Ayala Now May to June 2008 Edition 7/17/2008
Transcription
Ayala Now May to June 2008 Edition 7/17/2008
Higher, Stronger, Swifter pages 8 to 11 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 Integreon acquires Datum Legal, tops Black Book list of KPOs page 3 Montinola is new BAP president Avida donates land to Lipa Archdiocese page 4 page 14 Manila Water to manage Boracay Water and Sewerage System Department of Tourism secretary and concurrent PTA general manager Joseph Ace Durano recently signed the contract for management services with Manila Water to help address the growing environmental problems of the island resort, particularly with regard to water supply and wastewater treatment. “We are confident that Manila Water can bring to the island its expertise on water and wastewater management as it has done in Metro Manila’s east area,” said Durano. Tourism secretary and PTA general manager Joseph Ace Durano (left) shakes the hand of Manila Water president Antonino Aquino after announcing the PTA– Manila Water partnership in managing and improving Boracay Water and Sewerage System Manila Water Company recently announced that it has been tapped by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) to devise, implement, and monitor management plans that will improve the operations of the Boracay Water and Sewerage System (BWSS). With the growing influx of tourists to Boracay, the island has to cope with the demand for increased water supply as well as wastewater treatment. Sewage overflow and flooding have also become more pronounced on the island in recent months. Boracay currently gets its water supply from Nabaoy River in Caticlan from where it is conveyed to the island by submarine pipe. BWSS operates a water-treatment plant in Caticlan and a sewage-treatment plant on the island. However, while Boracay generates billions of pesos for the economy and as more tourists flock to the island, it has to immediately address growing environmental concerns if it is to retain its stature as the country’s most popular island resort. “As wastewater disposal and treatment have become a major concern, we would like to further help the government’s programs on environmental protection by doing what we can to help preserve Boracay as one of the country’s major tourist destinations,” said Manila Water president Antonino Aquino. “This partnership also provides us the opportunity to support the government’s efforts in making tourism an important vehicle for economic development.” Ayala Corporation 1Q net income reaches P2.6B, gains-adjusted earnings up 11% Ayala Corporation posted a net income of P2.6 billion in the first quarter of 2008. Excluding the earnings made from the sale of shares in the same period last year, this represents an 11 percent rise in net income year-on-year. Growth was sustained across all key businesses. Revenues from residential development rose by 19 percent with higher sales across all brands. Ayala Land Premier, Community Innovations, and Avida posted nine percent, 25 percent, and 37 percent revenue growth, “The past couple of years presented unique opportunities to realize values from investments we have made in prior years,” said Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala president and chief operating officer. “Conditions for value realization are limited this year given a more challenging operating environment. We believe, however, that current conditions may present opportunities for value creation and we continue to be on the lookout for value propositions that may arise from the fallout in global and domestic markets.” Ayala companies collect honors from FinanceAsia and Corporate Governance Asia Ayala Corporation is the Philippines’ best-managed company, according to FinanceAsia, a regional magazine on Asian financial markets. In its eighth annual poll of Asia’s top companies, FinanceAsia also cited Ayala as best in corporate governance and third best in investor relations and strong dividend policy among blue-chip Philippine companies. One hundred sixty-seven institutional investors and equity analysts from the region participated in the polls. Globe chief finance officer Delfin Gonzalez Jr. was once again named best CFO, followed by Ayala treasurer Ramon Opulencia. Gonzalez has received the award a total of five times since 2002. Listed Ayala companies also figured prominently in all categories. Globe Telecom ranked second among the best-managed companies in the country, while Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) and Manila Water shared seventh place. Globe, ALI, and the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) also ranked high in the corporate governance, investor relations, and strongdividend-policy categories. Manila Water was named second best company with midsize capitalization, while Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corporation, a unit of Cebu Holdings Inc., ranked second in the small-capitalization category. Other companies cited in the FinanceAsia survey include SM Investments, PLDT, Megaworld, Jollibee Foods, San Miguel, and Meralco. Ayala’s strong performance in the FinanceAsia poll comes on the heels of the Wall Street Journal Asia’s Most Admired Companies list, in which the conglomerate ranked first in longterm vision and corporate reputation, and third in the list of most-admired companies in the Philippines. Strong earnings from its property, telecom, water distribution, electronics, and automotive units were partly offset by lower earnings from its banking and business-process-outsourcing investments, resulting in a seven percent decline in equity earnings. This was partly cushioned by lower cost and expenses as parentcompany interest and financing charges declined by 31 percent. Property subsidiary Ayala Land posted a 42 percent growth in net income to P1.8 billion as consolidated revenues grew by 28 percent. Meanwhile, the 2008 Corporate Governance Asia awards once again recognized Ayala, Globe, and Manila Water as among Asia’s best in the area of good governance. Continued on p. 2 > Continued on p. 3 > The official publication of the Ayala group of companies News MWC’s water-system-loss strategy attracts international attention Manila Water Company’s expertise in reducing water-system losses was featured in the recent Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Management Training Course organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank Institute, South Asian Water Utilities Network (SAWUN), and Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN). In the past 10 years, Manila Water has dramatically reduced NRW from 63 percent to 23 percent by employing technical solutions such as holistic pipe replacement, and by forming supply zones, demand-monitoring zones (DMZs), and district-metering areas (DMAs). Manila Water has also come up with non-technical solutions including people transformation and community partnerships. With the significant reduction of water losses, Manila Water has been able to provide potable water to more customers, especially those in lowincome communities. Some 70 delegates from more than 10 countries attended the training workshop and benefited from the comprehensive program prepared by the organizers. The participants found Manila Water’s NRW reduction strategy to be very effective and were very eager to apply the same in their home countries. Recently, representatives of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) visited Manila Water to learn about the company’s best practices in reducing water losses and operating a reliable and efficient system. The study tour consisted of technical presentations, group discussions, and site visits to Manila Water’s facilities, including its water-treatment plant, pumping stations and reservoir, and sewage-treatment plant. The five-person delegation also witnessed Manila Water’s proactive customer service practices. The tour’s highlight was a visit to a poor community that has benefited from the Tubig Para Sa Barangay (TPSB) project, Manila Water’s flagship program that provides efficient and affordable services to low-income communities. Another group of delegates from BWSSB is scheduled to visit Manila Water later in the year. Manila Water continues to share its successful experience, especially in non-revenue water management, with other water providers. With its solid track record