Paying the Correct Taxes... “A Noble Act of Concern and Love, for Oneself, our Children and our Country”
WEEKEND
VOL. 1, No. 257
Cagayan de Oro City
http://www.mindanaodailybalita.com Saturday
March 17, 2012
P10.00
Ayala partners with local brands in regional malls YOUR MINDANAO-WIDE NEWSPAPER
By MIKE BAÑOS
large and 12 retail capsule malls nationwide,” he added. CAGAYAN de Oro City--Ayala Land He cited Bigby’s Café and and Café Laguna is actively partnering with local home Restaurant among their success stories. grown concepts to develop regional Some 220 merchants for Centrio brands through its nationwide net- Mallthein upcoming this city joined the work of 22 malls. Merchants’ Preview hosted Ayala Land and partner “We would like to have an Ayala Land by Anflo Corporation Group. offering for everything that is Ma. Rowena M. Tomgoing to be needed by our suris investing eldan, vice president and rounding communities,” said head, operations and support over P5-bilTony T. Aquino, president services, commercial business and chief executive officer during a talk with media lion for Centrio, group vice president, affirmed at the March 15 Merchant’s exclusive of the that a record crowd of over 200 merchants had flown in Preview for its upcoming for the event on their own, Centrio Mall in Cagayan de merchants’ inin addition to over 20 local, Oro. “This is the philosophy vestments and home-grown merchants from which underlines Ayala’s involvement in all its host the Aflo Group’s Cagayan de Oro. “They told me that where Ayala goes, communities all over the equity in the 3.7 they go,” she added. country.” Among the visitors were Mr. Aquino said they are hectare propSherwin Oranga, Division allocating 10-15 percent of Head 1 and Norman P. Lozenthe gross leasable area for erty.’ do, managing director of local and “home-grown” Juego, a sports distributor brands and we are helping concepts. which specializes in badthese brands grow with us “Our marketing group has extensively researched local through our network of 10 minton rackets, apparel and
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Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez was the guest of honor at the Ayala Land Merchant's Preview for Centrio Mall held March 15 at the Xavier Sports & Country Club. With Rep. Torres are (L-R) Ayala Land Executives Rowena Tomeldan, COO; Emilio Tumbocon, SVP, and Tony Aquino, President and CEO. Photo by Mike Banos, NPN
accessories. They expression satisfaction with Ayala’s services in accommodating their stores and cited the free semi-annual seminars Ayala conducts for its merchants on diverse topics such as new DTI regulations and recent trends in marketing. Annabelle C. Chavez of Retail Specialists Inc. which distributes Florsheim shoes through 40 stores all over the country, said over 30 of these are found in various Ayala malls. “When you join Ayala, you can’t go wrong.” Among Cagayan de Oro’s brigade of yuppie entrepreneurs present was Candy L. Lu, a graduate of the Cordon Bleu in
Centrio, where they generously allowed us to include an inline display for Missy Bon Bon gelato, we can develop a new set of customers.” Rhociele R. F o r n i e r, w h o handles store operations for Retail Innovations, Inc. which distributes Crocs footwear in north and western Mindanao, also started
very accommodating especially when it comes t o
London, who is venturing into a branch outlet of her “Candy’s Café” for the first time, said she is opening a new outlet at Centrio despite its proximity to her original outlet because she finds the upscale clientele of the mall a “good fit” for her signature menu of pricey cakes and pastries. Joanna Cris L. Yu, vice president for administration and finance of Bigby’s Café, cited Ayala’s support as the main reason for leasing a stall at Centrio despite already having two other stores in Cagayan de Oro. “We started with Ayala’s Entertainment Center in Cebu in 2001 and we’ve found their marketing support especially remarkable,” she noted. “They do their marketing with a flair and we’re confident our Bigby’s store in
virtually as a ‘door-to-door’ operation but now networks with other Crocs stories in various Ayala malls nationwide. “Ayala is very easy to talk to,” Ms. Fornier said. “They are merchant-friendly, they understand your concerns, and they make sure they satisfy your needs.” Spruce Designer Network, Inc., another home grown concepts jointly run by sisters Aimi Lim, Trisha Tamparong and Vanessa Velez which distributes Havaianas and other ladies footwear and accessories in north and western Mindanao, first joined Ayala’s Active Zone in Cebu in 2009, expressed a similar sentiment. “Ayala is okay to deal with,” Ms. Lim said. “They are very approachable and would attend to your needs immediately. We find them
marketing support for our store.” Centrio is being undertaken by Cagayan de Oro Gateway Corporation, a joint venture between Ayala Land Inc. and the Antonio Floirendo Group of Companies (Anflo Group). Ayala Land is investing over P5-billion for Centrio, exclusive of the merchants’ investments and the Aflo Group’s equity in the 3.7 hectare property. “Ayala Land has taken the unprecedented step of simultaneously investing the whole amount in the four vital components of this project: the three-level Centrio Mall, eight storey Kukun Hotel, 23-storey Centrio Tower by Avida residential condominium and BPO Offices. This is an indication of our level of confidence in our Cagayan de Oro project.”
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