Ayala Group to help Philippine recover from pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Corp., the country’s oldest conglomerate, has thrown its support behind the Marcos administration, particularly on how the country can bounce back from the pandemic.

Ayala Corp. president and CEO Fernando Zobel de Ayala said the conglomerate is ready to help the country move forward after two years into the global health pandemic.

This comes after President Marcos laid down his plans during his first State of the Nation Address, providing the business community a clear blueprint on how the country will recover.

“We join the private sector in commending President Marcos’ comprehensive and actionable plans, particularly his administration’s focus on promoting the ease of doing business, attracting much-needed foreign investments, and encouraging private–public partnerships in key infrastructure projects,” Zobel said.

Marcos said his administration would continue to pursue private–public partnerships in the country, including the Duterte administration’s infrastructure push.

“President Marcos’ commitment to bolster private–public partnerships in the country is a testament to his administration’s willingness to work with the business community in addressing various pain points in the country,” Zobel said.

He said the strength of PPP has been quite evident during the course of the pandemic, citing as an example the unprecedented level of cooperation between the government and the private sector in capacitating our country’s COVID-19 management initiatives.

Zobel said the Ayala Group would continue to make investments across sectors.

“This year, the group intends to deploy P285 billion in combined capex and investments – 25 percent higher than 2021 – to contribute to catalyzing our country’s economic recovery and growth. And we are grateful that our priority investments for this year are very much aligned with the President’s agenda,” Zobel said.

Ayala’s Globe Telecom is spending P89 billion this year to continue improving and expanding its data infrastructure, 5G, and fiber broadband, supporting President Marcos’ digitization efforts.

“His intention to deliver 30 million national ID cards by the end of 2022 will help drive financial inclusion for the unbanked, which has been the continuing focus of BPI and GCash,” Zobel said.

Energy arm ACEN, AC Health, and Ayala Land will likewise support the Marcos administration’s plans and programs in the sector, he said.

AC Health continues to ramp up its healthcare investments and is currently building the country’s first dedicated cancer specialty hospital that will be completed in July 2023, while Ayala Land also commits to support the   country’s tourism infrastructure by building sustainable destinations.

Zobel said the Ayala Group would continue to do its part to advance the greater good.

“We look forward to working with the government and like-minded partners from the private sector to achieve this goal,” he said.