It’s always a work in progress.
While there are many ways to leave a footprint or a significant mark to cement one’s leadership in a highly cutthroat industry, Philippine property giant Ayala Land Inc. is well aware that its commitment does not end in piling the last stack of bricks and completing a mere shell of what is envisioned to be a bustling community.
Amid the thriving, self-contained communities and booming business districts it has already created, Ayala Land is cognizant of an even much higher ambition to chase.
Instinctively, at the core of Ayala Land is a well-founded belief that creating masterplanned mixed-use estates is merely the starting point. Intrinsic in Ayala Land’s every blueprint is the bigger responsibility of reinventing and innovating sustainably, to breathe new life into the communities where it is present and with whom it seeks to co-create the future. In this way, Ayala Land is able to create and expand communities where its residents and workers are able to grow and achieve their aspirations, while serving a bigger goal of helping build a better nation.
Ambitious goal
Co-creating the future, a lofty, ambitious goal it may seem, has clearly taken the spotlight in the Ayala Land boardroom, where officers continue to hammer out new strategies that will allow it to stay true to its mission of enhancing land and enriching lives, while, more importantly, catering to the changing needs of the different markets.
Thus, on its 30th year, Ayala Land has brought the goal of “co-creating the future” to the fore.
“We came up with the campaign because we recognize the partnership we have with our customers. When we create a community, we make sure it’s responsive to their needs and aspirations. That’s why today, we have a wide range of product offerings that cater to various market segments,” explained Ayala Land president and CEO Bernard Vincent Dy.
Comprehensive portfolio
Dy pointed out that their campaign of co-creating the future is hinged primarily on
being able to reinvent and innovate, and on adhering to the highest standards of sustainability which he summarized in four focus areas: site resilience; pedestrian-friendly roads and access to public transportation; designed for eco-efficiency; and contributing to local economic development through commercial ventures and job generation.
“We have to make sure that our estates are relevant not only today but also in the future. This is why we maintain areas for redevelopment. It allows us to constantly evolve and
introduce new products that revitalize the community,” Dy said.
As of today, Ayala Land has in its comprehensive portfolio a total of 25 estates that are resilient, walkable, eco-friendly, and fully cognizant of the realities of climate change-each having crucial components that allow people, spanning across all markets, to enrich their lives through housing options, workspaces, as well as venues for shopping, leisure and entertainment.
At the onset, the focus of Ayala Land was to build business districts like Makati, followed by the development of Ayala Alabang and Cebu’s own business district. The success of these first three ventures-not only in terms of masterplanning and infrastructure development, but also in building communities-became the impetus to future strategies and projects.
Since then, Ayala land went on to embark on more ambitious projects that have seen or are near completion including Bonifacio Global City and Nuvali. It has likewise aggressively expanded its residential and commercial businesses to reach new markets, added leisure and tourism estates to its portfolio, thus driving the stellar performance of the company over the years.
“We are grateful to have individuals in the organization who share our deep commitment to create a positive, lasting impact on society. They strive to constantly reinvent the way we do things and come up with game-changing products and services that enrich the quality of life of our communities,” said ALI Chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala.
“We are fortunate to have been able to deliver a wide range of products to our customers over the past 30 years. We fully understand the responsibility that goes with this,” Zobel added. Dy added that their mission is to enhance land and enrich lives for more people. “Our intent is to reach out to more people. We are doing this by expanding to more areas in the country and broadening our product lines to be able to serve more Filipinos,” Dy said.
“It is important that we continue to engage our stakeholders and understand what their needs and aspirations are, and then evolve our products to enrich customer experience,” he further explained.
Progressive Mindset Case in point is the constant reinvention and innovation that can be seen in Makati City as Ayala Land rolls out its redevelopment plans to suit the changing preferences of the market. Dy said that the company’s culture of innovation and progressive mindset give it confidence to create products that their customers will value over time.
For instance, at a prominent corner of Ayala Ave. and Edsa is a modern gateway taking shape. In this corner will rise what Ayala Land dubbed as the first-of-its-kind intermodal transport facility for the commuting public.
Further down at the heart of the country’s busiest financial and business district is a sprawling 7 hectares of prime real estate that is home to the Ayala Triangle Gardens-developed more than a decade ago to offer a respite of green space and a curated row of select dining options for the Makati populace. And by 2020, the northern tip of that parcel will soon be a picture of progress as it will house a top-grade office building and the new Mandarin Oriental Hotel, both of which will sit on an 8,000 sqm retail podium.
For Ayala Land, it’s about being sustainable-fueling growth and progress where it is needed by a larger population and driving success as a community so that its estates can serve many more generations.
“We will remain true to our vision and values, constantly reinventing and innovating to ensure our developments remain relevant and continue to thrive over time.” Dy concluded.
ADVT