in the operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems, Manila Water plans to replicate its success within the region, particularly in India, China, and Southeast Asia. Virgilio Rivera Jr., Manila Water group director for Regulation and Corporate Development, shares the best practices of the company with the participants of the regional NRW Management Training Course In Tamil Nadu State in India, Manila Water has an ongoing management contract with Mahindra Water Utilities Limited in the operations of the 185-million-liter-per-daycapacity Water Supply and Sewerage System in the city of Tirupur. Ayala Corporation 1Q net income Continued from p.1 > respectively. Overall take-up of residential units rose by 17 percent. Shopping-center revenues grew by six percent, with higher lease and occupancy rates. Revenues from the corporate business segment also rose by 17 percent as a result of the sale of three hectares at Laguna Technopark’s expansion phase, higher office-occupancy rates, and rental rates. Net income during the period was enhanced by gains from the sale of shares in three of its subsidiaries early this year. The net income of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) declined by 52 percent to P1.5 billion. Despite the lower operating expenses, the 26 percent drop in revenues trimmed profits. Net interest income dropped by nine percent notwithstanding the P28 billion expansion in the average asset base. Non-interest income also fell by 46 percent as the rising interest rate scenario provided limited opportunities to realize securities trading gains. Last year’s income of insurance subsidiaries also included a P416 million gain from the sale of a property. Net loans were up by 14 percent, ahead of the industry’s nine percent growth driven by the middle market, small and medium scale enterprises, and consumer segments. Housing loans were a major growth driver, growing by 26 percent. Globe Telecom’s net income increased by 32 percent to P3.4 billion. Net subscriber additions reached nearly 1 million, putting total wireless subscribers to over 21 million by the end of the quarter. The fixed line business grew by six percent, driven by 73 percent and 15 percent growth in broadband and corporate data revenues, respectively. Cumulative broadband subscribers increased by 86 percent. Globe continues to strengthen its internal capabilities to support the anticipated growth in the broadband business. The margin for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) remains high at 64 percent. The financial performance of operating units under AC Capital was mixed. Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI), Manila Water, and Ayala Automotive reported healthy earnings growth that was negated by lower earnings of the BPO units. 2 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 IMI’s net income rose by 48 percent to $9.3 million due to higher volumes and lower fixed operating expenses. Revenues increased by 13 percent as a result of higher volumes from key customers. Manila Water’s revenues increased by 16 percent to P2 billion on higher billed volume and continued improvement in non-revenue water. As a result of its continuing capex program, Manila Water connected more than 10,000 new accounts to put total service connections at over 675,000. Cost and expenses were well contained and rose by only four percent, which put net income to P625 million, 22 percent higher year-on-year. The automotive business reflected healthy underlying demand, with auto sales up five percent compared with the same period last year. Revenues grew by six percent, but higher expenses related to the opening of new dealership operations last year, as well as higher interest expense, capped earnings growth. The auto group posted a four percent growth in net income year-on-year. Unlisted business process outsourcing (BPO) companies Integreon and Affinity Express both registered top-line and bottom-line results that were ahead of expectations. Integreon’s revenues were up 49 percent over the prior year, while Affinity Express won new contracts with two of the largest media groups in the US to service 114 newspapers and publications. Listed call-center company eTelecare has not yet released its first-quarter results but provided guidance during its February earnings call for 2008 revenues of $300–310 million (up 17 percent) and net income of $16–19 million, and firstquarter revenues of $70–72 million (up 15 percent) and net income of $0.7 million. Margins were projected to be lower in the first quarter due to one-time Sarbanes Oxley–related costs and infrastructure investments. Ayala chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said: “We believe the underlying fundamentals of each of our businesses remain solid. There are near term challenges exacerbated by the US credit crisis and rising food and commodity prices. We expect a more tempered growth momentum across various industries, which may affect some of our key businesses. However, we believe the strong market and financial positions achieved by each of our operating units will provide resiliency in the face of these difficult conditions.” Ayala Corporation was recently ranked third of the five most-admired companies in the Philippines, in a survey conducted by Wall Street Journal Asia. The company topped the categories for long-term vision and corporate reputation. Other Ayala companies also figured prominently in the rankings, with Ayala Land taking the top spot, Globe ranking fourth, and BPI fifth. A total of 2,477 executives and professionals from 12 Asia-Pacific countries participated in the survey. News LiveIt-owned Integreon acquires Datum Legal, tops Black Book of Outsourcing list of KPOs Integreon Managed Solutions Inc., a global leader in integrated knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), announced on June 3 that it has acquired Datum Legal Inc., a leading litigation support and electronic data discovery (EDD) company based in New York City. Ayala Corporation, Integreon’s majority shareholder, provided funding to finance the acquisition. Integreon is a subsidiary of LiveIt Solutions, Ayala Corporation’s investment arm in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. Overall Ranking, Knowledge Process Outsourcing 1. Integreon 11. WNS 2. Evalueserve 12. Innodata Isogen 3. RR Donnelley/Office Tiger 13. Accenture 4. Satyam BPO 14. Amba Research Aside from acquiring Datum Legal, Integreon has also launched a fixed price per document e-Discovery and accelerated document review solution, which will drastically and predictably reduce litigation costs, and improve the quality and speed of the document review. Chris Egan, Datum Legal’s founder and CEO, has been named as Integreon senior vice president and will oversee the company’s Discovery Solutions business. 5. Genpact 15. Mindcrest 6. iGATE 16. OPI 7. Copal Partners 17. Infosys Progeon Acquiring Datum Legal, with its experienced e-discovery professionals and state-of-the-art 20,000 square foot facility, builds on Integreon’s 2006 acquisition of Bowne & Co.’s Digital Litigation Support business to give Integreon unparalleled litigation support capabilities in New York. 8. Adventity 18. EXL Service Inductis 9. Wipro 19. iFlex 10. MphasiS 20. Aptara Meanwhile, Integreon was named the top-ranking KPO provider in the world by the Black Book of Outsourcing 2008. This is the third straight year that Integreon received the honor. Integreon is a leading global legal process outsourcing (LPO) firm with 400 offshore professionals reviewing litigation documents for law firms and Global 2000 corporations. With the addition of Datum Legal’s capabilities, Integreon now offers an integrated discovery management solution with a guaranteed fixed-price per document. Furthermore, corporations and law firms can now deal with a single point of contact for all the key elements of an e-discovery case: professional services, data reduction through analytics, processing, hosting, and attorney review. Integreon performs all services at its wholly owned facilities, both onshore and offshore. “Law firms and corporate legal departments want a single provider to efficiently handle all their litigation support needs at a lower, more predictable cost,” said Liam Brown, CEO of Integreon. “Our acquisition of Datum Legal means we now offer a single discovery management