Alagang AyalaLand sparks continued growth for social enterprises and their communities

While the economy continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) has been making significant headway on helping vulnerable social enterprises and small businesses get back on their feet through Alagang AyalaLand.

Launched in March this year, the community engagement program has so far helped at least 470 social enterprises (SEs) either reboot or jumpstart their businesses by allocating rent-free commercial spaces across various ALI developments, primarily in Ayala Malls.

Ayala Malls allocate spaces for Alagang AyalaLand Centers, where social enterprises can set up their businesses in prime locations.

Generating thousands of jobs for communities

In line with ALI’s goal of recovering hand in hand with the community, Alagang AyalaLand has been focused on helping businesses that are pushing for environmental and socially sustainable advocacies. As of October, the program has generated at least 4,000 jobs through its participating SEs and the communities they are connected with.

“We tell our customers about how the Alagang AyalaLand program has provided us with the platform to share our heritage as we help a small community,” said Michael Santos and Michael Byron Quevada, the duo who started HandKraftPH. The group employs 40 buri and abaca basket weavers who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Now, HandKraftPH is able to sell their partner community’s wares in high-traffic locations. “Our weavers became more hard working and excited since they know that their works will be made available not only in typical ‘bazaars or tiangges’, but in an Ayala Mall such as Glorietta in Makati.”

Another SE that was able to not only endure, but thrive amidst the challenges of the pandemic was the organic food brand Pure Bites. “The Alagang AyalaLand program has paved the way for my small business to prosper,” said Marianne Dagohoy, owner of Pure Bites. “This is our family’s bread and butter. Our workers are able to earn again after losing their livelihood due to the pandemic. Our whole team is beyond thankful for this opportunity.”

By partnering with these SEs that support grassroots artisans and workers in different parts of the country, ALI is paving the way for an inclusive growth path.

Glorietta customers support Bukid ni Bogs, a social enterprise which employs Zamboanga-based women farmers.

Building a brighter, greener future together

Beyond the provision of mall spaces, Alagang AyalaLand has already been implementing a framework that integrates relevant SEs into the ALI supply chain, providing them with business and livelihood for years to come.

Among the projects with this objective are CommuniTREE and HortiHelpers, which partner with horticultural SEs to supply ALI with trees and plants for its emerging developments.

Spurring economic growth for the local community has always been integral to Ayala Land, and the program takes this agenda to greater heights. “Through Alagang AyalaLand, we are integrating social enterprises into our different businesses to make livelihood generation more sustainable,” said ALI Vice President and Alagang AyalaLand Council Head, Manny Blas. “This is a way to grow with our community, wherein we support SEs with rent-free spaces in our malls and they in turn provide us with unique and authentic products for our customers. In the case of horticultural SEs, we offer them livelihood opportunities by providing an area for them to cultivate plants and trees we can purchase for our developments.”

Alagang AyalaLand has partnered with the social enterprise Luntian Plant Boutique to handle the operations of a plant nursery in Vermosa for the HortiHelpers project.

By providing avenues within ALI properties for socially-conscious local businesses to thrive, the Alagang AyalaLand program exemplifies Ayala Land’s overall vision of enriching the lives of Filipinos. With hundreds of SEs engaged, thousands of jobs created, and millions in revenue generated by SEs across 32 malls nationwide, the program has only scratched the surface of what it can achieve in the coming months to accelerate economic recovery.

Alagang AyalaLand endeavors to engage and assist more communities for the long haul through continuing efforts in livelihood generation all while promoting social and environmental sustainability in its developments.

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