Sugar Escapades

The Rise of “Boni High” in Talisay

By: Jamie Baloyo

September 30, 2010

It is still fresh in my mind when ALI officer Jay Visco told me during the Launch of Asyana Homes last August 2009 that, as quoted, “everything Ayala has planned for Negros will unfold right before your very eyes.” And he did not disappoint me. From that day on, I witnessed several developments from Ayala Negros. The Putting Hole in Ayala North Point, the Asyana Homes Phase 2 launch and just last Tuesday, The Ayala North Point Technohub.

It was a very hot day and straight from the Graveyard Shift, I, together with my friends Anton Manso and Efren Pomperada Jr. met at a mall near my workplace, took several photos of on-going developments in my beloved city of Bacolod and waited in front of Carmelite Monastery in Mandalagan for the van to fetch us going to the Ayala North Point Technohub site.

I have been following this project since 2008 and now, I can’t believe that it is for real. I can’t explain the happiness I felt when my friend who works at Ayala Negros told me that FINALLY, ALI will be launching the Technohub in Negros. I don’t know why, but for me, when Ayala pours in Projects like these in a certain locality, it means more Jobs and Opportunities for the people. And when there’s job, people have money to spend and everybody’s happy.

Under the scorching heat of the sun.

Photo courtesy of Efren Pomperada Jr.

At last, we were there, we care less about the scorching heat of the sun, and I care less about having no sleep even though I am getting paranoid of having heat stroke any moment that time. I feel so dehydrated, I feel sleepy, I feel warm and at the same time, I am excited. Everything that matters to me now is to witness the Rise of “BONI HIGH” in Negros.

The Ayala North Point Technohub - Building 1

Boni High, is the term I use to describe this whole thing, this whole project. As what distinguished guest Talisay City Mayor Eric Sarratan said, “We are looking forward of the day that Talisay City will be known not as Talisay City in Cebu, or Talisay in Batangas, BUT, TALISAY CITY in Negros Occidental. And if all of us will work hard, eventually, Talisay City in Negros will become the TAGUIG of Negros.”

When completed, the campus will consist of several BPO facilities with a total gross leasable area (GLA) of approximately 40,000 square meters, supported by a retail component on the ground floor of each office building, all within a 215-hecatare property that Ayala Land is developing in the city.

Ayala North Point Technohub is a 2 Storey building with approximately 4,500 SqM Gross Leasable areas and is expected to be finished within the 1^st quarter of 2011. It is the first of 8 Technohub Buildings to be built and there will be a retail component in each building and aside from the Technohub buildings, a Retail Strip and a future Shopping Center is also part of the whole plan. Upon completion of the whole project, it is expected to generate at least 15,000 jobs that will benefit the people and the local community.

The Site Plan of the Ayala North Point BPO and Retail Complex

“Talisay is one of the major growth centers Ayala Land would like to have a strong presence in,” said Ayala Land senior vice president Marivic Anonuevo. We are encouraged by the support of the Talisay city government units and our partner, the Lacson family, in facilitating the early start of this project.”

Ms. Marivic Anonuevo, Senior Vice President - Ayala Land Inc.,

Photo Courtesy of Anton Manso

According to Anonuevo, this project brings the success of the company’s existing environment-friendly developments such as the UP-AyalaLand TechnoHub in Quezon City and One Evotech in NUVALI, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, to the Talisay community.

With the Ayala North Point Technohub on the rise, we can really say that Negros is blessed to have Ayala and for every Negrense, Ayala is special. “In due time, everything will unfold right before your very eyes.” These words kept on repeating into my thoughts and now, I can really see it. I can really say that, “Talisay City in Negros is really on the rise to become the Next Boni High!”