BAGUIO CITY— Ayala Land Inc. planted last week about a thousand pine trees near the Camp John Hay property here that it intends to convert into a high-end business process outsourcing village.

The activity made public the firm’s presence in the century-old summer capital, where it plans to follow a “green industry” principle in real estate development, said Steven Dy, ALI assistant vice president for business development.

The firm is investing up to P3 billion to revitalize the Camp John Hay project initiated in 1996 by Fil Estate-owned Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevco).

Dy said ALI was marketing the new project under the brand name “Ayala Land Businesscape,” to describe a business process outsourcing hub aligned with the ALI’s network of BPO hubs, which include the Ayala facilities at the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

What is most important for the developing master plan, however, is how the firm’s sustainability report fits into the Camp John Hay project, Dy said.

According to Suzette Naval, ALI corporate communications officer, the firm has retrofitted all of its projects with environment-friendly facilities using “a systematic review and reinforcement of environmental management strategies in the life-cycle stages of Ayala Land projects, from master-planning and design to construction and property management.”

During a May 4 briefing for the city council here, Richard Santoile, ALI Northern Luzon spokesperson, said putting up the BPO village here would cost Baguio just seven trees.

But Dy said the final plan to be drawn up by August may still see development skirt most of the trees in its leased land at Camp John Hay.

Businesscape intends to operate eight four-story structures that will house “incubation rooms” for investors. These include small-scale BPO facilities, a corridor for established BPO outfits and “college-style dormitories” to house BPO employees, Santoile said.

ALI also plans to develop small restaurants and stores to be set up between the trees that Baguio is known for.