The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) secured strong private sector support from Ayala Corp., with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the official launch of the Saludo sa Serbisyo Career Assistance Program on 15 July 2025.

Ayala’s Saludo sa Serbisyo, a comprehensive program that helps uplift the lives of active and retired uniformed personnel, civilian employees, and their dependents through easier access to the Ayala Group’s products and services. These include housing, car ownership, healthcare, livelihood and career assistance.

AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner Jr., along with Department of National Defense Undersecretary Angelito de Leon, Ayala Corp. chairperson Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, president and CEO Cezar P. Consing, chief human resources officer Francisco Romero Milán and chief legal officer Franchette M. Acosta, graced the event, which also gathered the first batch of participants in the career assistance program.

In his remarks, Brawner expressed his gratitude to Ayala Corp. for its sustained support, noting that, “This program is both timely and meaningful. It reminds every transitioning soldier that their story does not end with the uniform. Through this initiative, Ayala opens doors for our personnel to pursue new careers and continue serving the nation in meaningful ways.”

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“Ayala builds businesses that allow people to thrive. Few are more deserving of the chance to thrive than the people who keep our country safe from internal and external threats. Ayala’s commitment to our country’s uniformed personnel is part and parcel of our objective, demonstrated for over 190 years to help build this country that we call home,” Consing said in his remarks.

The career assistance program, which expands the scope of Saludo sa Serbisyo, supports retiring and transitioning personnel with training, job matching, and career counseling — further enhancing the program’s goal of empowering those who serve the nation.

“To every soldier who has ever wondered what comes next, this program can be their answer. To every civilian who has ever asked how they can serve, this partnership is their chance. Together, we will prove that in the Philippines, service is not forgotten, and heroes are not left behind,” Brawner said.