solution that includes the best of breed processing, hosting and review tools, and world-class document review teams in the US, India, and the Philippines, to deliver faster review at a predictable per-document price.” Alfredo Ayala, Integreon chair, added: “The slowdown in the United States [economy] has increased the need for companies to reduce their costs, so we are seeing very strong top-line growth for Integreon and other companies under LiveIt.” IMI to undertake equity call amidst hedging losses Integreon also ranked high in the Black Book’s other categories. It placed third among all LPO providers, and was the leader in the subcategory of litigation document review. It placed sixth among all document process outsourcing (DPO) providers, grabbing the top spot in the following subcategories: financial, regulatory, insurance, legal, and compliance document services. The Black Book also showed Integreon’s continuing rise in the BPO industry by naming the company as one of the 50 best-managed outsourcing vendors for the second year in a row. From being last year’s 49th best-managed BPO company, Integreon has jumped to the 39th spot. “Integreon’s strong rankings underscore our expertise across the range of research, legal, and document categories of KPO,” said Liam Brown. “We were also very pleased to have ranked number one in delivery excellence, breadth of offering, and process improvement, which our customers consider critical to successful KPO.” The Black Book of Outsourcing contains the results of the annual survey on the global outsourcing industry conducted by the Brown-Wilson Group, a Florida-based consultancy firm. The survey boasts of over 400,000 respondents from corporations, organizations, and government agencies who use or offer outsourcing services. Ayala companies collect honors from FinanceAsia and Corporate Governance Asia Continued from p.1 > Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI) has booked $23.2 million in realized losses and provided $10.3 million in mark-tomarket losses as of June 2008. The losses were a result of IMI’s currency-hedging contracts. The group had decided to hedge its peso expenses in 2007, when the peso was appreciating. However, the peso’s value has dropped this year—a turnabout from its being Asia’s best-performing currency last year, with gains peaking at 19 percent. In early June, the exchange rate was P43.9 to the dollar. According to Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Ayala chief executive officer, “The changes in the macroeconomic environment and the peso volatility have unfortunately affected the hedging position of IMI.” He added, however, that the IMI board has come up with a short-term program to correct its financial position by June 30. The IMI board of directors also approved a program to call for additional equity from its shareholders. The proceeds from the equity call will be used to support IMI’s expansion plan. (From left) Delfin Gonzales Jr., Globe chief finance officer; Jewel Austria, Manila Water assistant corporate secretary; and Renato Marzan, Ayala general counsel, receive the company awards at the Corporate Governance Asia recognition program held on June 26 in Hong Kong Corporate Governance Asia, the region’s authoritative journal on corporate governance published quarterly by Hong Kong– based New Initiative Media, cited the Ayala companies for the second consecutive year. Awardees were selected based on a publicly acclaimed track record for corporate governance, involvement in activities directly related to improving or enhancing the standards of corporate governance, and implementation of significant and specific CG-related reforms in the past year. The Corporate Governance Asia award is the fourth major award received this year by the Ayala group for good governance practices. Earlier this year, Ayala, Globe, BPI, and ALI obtained four of the five top rankings of the Institute of Corporate Directors’ 2007 Corporate Governance Scorecard Project. Ayala also ranked first in the category Best for Responsibilities of Management and Board of Directors among Philippine companies in AsiaMoney’s Corporate Governance Poll. The official publication of the Ayala group of companies 3 News Global Finance names BPI as RP’s best sub-custodian bank Global Finance magazine recently picked the Bank of the Philippine Islands as the Best Sub-Custodian Bank in the Philippines in its sixth annual survey of the best sub-custodians in the world. The survey measures the reliability of custody services provided in local markets and regions to global clients. BPI is the only local bank to be accredited as a third-party custodian, and also the first bank to act as such through its asset management and trust group (AMTG). BPI’s accreditation as custodian was largely made possible by its highly acceptable risk-based capital-adequacy ratio and recognized system of rating banks using six categories. These include capital adequacy, asset quality, management quality, and sensitivity to market risk. Global Finance editors and reporters, with input from expert sources, selected the winners from the institutions that reliably BPI’s Montinola is new BAP president Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) president and chief executive officer Aurelio Montinola III recently assumed the presidency of the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP). Composed of 40 local banks and foreign bank branches, the BAP is a non-stock, nonprofit organization that aims to ensure the strength and growth of the Philippine financial system, particularly in relation to the banking industry. Formally incorporated in 1964, the group keeps strong links with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and other government institutions (such as the legislature), as well as private banking associations. The organization is also a venue for member banks to discuss issues facing the commercial banking industry in the country. A recipient of the 2005 Asian Banking Leadership Award, Montinola is also on the board of directors of Ayala Land Inc. and Manila Water Company, and is president of BPI Foundation Inc. Prior to becoming president of the BAP, Montinola served as the organization’s vice president and, earlier, a member of its board of directors. provide the best custody services in local markets and regions to global custodians. The magazine’s criteria included customer relations, quality of service, competitive pricing, smooth handling of exception items, technology platforms, post-settlement operations, business-continuity plans, and knowledge of local regulations and practices. The winners were selected from nine regions and 53 countries. Global FInance, which celebrates its 21st year of publishing in 2008, has 50,000 subscribers and more than 284,000 readers in over 158 countries. The magazine’s audience includes chairmen, presidents, CEOs, CFOs, treasurers, and other financial officers responsible for making investments and strategic business decisions for large global companies and financial institutions. “At times like these, when markets are volatile and uncertain, sub-custodians are called upon to provide intelligence on local markets and sudden changes in regulations and practices. We have identified those banks that do the best job of providing the high-quality services, advice, and assistance that today’s increasingly sophisticated customers have come to expect,” said Joseph Giarraputo, publisher of the magazine. ASTI joins SODEC in Tokyo Ayala Systems Technology Inc., in cooperation with the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), recently participated in the Software Development Expo and Conference (SODEC) to showcase its capabilities in software development and outsourcing in the Japanese market. SODEC was held on May 14 to 16, in Tokyo, Japan. During the exposition, ASTI highlighted Global Bridge, the incubationsupport services in its exhibit suite. It also showcased other services, including systems integration, global resourcing, offshore software development, offshore testing and maintenance, creative services, infrastructure services, oracle practice services, and business process outsourcing (BPO). The other organizations that joined ASTI in the Philippine Pavilion were Advanced World Systems, Alliance Software, Astra (Philippines), Imperium Technology, N-Pax Cebu Corporation, WeServ Systems International, and Tsukiden Software Philippines Group. The Philippine delegation to SODEC conducted the following programs to ensure the effective presentation of the country’s software development and outsourcing capabilities: business matching, country presentation and business seminar, and a networking reception for prospective Japanese partners and clients. Officials from Ayala Systems Technology Inc. (ASTI) and Ayala Systems Japan (ASJ) showcase the group’s I.T. capability at SODEC 2008. (From left) Genesis Bautista, ASTI creative services manager; Tadaaki Sato, ASJ business development director; Shigeru Koda, ASJ president; and Melvin Lopez, ASTI Japan Incubation Supports Services bridge systems engineer 4 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 The country’s participation in this year’s SODEC showed Japanese information technology companies and other foreign visitors the competitiveness of software development in the Philippines. ASTI’s participation in the event not only showed the company’s serious efforts in promoting its products and services, but also demonstrated its commitment to championing the nation and its people in the global I.T. market. News News Manila Water earmarks P26 B for wastewater programs maintained septic tanks and the absence of sanitation facilities, especially among informal settlers living along the banks of rivers. About 80 percent of Metro Manila residents use septic tanks to collect their used water. To address these problems, Manila Water has already upgraded the biggest sewage-treatment plant (STP) in the country—the Magallanes STP, which serves the Makati commercial district. Manila Water has also put up 30 other package STPs and smaller STPs, including the UP STP, which has a combined capacity of 85 million liters per day. Manila Water employees embark on massive pipe-laying activities in keeping with the company’s goal of serving the residents of the East Zone better. With a P26 billion budget, Manila Water aims to improve the area’s sanitation and sewerage coverage to 30 percent by 2012 With 99 percent of the central distribution area of eastern Metro Manila already enjoying non-stop water supply, Manila Water Company has now given more focus to stepping up its efforts in increasing sewerage and sanitation coverage for its more than five million customers. “We have allotted P26 billion for various wastewater programs for the next 15 years beginning 2008,” says Manila Water president Antonino Aquino. “When we took over the East Zone in 2007, only about three percent of our area was connected to a sewer network. Now our sewer coverage is 12 percent.” With the completion of the Manila Third Sewerage Project in 2012, Manila Water’s sewer coverage is expected to go up to 30 percent. Pollution of major river bodies in Metro Manila is caused mostly by domestic wastewater, which accounts for 65 to 70 percent of the pollution of water bodies. This can be traced to improperly Recently, Manila Water has broken ground by using an innovative technology called combined drainage–sewer system, employing current drainage systems as conveyors of wastewater, which will be intercepted and treated before being discharged into rivers. For households that are not connected to a sewer network and are dependent mostly on septic tanks, Manila Water has intensified its Sanitasyon Para Sa Barangay (SPSB) program, which offers scheduled de-sludging services. About 270,000 households have already benefited from this program as of the end of 2007. Wastewater programs such as these contribute greatly to environmental protection by reducing pollution of water bodies. They also improve overall sanitation conditions, particularly in poor communities. Manila Water has allotted a total of P187 billion for its capital investment program for the next 15 years. Of this capital outlay, P37 billion will be spent over the next five years, with P7 billion set to be spent in 2008 alone. Timezone renews contract with Disney Globe’s recruitment system now fully automated Globe Telecom recently announced that it has made its recruitment process fully automated to further enhance the company’s recruitment system. The move is also expected to empower Globe’s management in all aspects of manpower requisition and monitoring. GRITS (Globe Recruitment IT Systems) is a project of the STAR Team (Strategic Talent Attraction and Recruitment) of Globe’s HR Service Delivery Center (SDC). GRITS began in 2007 with the launch of an exclusive platform for gathering and processing employee applications. Starting July 1, 2008, Globe’s manpower requisition form will be replaced by an automated system called eMR (Electronic Manpower Requisition). The new system allows line leaders to simply go online to request and approve manpower requisitions, track status of requests, and send reminders on pending approvals. An offshoot of the GRITS project is GERI (Globe Employee Referral Initiative)—a rewards program for employees who help bring in the right people for Globe’s vacant posts. Successful referrers can earn up to 35,000 GERI points, which are convertible to rewards items equal to the points’ peso value. GERI points are given to referrers in three tranches. The first tranch is given on the first day of the new hire, while the second and third tranches are given on the new hire’s third and sixth month of employment. This scheme challenges referrers to be more involved in the process by ensuring that their referrals adapt well in the organization. Through GRITS and GERI, Globe hopes to encourage its personnel to further help in building the company’s organizational capability. After all, co-workers or peers are considered as the overall top engagement driver in Globe. Globe Business provides TxtConnect service to M. Lhuillier Timezone recently renewed a three-year partnership contract with the Walt Disney Company, as represented by its Philippine marketing licensee, Fun Characters International. Now Disney and arcade-game fanatics can keep on having fun at Timezone Celebrates Disney corners at Glorietta 4, TriNoma, and Alabang Town Center. The Disney corners feature Disney-themed game machines, prizes, and exclusive promos. Some of the prizes that lucky players may win from the Disney games are stuffed toys of Pooh and friends, Mickey and friends, and other famous Disney characters. These stuffed toys may be as small as 12 inches or as big as 32 inches. Other prizes like Disney dolls, kiddie accessories, stationery, and school supplies can be redeemed in exchange for Powertickets at the prize counter. Even food items such as Disney mallows and peanuts can be won in games like Big Sweetland. Fans of Disney movies and television shows, meanwhile, can continue to make their Disney Powercard collection grow, as Timezone continues to offer promotional items tied up to Disney movies and shows until 2011. Just recently, Timezone released promo items and collectible Powercards featuring High School Musical 2 and Hannah Montana. Globe Business recently announced that it is the new partner of M. Lhuillier for its money-transfer service in the Philippines. Through TxtConnect, Globe now enhances M. Lhuillier’s Kwarta Padala service by enabling the financial services company to notify its customers via SMS of the availability of their funds and the details of their transactions. TxtConnect enables companies like M. Lhuillier to send high-volume text broadcasts to preregistered groups such as employees and customers. It provides business organizations with instant, targeted, and two-way communication lines so that they get to their people and clients faster and more efficiently. With this service, Globe’s corporate customers get to send messages simultaneously to thousands of people, create groups, schedule sending of messages, receive text replies, and generate reports for messages sent and received. (From left) Raffy Prats Jr., Timezone president; Cora Dizon, Timezone vice president and corporate treasurer; and Beibi Salazar, FCI managing director formalize the Timezone–Disney partnership 6 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 Sealing the partnership are (from left) Globe Business sales head for Visayas/Mindanao Rowena Moras, Globe Business heading product management Louie Villanueva, M. Lhuillier vice president Michael Lhuillier, and M. Lhuillier finance head Cecille Lumapas. News