As well as scooping the prize for Best Developer Overall in the Philippines, the real estate firm took first place in four of the top categories: Best Residential Sector, Best Retail/Shopping Sector, Best Office Sector/Business Sector and Best Innovative Green Development Sector.
Commenting on the awards, Bernard Vincent O. Dy, president and CEO of Ayala Land, Inc., said that it is “grateful for the recognition” and that the awards “affirm the continued trust of our investors, stockholders and stakeholders in our strategies, long-term plans for growth, and commitment to sustainability”.
The Euromoney Real Estate Survey, which rewards excellence within the global property sector, canvasses the opinions of leading firms involved in real estate worldwide. The 2019 survey collated senior executives’ opinions of the best providers of real estate products and services in their market during the past 12 months. The results were collected from a record number of 3,274 valid responses worldwide.
Awards and recognition
Ayala Land was recognized in multiple categories, which Dy ascribes to the company’s consistency and focus while executing strategies, “ensuring that our activities are directed towards reaching our long-term goals and creating value for our stakeholders”.
The company predicts further growth over the coming years, fuelled by the strong Philippine economy, which has been driven by an emerging middle class, a steady rise in GDP, strong local consumption, investment from overseas Filipinos, a thriving business process outsourcing sector and increasing tourism.
Ayala Land is perfectly positioned to support this trend with an expansion in all its business lines including residential, offices, hotels, resorts and shopping centres. In addition, significant growth is expected in its logistics business as demand for warehousing increases due to an upturn in both manufacturing and e-commerce businesses.
As Dy says: “Given the supportive economic environment and steady fundamentals of the property sector, we believe we can deliver continued bottom-line growth. This will come from a more balanced portfolio which we plan to achieve through continued geographic expansion and product-line diversification.”
Ayala Land is proud of its record of supporting local communities. Its residential estates are fully integrated districts that boost local economic development. Large capital expenditure drives construction projects and generates numerous jobs during development. “We also invest in community training and prioritize local hiring in the areas we operate, as well as allocating spaces for homegrown businesses in our malls,” says Dy.
Sustainable futures
Sustainability is central to the company ethos. Ayala Land plans to be carbon neutral on all its commercial properties by 2022. This ambition is based on accomplishments to date: in 2018, the company reduced or offset 62% of its carbon emissions, an increase from just 37% the previous year.
“To ensure site resilience, we conduct technical due diligence in our projects, screen for geohazards, provide space for refuge and rainwater absorption, and use native trees to enhance biodiversity and ecosystems services,” adds Dy.
“We take deliberate measures to procure renewable energy. We have allocated 560 hectares from our land bank to be protected, reforested and used as carbon forests, invested in energy-efficient equipment, and reviewed our design and operating practices to reduce power consumption in our facilities.”
While Ayala Land will remain predominantly a Philippine company, with its 55 growth centres across the country and 26 large-scale, mixed-use sustainable estates, it is keen to explore opportunities throughout the ASEAN region.
Dy predicts Ayala Land will continue to deliver bottom-line growth through a balanced offering of property development and commercial leasing products. He sums up: “As we look ahead, we will continue to build more sustainable estates in identified growth centres across the country, and our efforts are centred on delivering products that will serve more Filipinos, provide value to the community and enrich more lives.”