Category: News

Ayala Corporation has been at the forefront of nation-building for almost two centuries. While its businesses have continuously evolved to address the ever-changing needs of Filipinos, the aspiration to contribute to the country’s development has remained at Ayala’s core for 189 years.

A growing economy requires efficient and reliable transportation. From participating in a consortium that modernized Manila’s first elevated commuter train, Ayala is now taking a bold move to transform land transportation in the Philippines—reminiscent of the bold step taken by Jacobo Zobel y Zangroniz when he introduced Manila’s first tramcar service over a century ago.

Tranvia: Manila’s first public transportation

At a time when most Filipinos relied on horse-drawn carriages, a full-time partner of the Ayala enterprise took inspiration from the ubiquitous tranvías of Europe and established the first tramcar service in Manila.

Together with his partners, Jacobo Zobel y Zangroniz organized a public utility called Compañía de los Tranvías de Filipinas, which received the concession to operate streetcar services in Manila. 

The earliest tramcars were drawn by a single horse and could carry a maximum of 12 passengers. Zobel’s company immediately converted them to steam operations with a loan from Banco Español Filipino (precursor of Bank of the Philippine Islands).

With five city routes that crisscrossed the Pasig River, the tram became Manila’s major means of land transportation. In 1903, Compañía de los Tranvías de Filipinas was absorbed by the Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company.

LRT-1: Manila’s first elevated commuter train

Thousands of Filipino commuters rely on trains for their daily commute. In 2014, Ayala Corporation took part in a consortium that assumed the operation of Metro Manila’s first elevated commuter train. This consortium transformed the then severely deteriorated Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) into a safe and efficient mode of public transportation, servicing an average of 500,000 passengers daily, pre-pandemic.

Since taking over LRT-1 operations and maintenance, the consortium has invested almost P12 Billion for the rehabilitation of the existing system and integration with the future Cavite Extension. It has rehabilitated the 40-year-old first-generation trains, resulting in an increase in train capacity to serve more passengers and significantly improving train reliability and passenger comfort.

To address the demand for an improved and integrated public transport in the country, the consortium invested P13.2 billion in its LRT-1 Cavite Extension project, which will create eight new stations along the 11.7-kilometer stretch from Baclaran to Bacoor. Once completed, LRT-1 is expected to service up to 800,000 new passengers per day.

The Philippines’ first electric vehicle ecosystem 

Last year, Ayala rolled out the country’s first integrated electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem that seeks to support the growth and adoption of EVs in the country.

Ayala harnessed the strengths of its business units. Integrated Micro-Electronics, Inc., which manufactures various components used to build EVs, ventured into manufacturing electronics and assembling power supply systems for EV chargers. Ayala Land rolled out 22 EV charging stations in malls, offices, and industrial parks last 2022. This 2023, Ayala Land will be expanding this service with the rollout of more fast charging stations in its properties.

Meanwhile, Ayala’s vehicle distribution arm AC Motors launched its very first EV through the introduction of the Kia EV6 in the Philippine market. Globe (through 917Ventures) and Ayala Corp have partnered with Taiwanese firm Gogoro to pilot the use of its fully electric motorcycles in the Philippines.

In a recent interview, AC Industrials President & CEO Art Tan said the Ayala group holds several capabilities that can enable the auto industry’s move towards electric vehicles—from renewable power generation, manufacturing and operation of chargers, to vehicle distribution and retail. “We are proud to be at the forefront of this major technological disruption here in the Philippines,” he added.

Land transportation has come a long way since the tranvias first plied Manila over a century ago. From modernizing the first elevated commuter train to paving the way for the adoption of electric vehicles, Ayala continues to find innovative ways to respond to the changing needs of the time, for the greater good.

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Ayala Corporation has been at the forefront of nation-building for almost two centuries. While its businesses have continuously evolved to address the ever-changing needs of Filipinos, the aspiration to contribute to the country’s development has remained at Ayala’s core for 189 years.

With the establishment of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health) in 2015, Ayala Corporation affirmed its commitment to helping communities and driving progress. AC Health aims to make healthcare accessible to Filipinos, similar to the purpose of Botica Zobel, 189 years ago.

Botica Zobel:  Improving Access to Medicines

In 1834, Casa Roxas, the earliest precursor of Ayala Corporation, was established in Manila. That same year, a pharmacist from Hamburg saw the need to improve the health of people and established La Droguería y Botica de Zobel in Intramuros. Soon, the two enterprises would find a common manager in Jacobo Zobel y Zangroniz, who inherited his grandfather’s pharmacy and also became involved in his wife’s family business, by then called Ayala y Compañía.

Botica Zobel’s legacy found new life through Generika Drugstore, a member of the AC Health Group since 2015. As a pioneer in the retail of quality generic medicines from well-known pharmaceutical manufacturers from around the world, Generika Drugstore continues to influence and shape the retail pharma industry.