Globe’s Cebu volunteers win excellence award for social responsibility Members of the Globe Volunteers Team-Cebu (GVT-C) receive the Globe Corporate Social Responsibility Award for its projects on computer literacy, livelihood, and the environment. In photo are (from left) Atty. Manuel Gordon, Editha Ratilla, Aldrich Paypon, Mary Joy Tan, Cleofe Mendoza, Julyenda Sandil, and Michael Sandil For its work in helping improve computer literacy, as well as promoting livelihood and environmental programs in Cebu, the Globe Volunteerism Team-Cebu (GVT-C) won this year’s Globe Excellence Award for Social Responsibility. “The award greatly inspired and drove us to encourage more fellow employees to take the opportunity and experience the fulfillment of serving others as one Globe team,” said Aldrich Paypon, overall team leader. GVT-C started its Cebu projects in 2006 with Saturday outreach activities. In 2007, GVT-C launched the Computer Literacy Program, from which more than 300 high school and elementary students and 50 teachers benefited. A Computer Whiz Quiz Bee for high school students was held in the same year. Teachers were also given special materials that would help improve their computer skills. Other education-related projects that the group started were a leadership-training seminar for high school students, and laboratory-apparatusmaking and arts programs for grade school students. Composed of 71 volunteer employees, GVT-C implements projects supported by Globe Telecom’s Human Resources Employee Programs, which initiate and sustain activities in areas where Globe is present. Its goal is to be of service to others by helping uplift the standard of living of the residents in these communities, and to give them a stake in ensuring the safety of the cell sites found within their vicinity. GVT-C spearheaded a livelihood-training program on soap-making and candle-making for parents. The team also participated in a tree-planting activity with the Ayala Business Club Cebu. The group ended 2007 with a gift-giving activity that benefited as many as 800 students and teachers from the Guadalupe Elementary School and Maximo Noel Memorial High School. AFI annual report receives Wilmer Shields Rich Award Globe introduces new dataroaming plan for frequent travelers Globe Telecom recently unveiled Bridge DataRoam,, the most affordable data-roaming plan for frequent travelers. The new Bridge DataRoam offers a flat monthly rate of $15 for five megabytes of data. This offer allows users to save almost 80 percent on data-roaming services while accessing the services of any Bridge Alliance network member. Bridge Alliance, the leading mobile alliance in the AsiaPacific region, spans across 11 major territories, and counts 11 leading mobile operators from these territories as partners. It serves over 205 million customers and offers value-added services to frequent travelers who access the network. The Bridge Alliance operators are SingTel Optus in Australia, Maxis in Malaysia, CSL in Hong Kong, SingTel Mobile in Singapore, Bharti-Airtel in India, SK Telecom in South Korea, Telkomsel in Indonesia, Taiwan Mobile in Taiwan, CTM in Macau, AIS in Thailand, and Globe in the Philippines. AFI president Victoria Garchitorena (right) receives the silver award from Anne Cramer, Council of Foundations board member and IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs director, at the 2008 Wilmer Shields Rich Awards on May 5 in National Harbor, Maryland. This is Ayala Foundation’s third Wilmer Award. In 2006 AFI also received a silver prize for its 2004 annual report, while it won the gold award in 2007 for its 2005 report. The “Wilmers” is a project of the Council on Foundations, an international organization of more than 2,000 foundations and grant-giving programs. The awards seek to recognize effective and creative communications strategies employed by various foundations. As part of Bridge Alliance, Globe brings easy-to-use services for the traveling convenience of customers. The network allows them to stay connected seamlessly across the region. This data-roaming promo, which runs up to August 12, 2008, is available to all Globe postpaid subscribers. The fee will be charged to the subscriber’s monthly billing. To subscribe and to receive discounts, call Globe’s Customer Service hotline 211 from a Globe mobile phone (toll-free while in the Philippines), or visit any Globe Business Center at least one day before departure The official publication of the Ayala group of companies 7 One Triumpha AC athlete prepares to jump Overall sports commissioner JP Orbeta AC adviser Aris Estrada The ALI cheering squad in a breathtaking stunt AC’s Edith Nolledo and Ato Mar The Ayala contingent led by FZA and team captain Ricky Jacinto The IMI cheer gallery Higher. Stronger. Swifter. These fighting words marked the recently concluded 2008 Ayala Olympics, which sought to promote camaraderie and unity among the employees of the Ayala group through friendly competitions in athletics. Held on May 10, the quadrennial event attracted an estimated 11,000 employees who all trooped to the Rizal Track and Football Stadium to participate in the games or to cheer for their respective companies and team colors. All the athletes and cheer squads played with a fierce sense of competition, proving that the pursuit of excellence is taken seriously by all Ayala companies—even in the area of sports. But with the pursuit of excellence came a sense of fair play and friendship, as players congratulated each other on their efforts at the end of each game. “While we have different organization cultures, demographics, systems, and customers, it is precisely this diversity that gives us the most opportunity as a group. We view the athletes not as competitors but as comrades who will challenge us to do even better,” said Ayala chairman and chief executive officer Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala. ASTI’s Erwin Locsin, FZA, Honda’s Mar Encarnacion, and Integreon’s Erik Tabuena (not in photo) in the 4x50 m Mancom relay The six teams in this year’s Olympics were Ayala Corporation (royal blue); Ayala Land Inc. (green); Bank of the Philippine Islands (burgundy red); Globe Telecom (dark blue); Integrated Microelectronics Inc (bright red); and Manila Water (aqua blue). Manila Water bagged the games’ top honors for the second time in a row by winning 15 of the 22 sporting events and setting 11 new records (see related story on page 11). Coming in at second place was IMI, while Globe placed third. In the much-awaited cheer-dance competition, ALI emerged on top, followed by IMI and BPI in second and third places. To make the games even more exciting, the organizing committee announced at this year’s Olympics that it will start giving the JZA Cup in the 2012 Olympics. John Philip Orbeta, overall sports commissioner, explained: “The JZA Cup is named after our chairman emeritus who has graciously accepted our challenge to personally design a perpetual trophy that will be awarded to the team that garners the most points in designated sporting events over the next four years.” To qualify for the trophy, Ayala companies can field athletes in a series of annual, biennial, and quadrennial sporting events. Winning in any of these select events will earn points for the participating Ayala company. The team with the most number of points by 2012 will win the inaugural JZA Cup. 8 The first Ayala group Olympics was also held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on March 26, 1988. The first Ayala games, which carried the theme Group Unity Through Sports, saw the IMI team running away with the gold. ALI athletes get ready to fight ant Ayala rzan An athlete takes a leap AC’s Bogie Manotok and Ayala Aviation’s Lito Reyes The Globe cheer gallery BPI’s Shalina Pitoy receives a medal from FZA AC’s Nona Torres JAZA announces the creation of the JZA cup The ALI cheer gallery BPI’s Rafael Ricote Ayala group CEOs light the Olympic torch BPI’s Alvin Miranda, Eliberto Serran, Jorge Martin Temblique, and Julito Dipon Jr. The official publication of the Ayala group of companies9 9 AC’s tug-of-war team ALI cheer dancers show their winning form AC cheerleaders The Manila Water tug-of-war team AC and MWC chase balls and medals at the basketball dribble relay Speeding up at the tire relay Ned Goseco with the Globe contingent Mancom relay winners Gold Medal