BIZ BUZZ: ‘Best PH developer’ is ALI

Christmas came early for Ayala Land Inc. (ALI), thanks to its focus on the premium segment and its well-received sustainability initiatives.

Just as the season of giving began, the real estate giant received the “Best Real Estate Developer in the Philippines” title from Euromoney.

“With a sharp focus on delivering quality products that are guided by our sustainability imperatives, we will continue to strive to build more spaces that enable communities and families to thrive,” ALI chief finance officer Augusto Bengzon said in a statement on Thursday.

READ: Ayala Land earnings up 15% to P21.2B

Of course, with ALI’s 36-year history, the recognition didn’t come out of nowhere.

The Zobel family-led firm’s portfolio spans the residential, mall, office, hotel, resort and industrial logistics sectors across 53 estates across the country.

It also seems undeterred by the current weakness of the real estate industry, especially after posting a 15-percent rise in earnings to P21.2 billion in the first nine months of the year.

This is no surprise: throughout 2024, ALI has been saying that it will continue to focus on its upscale brands, Alveo Land and Ayala Land Premier, rather than compete in the crowded and still-weak middle-income segment.

Alveo Land itself scored the “Best Residential Developer in the Philippines” title with seven developments under its belt.

Still, real estate experts are seeing a possible recovery in the middle-income and affordable segments next year, especially once the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas slashes interest rates further.

After all, ALI president and CEO Anna Ma. Margarita Bautista-Dy herself has said that they “need the core market to come back.” —Meg J. Adonis

No point in bickering

For Sugar Regulatory Administrator (SRA) head Pablo Luis Azcona, debating about the merits of sugar importation is passé.

“I think tapos na iyan, ‘yung issue ng imported [sugar]. Nangyari iyon last crop year pa (I think the issue about imported sugar is already settled. Imported sugar arrived in the last crop year),” he told reporters.

Azcona explained that the country’s inventory has remained stable, even though sugar production started slowly as the El Niño-induced dry spell largely affected yields.

To get a clearer picture of the actual supply, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the SRA decided to defer any importation plan until the end of the harvest season next year.

Since then, the government’s pronouncement and assurances regarding stability of supply have divided the sugar industry.

One group, in particular, got “so excited,” expressing gratitude to the DA and SRA, only to retract their statement of support later. —Jordeene B. Lagare