Building a nation, one community at a time

Ayala Land, the pioneer of the country’s large-scale, master-planned communities, is expanding nationwide with new mixed-use developments in Quezon City, Laguna, Angeles City, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, and Subic.

Bobby Dy, Ayala Land EVP and head of Residential and Commercial Business Groups, says, “If you look at our product offerings in the last three to five years, you will see that we have actually brought in various market segments. Ayala has always been associated with high-end development, but we have changed significantly in terms of our profile, not only in residential but also in retail. We are moving forward with our offerings to contribute to nation building and becoming all-inclusive, with our planned socialized housing, rather than catering to a narrow segment of the market.”

Ayala Land is certainly reaching out to the entire nation — from the very high end to the affordable. Ayala Malls, for instance, has the premier Greenbelt, a favorite of the well-heeled looking for designer brands, and it also has transit mall that is Metropoint. Meanwhile, its residential division has four brands: Ayala Land Premier (ALP), whose projects include the new Park Terraces in the Glorietta area with units going as much as P80 million; Alveo Land, whose projects include Two Serendra in Bonifacio Global City (BGC)and The Columns at the corner of Buendia and Ayala Avenues; Avida Land, which caters to starting families with a tighter budget; and Amaia Land, whose portfolio includes house and lots in Cabanatuan City and walk-up condominiums in Laguna. All these properties have a retail component that makes living and working there easy and convenient.

Ayala North Point in Bacolod: Ayala Land is going strong in its nationwide expansion, catering to different market segments and focusing on geographic growth centers.

Rowena Tomeldan, Ayala Land VP and head of operations, Commercial Business Group, adds that the retail group of Ayala Land continues to follow the lead of the company’s residential division. “We began reaching to a wider market with Metropoint, at the corner of EDSA and Taft Avenue, which is a transit-oriented mall catering to a segment that is different from our traditional market. Also, Market! Market! in BGC caters to the more value-oriented segment.”

Also in the works is a retail strip at Camp John Hay in Baguio City. Cora Dizon, vice president and head of business development, Commercial Business Group, says, “It is a small cluster of retail development that aims to support the BPOs in Camp John Hay. Apart from servicing their needs, we want it to be a destination for Baguio residents. The size is 3,000 square meters and outlets like Starbucks and Yellow Cab are already operational. We’re looking for more homegrown concepts.”

“We are heavily now into our nationwide expansion and we are looking at our developments in a holistic way,” says Dy. “We are focusing on geographic growth centers and putting in integrated, mixed-use communities, which have residential, offices, and malls, and possibly hotels. It’s highly synergistic, each one contributes to the profitability of the other.”

What’s also great about Ayala Land’s nationwide expansion is that it is generating jobs in the communities. “We source the labor pool from the community we are building in.” 

The Glorietta redevelopment includes a stunning new mall, residential and hotel components — each enhancing and enriching the other.

Sustainability Initiatives

One of the things that Ayala Land prides itself on is that it practices what it preaches when it comes to sustainability.

“Look at the way the country has evolved — people are now looking more at sustainability,” says Dy. “Over time we have seen a sort of shift in market preference for integrated, mixed-use communities. If you are living in a particular place, you want services and shopping to be within walking distance. That in effect is basically transforming the way people live and commute. Lifestyles are changing because we are developing a lot of these communities that have less of a need for people to use their cars.”

The way Bonifacio Global City has been developed is the perfect example of this lifestyle. The 240-hectare project of Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation, a joint venture of Ayala Land and Evergreen Holdings, integrates residential, commercial and leisure spaces — all within walking distance of each other. Residents of Serendra, for instance, have access to shops, fresh markets, a supermarket and a department store, bookstores and restaurants just by crossing the street — Market! Market! on one side and Bonifacio High Street on the other.

Also, the way Greenbelt was redeveloped and the way Nuvali was built and now the retail complex in Camp John Hay — Ayala Land worked around the trees to preserve the natural environment. 

Even non-residents of Ayala communities are benefitting from sustainable practices in the way the malls are designed. “We are encouraging a lot of passive ventilation in our newer developments,” says Dy. “The market is also looking for open-air dining, and we make sure there is weather protection even if it is open. This saves a lot of energy and makes the mall more sustainable. . Small things matter, like the guardhouse in Nuvali is powered by solar panels.”

Rowena Tomeldan, Ayala Land VP and head of operations, Commercial Business Group; Bobby Dy, Ayala Land EVP and head of Residential and Commercial Business Groups; and Cora Dizon, Ayala Land VP and head of business development, Commercial Business Group.

Dizon points out the design of the malls makes them naturally energy efficient.

Tomeldan adds, “The lagoon in Greenbelt catches rainwater, which is then used for irrigation. We also have sensors to make sure that when it’s about to rain, we don’t irrigate the trees and plants. In Greenbelt, we decided to integrate the park into the development. What was a distinct feature before is now a basic in all our developments like Bonifacio High Street and Ayala Center Cebu’s The Terraces.”

The Ayala Malls plays a big role in educating consumers on sustainable practices — emphasizing that even little things, like bringing your own bag when shopping, can add up in a big way for the country’s environment. Unused plastic bags could mean less clogging for Metro Manila’s esteros. In a metropolis that is besieged by floodwaters every time it rains, this is the least and easiest that consumers can do for the environmental cause.

“We started our Greenology campaign to encourage the public to avoid using plastic bags,” says Tomeldan. “We are giving a lot of importance to our sustainability initiatives.”

Two years ago, Ayala Malls added a category in its annual Merchant Rewards — the Green Merchant Award — to recognize stores that have their own sustainability initiatives. 

Seamless Spaces

Centrio in Cagayan de Oro is an integrated, master-planned community located in the heart of the city.

One thing you will notice about the recent residential projects of Ayala Land is that they are alive with activity — and that’s mainly because of the retail component within the developments.

“If you look at The Columns and The Residences at Greenbelt, the ground floor for the most part is retail, for two reasons: one, it makes the community more attractive because everything is within reach so it’s a lot more convenient for people to do their daily shopping, and two, it makes the place feel more alive, and that basically gives life to the area. ” says Dy.

“These retail spaces are very important, they make the whole experience highly interactive. Even Ayala Avenue buildings today have retail on the ground floor.”

While the retail component of a residential development may be a small one, it is nonetheless important for the Ayala Malls Group to choose the right mix. “We are constantly reviewing how customers’ preferences are evolving so our merchant mix stays relevant.”

On a bigger scale, the malls are elevating the whole shopping experience. “When you look at shopping centers, it’s really about the experience,” says Dy. “It’s not like driving where you want to go from point A to point B and you take the shortest distance. Our shopping centers have become destinations in themselves. The design and the selection of merchants are very critical.”

Abreeza Mall in Davao: An immediate success with Davaoeños that it had to expand only a few months after opening.

Ayala Malls are more than just venues or hubs where people eat, shop and spend family time. Rather, they are places that nurture and transform the way people live and interact with each other. As more communities are built across the country, Ayala Malls will continue to redefine the Filipino lifestyle as part of a live, work and play environment.