Winners at the 2008 Ayala Olympics 3.2 km mini-marathon (Men) Abraham Barcarse Jr. (MWC) 800 m run (Women) Liza Yambao (MWC) 1.6 km mini-marathon (Women) Liza Yambao (MWC) 400 m run (Men) Caster Anin (MWC) Long jump (Men) Francis Oliveros Jr. (MWC) 400 m run (Women) Rosalyn Buenafe (MWC) Long jump (Women) Morena Beronio (MWC) 8x50 m run basketball dribble relay (Women) Estelita Orodio, Juvy Ramos, Merlyn Alviba, Ma. Elizabeth Domanais, Joan Rae Tuazon, Marnellie Bautista, Genevieve Vergara, Bernadette Elefante (MWC) 4x100 m management relay Cirilo Almario III, Allan Roy Ortiz, Carlo Cruz, Alberto Glindro (MWC) 4X100 m mixed relay Felipe Paulo, Rolly Falculan, Caster Anin, Josafat Tabuno (MWC) Tug-of-War Rommel Aldovino, Donald Cantos, Jolly Concepcion, Christopher Espino, Ruel Llave, Alvin Robis, Frank Alita (Globe) 8x50 m tire relay Benny Leysa, Maximo Banson, Rowel Malubag, Rolando Abella, Estelita Orodio, Leonor Gamolo, Elainie David, Fe Pariña Astrero (MWC) 5x20 sack race (Mixed) Jeffrey Carcido, Rommel Benitua, Cora Bughao, Geraldine Arciaga, Mar Tolentino (IMI) 4x20 m beach ball sandwich relay (Mixed) Edwin Azur, Rodrigo Abinsay, Rolando Abella, Edgardo Santos, Leonor Gamolo, Fe Pariña Astrero, Jane Pascual, Elainie David (MWC) Obstacle course (Mixed relay) Edgar Rosales, Teresito Miranda, Catherine Lecudine, Miranda Antonio, Leonardo de la Cruz (IMI) 800 m run (Men) Abraham Barcarse Jr. (MWC) The BPI cheering squad 200 m run (Men) Reymond Abad (MWC) 200 m run (Women) Cristina Malunes (MWC) 4x50 m Mancom relay Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Erwin Locsin, Mariano Adriano Encarnacion, Erik Tabuena (AC) 100 m dash (Men) Marvin Baldivia (Globe) 100 m dash (Women) Josafat Tabuno (MWC) 100 m centipede race (Men) Edilberto Gutierrez, Marvin Mercado, Jose Virgilio Tulay, Ronald Tongol (Globe) ALI’s Robert Bala VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 IMI’s Lernie Domingo and MWC’s Abraham Barcarse Cheer-dance competition ALI Most valuable player (Men) Abraham Barcarse Jr. (MWC) Most valuable player (Women) Liza Yambao (MWC) Michelle Ferriols and co-host 10 A Globe athlete wins an award BPI athletes at the beach ball sandwich relay Team Manila Water celebrates their Olympic victory Abrahan Barcarse Jr. Tony Aquino leads the winning contingent Francis Oliveros Manila Water triumphs at 2008 Ayala Olympics Manila Water Company once again trounced the competition to become the overall champion at the quadrennial Ayala Olympics held on May 10 at the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium. Manila Water earned a winning total of 319 points, a 73-point victory over runner-up Integrated Microelectronics Inc., which garnered 246 points. Placing third was Globe Telecom, with 220 points. Pat Tubig and JAZA The Balara-based squad—which had won 10 of 18 events in 2004 to take home the championship title—bagged 15 of the 22 gold medals this year and set 11 of the games’ 14 records. Abraham Barcarse Jr. and Liza Yambao, who were named the most valuable players of the Olympics, set the tone for the day by winning the first seven events. Manila Water officials were all praises for the team. “It is an organizational victory,” said Manila Water president Antonino Aquino. “Everybody came together and supported an overall goal, which was to win back-to-back gold.” Liza Yambao Barcarse shows off his medal Tina Malunez He added that the victory was achieved using the best practices that the organization applies to its business endeavors. “This was evident in the way our athletes, cheerleaders, and boosters worked hard, and sacrificed time and effort to win for Manila Water,” he explained. Liza Ordio (center) and team mates The management relay team Aquino revealed that every group director adopted a number of teams and athletes, serving as their champions and mentors. Manila Water managers also allowed their athletes and cheerleaders to spend time for preparations without compromising their normal responsibilities and functions. A bayanihan type of culture came into play, with teammates in the workplace pinch-hitting for their colleagues when necessary. The vision of a back-to-back win served as the inspiration and driving force for the organization in this year’s Olympics. What Manila Water calls its “winning culture” was in fact spawned by the 2004 Ayala Olympics victory. “That victory created a winning mindset among our people,” explained human resource and corporate services group head Ruel Maranan, “It is a champion’s mindset to be willing to do what it takes to become the best in any endeavor, to live up to the standards set by that 2004 triumph.” JAZA and FZA with the winners in the women’s mini-marathon Manila Water cheerleaders Ayala Cares CENTEX graduate heads Santa Isabel student council, while CENTEX teachers update curriculum Jenina Anos, a member of CENTEX’s first graduating class of 2005, recently brought home some good news by winning the presidency in the student council elections of Santa Isabel College high school. The former CENTEX scholar said she decided to run for the position because it would give her the chance to help her fellow students. The Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Education or CENTEX is a model public For the duration of her term, Jenina plans to stick to one goal, which is to unite the students Meanwhile, CENTEX held a curriculum of Santa Isabel College. As president of the school’s student council, Jenina intends to audit workshop for its teachers on create opportunities for CENTEX and non-CENTEX students to interact more. She believes April 21 to 25 at CENTEX Manila. A total that they can help each other perform better in their studies. She also believes that the big of 41 teachers from CENTEX Manila and responsibility of leading the school’s student council will provide her with new experiences Batangas attended the workshop. The and train her to be a better person and leader. She adds that she was overwhelmed by the workshop was conducted in keeping with support and trust that she received from her fellow students. CENTEX’s efforts to improve the quality of school established by the Ayala Foundation in 1998 in Tondo, Manila. Another CENTEX school was eventually established in Bauan, Batangas. Through CENTEX, a select group of very bright children from underprivileged families receive free quality grade school education and the necessary support to give them the opportunity for a better life. “The idea of servant leadership is the best virtue that I learned from CENTEX.” education it offers. Jenina’s desire to help other people was already apparent when she was very young. During her grade school years at CENTEX, Jenina was very helpful to her teachers and classmates, and on their graduation day, the school gave her one of its highest honors, the Servant Leadership Award. “CENTEX helped me develop good study habits,” says Jenina. “They also helped in building The teachers spent five days developing a curriculum that measures up to CENTEX’s goal of achieving excellence in teaching academically gifted children. At the end of the workshop, the participants came up with curriculum guides for the core subjects, which are Integrated Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. These guides aim to help teachers in preparing for their daily lesson plans. my self-confidence and personality through the self-esteem subject. The idea of servant The workshop was also able to produce a revised CENTEX curriculum, the result of blending leadership is the best virtue that I learned from CENTEX. Weigh the situation according to the existing CENTEX curriculum with the Department of Education’s Philippine Elementary facts before making a judgment.” Learning Competencies (PELC). 