LISTED conglomerate Ayala Corporation (PSE:AC) is aiming to close its $1-billion divestment plan within the year, its chief financial officer said. ?My hope is within the next four to six months, but clearly within the year,? Ayala Corp.

Chief Financial Officer Alberto M. de Larrazabal told reporters last week. However, Mr. De Larrazabal said that Ayala Corp. is still looking to divest approximately $350 million to $400 million.

?We?re close to 70% (completion). One or two more deals and we?re done. There are quite a few.

If you look at some of the smaller assets in the industrial portfolio. We?ve mentioned in the past Light Rail Manila Corp. (LMRC)?

Then there?s the balance of Manila Water Co. Inc. We can do that in parts,? he said.

?We only have about 20% (stake) in Manila Water, so I think $350 to $400 million. There?s still a few other smaller assets that we are working on,? he added.

He also said that there has been more interest in the conglomerate?s plan to sell its 35% stake in LRMC following the fare hike approval in August last year. LRMC operates and maintains the 20.7-kilometer Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1). Ayala Corp.?s stake in LRMC is held via the conglomerate?s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp.

?Manuel V. Pangilinan indicated interest. But we?re not at anywhere close to a final decision one way or another,? he said.

Some of Ayala Corp.?s divested assets include the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway which was sold to the Villar Group for PHP 3.8 billion, the divestment of ACEN Corp. from the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp., and the sale of its Manila Water shares for PHP 5.7 billion in October.