Generika: Expanding Access to Affordable Medicines

In the Philippines, health spending remains largely out-of-pocket. Retired Ayala executive Teodoro L. Ferrer and French social worker Julien B. Belo founded Generika Drugstore when they saw a common struggle among many Filipinos to keep up with the rising costs of medicines.   

From a small store in Montillano, Muntinlupa, in 2004, Generika has grown into a network of over 750 drugstores nationwide. As the retail pharmaceutical arm of AC Health, Generika plays a key role in bridging healthcare gaps by providing access to quality and affordable generic medicines.

“With so many people hurting from these trying times, our value proposition of providing access to quality generic medicines that can provide as much as 85% savings versus the leading brands should resonate more. Filipinos need not deprioritize their health to meet other pressing needs. They can access our portfolio of quality and affordable generic medicines and our PLUS Services across our network of stores and in the communities we serve,” said Generika Drugstore President and CEO Atty. Yet Abarca.

Over the years, Generika Drugstore has been a valued and trusted partner to various organizations and local government units in improving healthcare in the country. Apart from medical missions and other charitable causes, the company also educates the public about the benefits of generic medicines and how they compare with their branded counterparts—an advocacy shared with the Department of Health. This has led to mutual support in pushing for increased public awareness of generic medicines as aligned with the government’s call to improve drug accessibility in the country.

AC Health: Improving Healthcare for Filipinos

Since its establishment 189 years ago, Ayala has deepened its roots in healthcare through AC Health. With its three pillars—pharma, hospitals and clinics, and digital health—AC Health envisions to provide a seamless healthcare experience for every Filipino.

Working closely with Generika, IE Medica and MedEthix serve as AC Health’s key channels to bring in a wider range of affordable medicines for Filipinos.

With their multi-specialty clinics, ambulatory centers, and full-service hospitals, Healthway and QualiMed complete the entire continuum of patient care.

These services will be made more accessible through the upcoming launch of the new KonsultaMD superapp, which will provide users convenient access to healthcare professionals, ancillary care, and medicine delivery.

“At AC Health, we always underpin everything we do with our vision of building an integrated healthcare ecosystem. We continuously endeavor to innovate and drive synergies within our network to provide Filipinos a seamless and holistic healthcare experience,” said AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo.

By the third quarter of this year, AC Health will open the country’s first dedicated cancer hospital. The Healthway Cancer Care Hospital will offer a complete range of cancer services, from screening, diagnosis, treatment, to post-cancer care. It will be focused on improving the overall patient experience and enabling multi-disciplinary cancer care. 

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MANILA – AC Health’s Healthway Cancer Care Hospital, the country’s first dedicated cancer hospital, has reached 75 percent completion and is set to open in the third quarter of this year.  

Ayala Corporation’s Fernando Zobel de Ayala, who led the groundbreaking of the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital in 2021, joined AC Health and Ayala Corp. project leads in a site visit to the country’s first dedicated cancer facility last week.  

“I would like to congratulate the AC Health and the Healthway teams for this significant progress since we broke ground almost two years ago. The progress of this facility clearly shows the Ayala group’s vision to build the country’s first dedicated cancer specialty hospital. Soon, hundreds of Filipino cancer patients will have access to high quality but affordable cancer care,” Zobel said.  

Joining Zobel at the site visit were Ayala Corporation President & CEO Bong Consing, AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo, Healthway Philippines Inc. President and CEO Jaime Ysmael, Healthway Cancer Care Hospital Chief Operating Officer Jenara Ong, and Healthway Cancer Care Hospital Chief Finance Officer Ruby Chiong.

“We are very privileged to have our leaders here today. The swift progress of the hospital’s construction would not have been possible without the strong support of our leaders and shareholders from Ayala Corporation,” said Borromeo during the visit.

The Healthway Cancer Care Hospital will be the first comprehensive and dedicated cancer hospital in the country offering a complete range of cancer services, from screening, diagnosis, treatment, to post-cancer care. Equipped with 18 chemotherapy infusion units, two linear accelerators (LINACs), and all the essential diagnostic and imaging machines, the hospital will be focused on improving the overall patient experience and enabling multi-disciplinary cancer care.  

Borromeo also presented updates on the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital to cancer patients and advocates, healthcare providers and practitioners, government officials, and international experts at the Philippine National Cancer Summit held on February 23 to 24 at Crowne Plaza Galleria, Quezon City.

The event was organized by the Philippine College of Surgeons – Cancer Commission Foundation to rally stakeholders in the battle against cancer.

Drawing from AC Health’s experience in putting up the country’s first dedicated cancer hospital, Borromeo spoke about the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors in bridging the cancer care gap in the Philippines.

“I am a big believer that the private and public sectors should work hand-in-hand towards improving oncology care here in the Philippines. In no other industry is collaboration more evident than in healthcare, as we saw firsthand during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Borromeo.

Borromeo also shared how AC Health continues to work with like-minded partners, such as Siemens Healthineers and Varian, to help realize the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital’s vision of providing more affordable oncology care in the country.  