12 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 Ayala Cares Ayala Foundation holds Tigil Buga 2008 Ayala Foundation Inc. joined the hundreds of people who marched along Ayala Avenue on April 28, encouraging motorists to participate in Tigil Buga, a one-minute engine-shutoff campaign to limit carbon emissions in the country. Tigil Buga was held in cooperation with the city government of Makati, Manila Water, Honda Cars Makati, Ayala Malls, Ayala Center Association, Ayala Property Management Corp., Clean Cities Makati Coalition, USAID-SEDP, Liga ng mga Barangay, Rotary Club of Makati–Poblacion, Sangguniang Kabataan, Makati Commercial Estate Association, Department of Education Makati, Makati Environment Youth Advocacy, and the Ms. Earth Foundation. The Tigil Buga participants wore handmade yellow hats and carried handshaped placards to remind everyone of how carbon emissions contribute to global warming. Studies show that excessive idling of running engines and using cars over very short distances raise the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere considerably. After the parade, the participants proceeded to Glorietta 3 Park where a series of activities was held all day. In the morning, campaign organizers mounted a short program, which was attended by Marjorie de Veyra, city administrator for Makati; Divina Chinchuangco, country director for the Sustainable Energy Development Program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAIDSEDP); and Guillermo Luz, AFI executive vice president. Luz outlined the Ayala conglomerate’s various CSR projects aimed at protecting the environment. The program ended with an exhibit featuring the environmentrelated activities of the Makati barangays, the city government, and other partner organizations. Later in the day, AFI and its partner organizations hosted lectures and other activities that encouraged people to help stop global warming and environmental destruction. These activities included a lecture on the practical issues surrounding global warning, with Nathaniel Cruz of PAGASA; recycling demonstrations to students led by Tetra Pak, Gifts and Graces Foundation, and Sarah Queblatin; a lecture on the effects of global warming with Susan Roxas of the World Wildlife Fund; and a story-telling session with celebrity Christine Bersola. Tigil Buga volunteers encouraged motorists on Ayala Avenue to shut off their engines for one minute to help limit carbon emissions into the atmosphere Globe and National Book Store bring mobile libraries to Gawad Kalinga communities Globe Telecom recently entered into a partnership with National Book Store to bring the National Book Foundation’s Buklat-Aklat Mobile Library Project to select Gawad Kalinga communities in Metro Manila. The goal of the project is to increase the opportunities of underprivileged kids for learning and education by giving them better access to books. From March 24 to May 17, Buklat-Aklat visited Gawad Kalinga Villages in Mandaluyong, Pasig, Cainta, Las Piñas, and Caloocan, benefiting around 600 kids. Together, Globe and National Book Store brought 550 awardwinning titles to these communities. Activities were also held to encourage the children to read and learn. There were reading sessions, animated story-telling sessions, creative learning through songs and games, and guided reading sessions with teachers and guardians. Globe employees also participated in the project by serving as storytellers during the Buklat-Aklat caravans. On the last day of each caravan, Globe employee-volunteers took time out to play educational games with the children, read stories to them, and help them create their own storybooks. For its part, National Book Store donated 100 books to each Gawad Kalinga community for the children’s use. All the books used in Buklat-Aklat were eventually donated to the Globe-TM Gawad Kalinga Village in Bagong Silang, Caloocan, for the building of their own community library. After the successful run of the project, Globe and National Book Store look forward to bringing the Buklat-Aklat caravan to other parts of the country. A member of Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines conducts an animated story-telling session for the children in Gawad Kalinga Norwegian Village, Las Piñas Globe, DTI join hands to support SMEs Globe Telecom and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently signed a three-year deal that seeks to launch various projects that would help develop micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. First among these projects is this year’s Masigasig Awards, which honor determined, persistent, and motivated entrepreneurs. The awarding ceremony will take place in July during the MSME Development Week. This year’s winners will get cash and special prizes from Globe. (From left) Ailene Averion, head of marketing, corporate, and SME segments, Globe Business; Maridol Ylanan, head of corporate and SME segments, Globe Business; Undersecretary Merly Cruz of the DTI Regional Operations and Development Group; and Rhodora Leaño, DTI Bureau of Small and Medium Enterprise Development (BSMED) director The official publication of the Ayala group of companies 13 Ayala Cares Avida donates land to Lipa Archdiocese (From left) Fr. Carlo Ilagan, Apolonio Matic (GDC), Jeffrey Campos (GDC), Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, Rosaleo Montenegro, and Fr. Mike Samaniego Avida Land Corp., together with Greenfield Development Corp., formalized its land donation to the Archdiocese of Lipa with the signing of a deed of donation held on June 25 at the Mandarin Oriental, Makati City. The donated land, which covers 20,000 square meters, is part of San Rafael Estates in Santo Tomas, Batangas. Present during the deed signing were Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of the Archdiocese of Lipa, Avida chief finance officer Rosaleo Montenegro, and Avida vice president for project development Christopher Maglanoc. The Archdiocese will soon begin the construction of St. Thomas Academy (STA) in Avida Communities Santo Tomas, where the children of 500 families are expected to benefit from the school’s new grade school department, which opens in June 2009. It has been two years since the Archdiocese took the helm in operating the now ninety-year-old STA. One of its immediate thrusts was to offer elementary schooling to complement STA’s high school department. According to the Archdiocese, it was timely that Avida was looking for a partner in San Antonio Heights to respond to the academic needs of the community. The mission of STA is to provide affordable Catholic education, while Avida offers homeowners a complete community on top of affordable housing. By offering thoughtfully planned, secure, and easily accessible communities at affordable prices, Avida continues to provide homeowners with new opportunities to celebrate life. The donation is an affirmation of the company’s promise of a fulfilling living experience with Avida. Manila Water, DOH complete Lingap Ospital program Partners in the Lingap Ospital program sign a memorandum of agreement for the rehabilation of water-related facilities of the Center for the Ultimate Rehabilition of Drug Dependents (CUREDD). In photo are (from left) PC superintendent general Erick Javier, Manila Water president Antonino Aquino, DOH undersecretary Jade del Mundo, and CUREDD director Carmelita Belgica Manila Water Company, in cooperation with the Department of Health, recently announced the completion of the four-year Lingap Ospital program, which sought to upgrade the water-related facilities of government hospitals in the east concession area. The last hospital to benefit from the project was the Center for the Ultimate Rehabilitation of Drug Dependents (CUREDD) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig. The other hospitals that have benefited from Lingap Ospital were the National Center for Started in 2004, Lingap Ospital upgraded and re-piped the water lines connected to With the completion of Lingap Ospital, Manila Water is now planning to rehabilitate the water facilities of barangay health centers all over the east zone. The company has allotted P7 billion for its 2008 capital expenditure program, which involves ensuring the reliability of its water supply network, harnessing additional water sources, and expanding its coverage not only in terms of water provision but also in the areas of wastewater management and sanitation. various government hospitals in the east zone. The program also repaired toilets and installed drinking fountains, fire hydrants, and water-quality testing points. Among other benefits, Lingap Ospital reduced the need for patients to buy bottled water, which adds significantly to mounting hospital bills. For CUREDD alone, Manila Water spent almost P400,000 to ensure the continuous supply of water for the hospital’s patients and staff. 