia-Pacific Editor | Alastair Nicoll, Regional Director, Aon Captive and Insurance Management Singapore

“The SDGs have provided a much needed structure that’s enabled us to view our business strategy and operations from the lens of sustainable development,” says Ayala Corporation chairman & CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, one of the United Nations Global Compact‘s celebrated #SDGpioneers in 2018. Watch this video now to see how these business leaders are making a difference in the corporate world through their principles-based approach.

Youtube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRc-GhzPeEY&feature=youtu.be

The Government of Japan announced on April 29, 2018 the conferment of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, on Mr. Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Chairman Emeritus of Ayala Corporation, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the economic relations between Japan and the Philippines.

As a major conglomerate in Philippine industry, Ayala Corporation (AC) covers a wide range of businesses including real estate, finance, telecommunications, and water. AC has also been doing business with Japanese companies for a long time. Thanks to Mr. Jaime Ayala’s strong leadership, a lot of projects have been successful.  For example, in 1990, AC established an industrial park, which helped recover the confidence of investors after incidences of insurgency, and contributed to increase in investments in the Philippines by Japanese companies.

In addition to the above, AC has organized several Japanese-related exhibitions, such as Japanese Manga, an exhibition to commemorate the damage of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and the Kusama exhibit in Ayala Museum. Yayoi Kusama is famous Japanese Avant-garde sculptor. AC has contributed greatly to the understanding and promotion of Japanese culture in the Philippines.

The Government of Japan extends its sincere congratulations to Mr. Ayala, and hopes that he will continue to take an active role in further strengthening close relations between our two nations.

MAKATI, Philippines – AC Education, Inc. (“AEI” or “AC Education), the wholly-owned education arm of Ayala Corporation, announced today that it has assumed ownership of approximately 96% of the outstanding voting shares of National Teachers College (“NTC”). AEI was selected by the NTC Board and its shareholders through a competitive bid process.

NTC is located in the University Belt, Manila and was founded in 1928, as the first school in the country to offer General Education leading to a Bachelor of Science in Education. It has a long track record of commitment to excellence in teaching, growth and inclusion, with approximately 10,000 students from Basic to Higher Education. It is one of the most well-recognized teacher education institutions in the country, with Level III Accreditation from PACUCOA for its Bachelor programs in Elementary and Secondary Education, and over 3,500 Education students in both college and graduate programs. NTC also offers programs in Accountancy & Business, Arts & Science, Hospitality Management and Information Technology.

Ayala Corporation started investing in the education sector in 2012 through AEI, with a vision of empowering Filipino parents and their children by delivering inclusive, quality education that enables significantly improved employability for its high school and college graduates. AEI achieves this through proprietary student value-add programs, experiential and industry-based curricula, systematic teacher training, an emphasis on values and life skills, and a strong employer-partner network. AEI’s programs have consistently and significantly improved the average hiring rates and starting salaries of its graduates.

In Basic Education, AEI has built the largest chain of stand-alone, private high schools in the country, Affordable Private Education Center, Inc. (“APEC Schools”). APEC Schools began in 2013 with one school site and 130 students. Since then, it has scaled up to over 16,000 students, with 23 branches across Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal and Batangas. APEC Schools offers Junior High School and Senior High School with an innovative and progressive approach to both learning and employability, in a fully-airconditioned environment at affordable price points.

AEI has also invested in the University of Nueva Caceres (“UNC”) located in Naga City, with over 8,000 students. It is the oldest and one of the largest private schools in the Bicol region, offering programs in Arts & Sciences, Basic Education, Business and Accountancy, Computer Studies, Criminology, Education, Engineering and Architecture, Graduate Studies, Law, and Nursing. Last
school year, UNC introduced an Industrial Management Engineering degree to further enhance the programs being offered by the College of Engineering and fortify UNC’s position in the region as a leader in Engineering. UNC also established a partnership with San Beda University to offer a Masters of Law program, making UNC the first university in the Bicol Region to offer the LLM program.

Together with NTC, AEI aims to help transform approximately 34,000 student lives every year through affordable, quality education.

Outgoing NTC Chairman, Atty. Rolando de Castro, stated:

“We are very grateful that several groups had expressed their sincere interest in continuing the legacy of National Teachers College as established by our forebears. In selecting the buyer who shall acquire the shares of NTC, it was important to look not only at the capability to expand the school’s horizons, but also at the alignment of values and vision for raising our Filipino youth to be excellent teachers, industry leaders, or capable, competent individuals, whatever path they may choose. We look forward to working with AC Education in this transition process and in moving NTC closer to becoming the world-class institution it was intended to be. We are honored to pass on the torch to AC Education, which we are confident will remain committed to building on the ideals upon which NTC was founded.”

During its first organizational meeting, the new NTC board elected AEI’s CEO, Mr. Alfredo I. Ayala, as its Chairman and President. Mr. Ayala stated:

“We are very pleased to be part of NTC, given its 90-year heritage, excellent track record and well-known brand in teacher education, its new and fast-growing programs in business and information technology, well-regarded faculty who are steeped in both theory and experience, employees’ unflagging dedication and vibrant school spirit. We are committed to working closely with all of NTC’s stakeholders to fulfill the vision of its founders and continue its growth momentum.”

Ayala Corporation Chairman and CEO, Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel De Ayala, stated:

“The Ayala Group is committed to investing in the Education sector because we recognize that it is critical to building our nation. We believe that NTC can play an integral role in our efforts to contribute to a better education system in the Philippines, because of NTC’s long and successful track record in producing quality educators who go on to teach in both public and private schools.”

AEI has made significant progress in expanding its educational platform through mergers and acquisitions. In January 2018, AEI announced that it had signed a Non-Binding Term Sheet for a potential merger with iPeople, inc., the listed holding company for the education sector of House of Investments Inc. The potential merger would include iPeople and its significant subsidiary, Malayan Education System, Inc., or Mapua University, a leading private engineering and technical university in the country, and its subsidiaries, Malayan Colleges Laguna and Malayan Colleges Mindanao.

BPI Capital Corporation acted as the exclusive financial advisor of AEI for this transaction.

National Teachers College
Website: https://www.ntc.edu.ph/

AC Education
Websites:

• AEI: http://www.aceducation.ph
• APEC Schools: https://www.apecschools.edu.ph/
• UNC: http://www.unc.edu.ph/

Contact Information

AC Education and National Teachers College
Marketing
Ramy Hocson
Email: ramy.hocson@aceducation.ph

Ayala Corporation
Corporate Communications
Yla Patricia G. Alcantara
Email: alcantara.ypg@ayala.com.ph

Investor Relations Office
Celeste M. Jovenir
Email: jovenir.cm@ayala.com.ph