“Our goal is to offer the best value private hospital for cancer care. We are working with our partners to ensure that our cancer hospital will provide very competitive rates for diagnostics, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery to a broader base of Filipino patients,” said Borromeo.

Varian – Cancer Treatment Services International Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Amy Hay also participated in the summit and affirmed their commitment to bring in global best practices to strengthen the services of the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital.

In the special panel discussion, “A Closer Look at Cancer Centers,” AC Health Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Maria Carissa Alejandro further elaborated on interventions in reducing the cost of cancer care and how these can be applied in building the country’s first dedicated cancer hospital.  

“Health services need to go beyond pricing and focus on creating greater value for patients. We hope that the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital will serve as a model for more affordable cancer care in the Philippines,” said Alejandro.  

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MANILA — Thousands of Philippine Coast Guard officers and staff from the northernmost to the southernmost islands of the Philippines will now have access to #SaludoSaSerbisyo.

The PCG and Ayala on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, defining both parties’ commitment to address the various needs of PCG personnel through Saludo sa Serbisyo, Ayala’s comprehensive and sustainable needs-based program for the country’s uniformed servicemen.  

“Today, we are glad to be able to find some comfort and convenience for the hardworking and dedicated men and women of the Coast Guard through the Saludo sa Serbisyo program of Ayala Corporation,” said Admiral Artemio Abu, PGC Commandant.

“Ayala Corporation has a rich history of giving generous support to the uniformed personnel as a way of extending gratitude to the men and women in the uniformed service who make so much sacrifices for the sake of our country,” he added.

Through Saludo Sa Serbisyo, Ayala group offers convenient and expanded access to various products and services, such as home and car ownership assistance, financial education program, employment and livelihood program, and health & wellness program, to name a few.

“As a nation surrounded by water, the Philippine Coast Guard is absolutely intrinsic to the safety of our nation,” said Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman of Ayala Corporation. “Your genuine, selfless and tireless service to our country, which we have shown time and time again, inspires us to do so much more to do good.”

In his remarks, Zobel also recalled several instances when Ayala group and the PCG joined forces to address the immediate needs of Filipinos. 

In 2020, the PCG helped the Ayala group deliver relief to families affected by the eruption of Taal. In the same year, when Super Typhoon Rolly hit the eastern islands of the Philippines, the PCG helped the group transport potable water for affected families from Albay to Catanduanes.    

“Over the years Saludo Sa Serbisyo assisted families in the veiling of their first home, their first car, and even their first business,” Zobel added. “As we continue our partnership moving forward, we remain committed to further ramp up our engagement with the Philippine Coast Guard.”

“Nakakatuwa pong marinig na through Ayala, marami ang nagkaroon ng unang bahay, unang sasakyan, unang business opportunity,” Abu responded. “The Philippine Coast Guard has been looking after our countrymen, and it is truly comforting to know that there are organizations in the private sector willing to look after our Philippine Coast Guard personnel.”

Other beneficiaries of Saludo sa Serbisyo include the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.  

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MANILA – AC Logistics Holdings Corporation (AC Logistics) through its subsidiary Integrated Waste Management, Inc. (IWMI) and Ten Knots Phils, Inc., a subsidiary of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts Corporation that operates multiple resorts in El Nido, Palawan, recently signed an agreement for the transport, handling, and management of hospital and hazardous waste across the island resorts of El Nido.

IWMI is one of the leading waste management companies in the Philippines specializing in the handling of hazardous waste that include industrial and hospital wastes, among others. IWMI takes pride in serving 40% of medical establishments in Metro Manila.

The recent pandemic resulted in an increase in volume of hospital waste like face masks, hazmats, PPE’s, vials & syringes, diluents and expired medicines that requires proper handling and disposal. Javier Hernandez, President & CEO of Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts Corporation noted, “As our businesses grow and the tourism industry recovers, the challenge of managing different types of waste escalates, too. We at Ten Knots are only too glad to work with IWMI in addressing these challenges and meeting our sustainability objectives.”

IWMI is in the forefront in ensuring the responsible handling and disposal of hazardous waste. IWMI has been in the business of collecting and treating infectious and hazardous wastes for more than 30 years, and has been compliant with RA 6969 and DAO 2013-22. Being ISO 14001 Certified, IWMI has been one of the most trusted partners in the industry, with clients ranging from government to private institutions.

“It is an honor to be working with the Ten Knots Group in ensuring proper waste management in hotels and tourism estates. Our team is excited to collaborate with the group’s El Nido Resorts and Lio Beach in exploring innovative solutions and practices that protect El Nido’s communities and natural environment. Through this partnership, we hope to encourage more organizations to institutionalize proper hazardous waste management and ensure long-term positive impact.” – Chito Pacheco, President of IWMI

IWMI is part of the Ayala Group’s logistics subsidiary – AC Logistics Holdings Corporation. IWMI will be in charge of collection, transport, and proper treatment and disposal of Ten Knots Group’s medical and infectious wastes. Full service includes documentary evidence of how the generator’s hazardous wastes are treated and disposed.

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