Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) maintains its commitment as a responsible and caring partner to its neighboring communities through efforts in engaging community members towards promoting their development through sustainable livelihood programs.

The company has long advocated the building of self-sustaining development capabilities among its neighboring communities for them to thrive along with its own projects.

In Barangay Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna, where much of ALI’s NUVALI project is located, the company’s May Kabuhayan livelihood program has benefitted over 200 community leaders and residents since its inception in 2007 through skills training in cosmetology, massage therapy, and basic landscaping, among others.

“NUVALI is our showcase project for sustainability and community stewardship is a strong pillar in the company’s sustainability framework,” said Jun Bisnar, Ayala Land vice president and NUVALI general manager. “We believe it is in our best interest to constructively engage our neighboring communities in promoting development through livelihood, health, waste management and other programs. Such programs as May Kabuhayan serve to enhance the income opportunities of the community and help to promote its future progress.”

May Kabuhayan is part of a series of programmed activities bannered under NUVALI’s “Alay sa Komunidad” initiative, which consolidates under one program ALI’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects in the area, consisting of medical missions, employment and livelihood programs, outreaches, and environmental education, among others.

Last September 2 and 3, ALI brought some 30 leaders and members of Canlubang community organizations Pangarap ng Aurora Neighborhood Association (PNA) and Pag-asa, Vesta Plains (PVP) to NUVALI for a seminar on solid waste management coupled with a training session on weaving products out of used paper (such as old newspapers).

The workshop was conducted by Barangay Captain Nida Cabrera and Bebot Batucan, both of Barangay Luz, Cebu, which is located beside the Cebu Business Park and is itself a success story in community stewardship and capability building. In 2003, in partnership with the Ayala Foundation, Ayala Land supported the efforts of Barangay Luz homeowners to organize a cooperative and launch a livelihood program based on recycling and processing for resale of solid wastes generated by the business park’s operations.

Today, revenues from that enterprise have enabled the cooperative to double its capital base and expand its business lines to include office space rental, vermiculture farming, and microcredit provision. The community continues its close partnership with the business park to ensure continued safety and security as well as responsible processing of waste.

Earlier, in July, members of PNA and PVP were trained on how to manufacture charcoal brickets out of cogon grass, which grows wildly in the NUVALI environs and surroundings.

The brickets will be sold to other neighboring Barangays in Laguna that use them as a main source of fuel for cooking. To promote the entrepreneurial concept to leaders and members of the two community organizations, the initial investment required for the training and purchase of equipment will be loaned by NUVALI to PNA and PVP with very reasonable payment terms. The bricket making business is set to start operation later this month.