Ayala Land’s 20th anniversary celebration was marked with many treasured moments, all geared towards promoting the theme of “20/20: One Vision, One ALI.”

About three weeks before September 16, 2008, the anniversary date, ALI’s Corporate Communications team launched a customized web page on the company’s intranet site, Our Place, to host all announcements and events related to the anniversary. It featured dynamic content such as event photos, videos, and fun games, which Ayala Land employees or “ALIzens” enjoyed going through during coffee breaks.

One much awaited activity was a “20 Treats” raffle of 20 surprises for 20 employees. Gift items, from simple cinema passes to overnight holidays at the Intercon, were given to the lucky winners. What surprised ALIzens all the more was that some of the treats were meant to be enjoyed not just by the chosen winners but by their colleagues as well. There were even surprises for entire units or divisions such as an ice cream treat or a merienda buffet for 20 people.

The company’s anniversary was an opportune time for employees to engage in community events that further upheld Ayala Land’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. With an innate sense of volunteerism, coupled with the company’s push on its solid VoluntarALI program, more than 100 employee volunteers participated in a coastal and underwater clean-up in Morong, Bataan last September 5. Non-biodegradable garbage scattered along the shore were collected and segregated by the volunteers, hand in hand with the townsfolk of Baranggay Sabang in Morong. Additionally, ALI employees who are licensed and experienced divers traversed the waters to free it from the poisonous Crown of Thorns Starfish which were infesting the coral reefs of the area.

Thereafter, on September 12, a tree planting activity was held in Nuvali, Laguna, with the objective of planting 20 species of trees to attract 20 different species of birds to the area. Over 200 volunteers, including colleagues from Ayala Corporation and ALI subsidiaries (APMC, MDC, Avida and ATMI) braved the muddy terrain to ensure a total of 1,000 trees were planted that day.

In both VoluntarALI events, about 300 employee volunteers were counted, clearly moved by a growing desire to shape the future in their own little way.

One momentous event highlighted the series of activities leading up to the company’s 20th “birthday” celebration. It was held during the latter part of the Nuvali Tree Planting activity. For the first time in Ayala Land, each Strategic Business Unit (SBU) prepared a letter addressed to the ALIzens of the future --- specifically, to the ALIzens of 2028. Each letter contained the SBU’s thoughts and insights on Ayala Land’s heritage and its commitment to its core values. The messages are meant to inspire and give hope to future citizens of Ayala Land. At a ceremony held at the site of a future rotunda located next to the Evoliving Center being constructed in Nuvali, the letters were read aloud by each SBU head. They were then inserted in a large stainless steel time capsule which was afterwards sealed and buried in the ground, to be unearthed and opened 20 years from now by future ALIzens.

The anniversary series was capped with a fitting party at the NBC Tent in the late afternoon of September 16, with ALIzens enjoying the company of colleagues and hitting the dance floor for an 80’s showdown like no other. Creative ALIzens dressed up their plain white or green ALI shirts in the 80’s style. Twenty of them were asked to come up on stage to show off the funky attires and were awarded special prizes. The 2007 New Hires also presented a sizzling dance number that got everyone out of their seats.

ALI President and CEO Jim Ayala addressed the crowd at the start of the program, reflecting on the three things ALI needs to do well to ensure its continued success. These are: creating sustainable communities for more people, building a values and people oriented enterprise that continually evolves in line with market realities, and consistently growing shareholder value faster than competition.

“Achieving any one of them already gives us an advantage. Achieve all three, and we are truly in a league of our own, and our future success is guaranteed. This is our ALI Vision, this is our noble purpose,” said Jim.

Jim also said that achieving all three consistenly will require us to perform at a high level, working together as effective teams and as one ALI team. “No one of us individually can achieve our goals. We have to work with our colleagues to do so. And as we get bigger and as our projects get ever more complex, we need to find ways to work together in more effective and efficient ways. Achieving our vision will require all of us working together as a team, as One ALI.”

Indeed, the activities gave more meaning to the theme of Ayala Land’s 20th anniversary celebration. It was a perfect tribute to a proud heritage and an apt declaration of the company’s noble purpose of enhancing land and enriching lives for generations to come.