It had been four years since Ayala Land Incorporated built its second shopping mall in Mindanao and as of the first quarter of 2017, there had been no confirmed information with regards to their next construction site.
However, it seems that General Santos City is the hotcake in the list as an article written by Conrado R. Banal III in Philippine Daily Inquirer confirmed Ayala group was "prospecting for prime locations" in the said city last 2014.
Few years ago, four executives of Ayala Land Incorporated came to General Santos City visiting the city's shopping malls, residential subdivisions, and even the Central Public Market.
According to the Business Development and Strategic Planning Manager of the Ayala Mall Group, "Since our competition is already here, our next course is to follow." He was referring to the Robisons Land Corporation and SM Realty Holdings which have already made their presence in the city.
Such trend is not new. In both Davao and Cagayan de Oro, Ayala chimed in just when Robinsons and SM had already "tested the water."
In fact in most cities of the country, it usually happens that Robinsons Mall, either a community or a Robinsons Place brand, would penetrate first before SM could dive into the competition. Ayala would then have the guts to build its presence.
The last time Ayala Land Incorporated said in a press release regarding the next Ayala mall in Mindanao, Davao and Cagayan de Oro cities were mentioned as the company plans to build its second mall in both cities.
The announcement was made last 2014, and in 2015 and 2016, no updates were heard.
However, insider information from MEB sources reveal two specific locations in Cagayan de Oro and Davao cities wherein the new Ayala malls will be constructed. Accordingly, blueprints were already laid out and the Barangay government had already been notified.
In General Santos City, a prime location within the city proper was divulged by a MEB source last year. He projected that the mall will secure the lot by putting up the fence this year and initiate clearing operation by the first quarter of 2018.
However, the company made no press release yet regarding such actions to be made. It could have been that the lot had already been bought by Ayala Land Incorporated, but the construction schedule remained tentative.
Ayala's focus in Mindanao as of now is bent on its residential brands such as BellaVita, Amaia, Alveo and Avida. The company is also teaming up with a local developer in Davao for its waterfront project that will compose of residential, commercial, and recreational zones.
In Cagayan de Oro, the company is brewing an Alveo project in Barangay Tablon. There were talks as well made between the provincial government and Ayala executives regarding the provincial jail and the capitol lot. Last year, the transfer of provincial jail to Initao, Misamis Oriental was confirmed.