14 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 3 > MAY-JUNE 2008 Mental Health, East Avenue Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines, and Amang Rodriguez Medical Center. Feature Kisame brings visions of heaven on earth The Ayala Museum, in cooperation with the Filipino Heritage Festival Inc., the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Department of Tourism, and the Provincial Government of Bohol opened Kisame: Visions of Heaven on Earth on May 27. The exhibit aims to generate greater awareness of the historical and cultural significance of Bohol’s church murals and ceiling paintings, and to provide Filipinos a closer look at these antique masterpieces. The exhibit is curated by Fr. Milan Ted Torralba, executive secretary of the Permanent Collection of the Cultural Heritage of the Church, under the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines. Bohol’s centuries-old churches are now living landmarks of Spain’s influence in the Philippines. The first Spanish missionaries, called doctrineros, built them in the province as early as 1595. Shortly after the arrival of the Jesuits, a visita was erected in Baclayon, where a church was constructed using square blocks of coral stones cemented together with millions of egg whites toiled upon by locals on polo or forced labor. Of the lovely Spanish-era-built churches now under the care of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, 12 boast of magnificent, intricately painted ceilings in various stages of preservation. These massive structures have served parishioners through the centuries not only as places of worship but also as repositories of art, sculpture, and music. Several young Cebuano painters, who distinguished themselves as highly gifted artists despite the lack of formal training, were responsible for the religious art that has adorned the churches’ upper interiors since the late 1920s. One of the painters was the late Raymundo Francia, dubbed as Cebu’s Michelangelo. Painting an estimated 80 percent of Bohol’s churches, Francia discovered techniques of his own and developed a paint mixture by which his works have retained their original brilliance and color despite the passage of almost a century. Skillful shading likewise gave his paintings a striking threedimensional appearance in the trompe l’oeil manner. In connection with the exhibit, the Ayala Museum hosted a lecture at the museum lobby on June 21, with Torralba discussing the paintings’ historical and religious contexts. The Ayala Museum exhibition, which is on view at the groundfloor gallery until July 20, features and recreates the most important of these ceiling paintings. “Artists worked lovingly, but arduously, to bequeath us these treasures. We must strive, in equal measure, to show future generations of Filipinos the richness of our church heritage,” Ayala Museum director Maritoni Ortigas said. The official publication of the Ayala group of companies 15 Bulletin Board Globe, Every Nation Leadership Institute launch LIFE SIM Globe and Every Nation Leadership Institute recently launched the new LIFE SIM, a customized SIM card made for all members of Every Nation. The LIFE prepaid SIM, which stands for Leadership, Integrity, Faith, and Excellence, makes it easy and affordable for members of Every Nation to communicate with one another. Using LIFE SIM, members of Every Nation enjoy a special SMS rate of 75 centavos for LIFE SIM to LIFE SIM texts and 10 centavos per second when calling other LIFE SIM users. The new SIM was distributed during the Every Nation Campus Ministries’ Campus Harvest Manila 2008 conference on May 22–24 at the Philippine Sports Arena, where thousands of young members of Every Nation gathered for their biennial conference. The event was sponsored by Globe. The event also featured games and raffles, as well as a Battle of the Youth Bands, for which Globe’s National-International Sales head Raya Roa and segment business managers Ethan Koe Sanchez and Cris Garcia served as judges. Stars Come Out To Play in Timezone’s Celebrity Open 2008 Members of the white team are all smiles as they accept the first-runner-up award at Timezone’s Celebrity Open. (From left) Luigi Guerrero and Gelli Victor, event hosts; Lelet Volfango, LAIP business development and marketing manager; Raffy Prats Jr., LAIP president; Karla Estrada, Arlene Muhlach, Luis Alandy, Ricky Davao, and Ramon Christopher, members of the white team; and Ronald Lucas, LAIP operations manager Local celebrities recently trooped to the TriNoma Mall Activity Center to take part in the fifth Celebrity Open, Timezone’s much-awaited event of the year. Grouped into 11 teams, the stars battled for the top prizes in a number of popular Timezone games, including Air Hockey, Slam n’ Jam, Fast and the Furious SuperBikes, Ford Racing, Deal or No Deal, and SuperTrivia. Bagging the overall champion title was the Brown Team composed of Jake Roxas, Andrew Wolfe, Derek Ramsey, Matteo Gudicelli, Dawn Balagot, and Einar Ingebrigtsen. Meanwhile, the Green Team composed of Rica Peralejo, Dianne Medina, Rodjun Cruz, Say Alonzo, Rafael Rosel, and Ping Medina won the best cheer prize for their winning display of camaraderie and teamwork. Raphael Martinez from the Black Team won the Best Slam n’ Jam Player award for his skills in shooting hoops. Winning the Best Air Hockey Player title was Jake Roxas from the Brown Team who showed his talent for hitting and repelling hockey pucks. Displaying balance and control as he jetted past his opponents in the SuperBikes game was Einar Ingebrigtsen of the Brown Team who brought home the Best SuperBikes Player award. Other winners include Ramon Christopher from the White Team who emerged as the Best Ford Racing Player; Eda Nolan from the Red Team who won the Deal or No Deal best player award; and Jeanette Tuason of the Violet Team who won the Best SuperTrivia Player award. There to present the awards were Timezone president and general manager Raffy Prats Jr., Timezone business development and marketing manager Lelet Volfango, and Timezone operations manager Ronald Lucas. EVENTS@AYALA MUSEUM Kisame: Visions of Heaven on Earth Ongoing until July 20 Ground-Floor Gallery EVENTS@FILIPINAS HERITAGE LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS Juan Luna: Selected Paintings from the Bank of Philippine Islands Collection Until August 31 Third-Floor Gallery Conversations with Ambeth Ocampo July 19, 11:00 a.m. Third-Floor Gallery Museum in a box at La Consolacion College, Bacolod July 3–August 3 For more information, please call 7577117 to 21 or visit www.ayalamuseum.org July and August Digital Photography for Point-and-Shoot Camera Users July 12 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Digital 101: Photography and the Computer July 26, August 2 and 9 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Photo trip: One afternoon in Binondo/Chinatown August 23 12:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Primer on Lighting August 30 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. All workshops will be held at the Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati Avenue, Ayala Triangle, Makati City (across The Peninsula Manila). For more details, please call 8921801 or email [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD Publisher Victoria Garchitorena Editor-in-Chief Maritoni Ortigas Editorial Consultants Emi de Lara, Jones Campos Managing Editor Alex Gregorio Deputy Managing Editor Paul de Guzman Assistant Editor Janella Cacdac-Siena Graphic Designer Izza Lambino Advertising Manager Ciela Cayton Advertising Assistant Jennifer Bascoguin Correspondents Ayala Aviation Felipe Villanueva Ayala Business Club Carole Guamen Ayala Corporation Janella Cacdac-Siena Ayala Foundation, Inc. Paul de Guzman Ayala Land, Inc. Zarah Gulapa Ayala Property Management Corp. Christine Lim-Siruelo Ayala Systems Technology, Inc. Genesis Bautista Bank of the Philippine Islands Reena Dungca Globe Telecom Marigold Endriga Honda Cars Makati, Inc. Monina Macavinta HRMall, Inc. Gabby Mejia Integrated Microelectronics, Inc. Fred Blancas Isuzu Automotive Dealership, Inc. Monette Gaela Manila Water Company Carla May Beriña-Kim Timezone Ana Cardenas-Benitez Contributing Photographers Aris Estrada Jr, Jem Villarin, Jimmy Villegas and Emi de Lara Editorial Office Filipinas Heritage Library Makati Avenue, Ayala Triangle Makati City 1224, Philippines Telephone (632) 892-1801 local 14 Facsimile (632) 892-1810 Email [email protected] URL www.ayala.com.ph/ayalanow