TBC News

Tag: bank

  • Philippine bank bets on high-tech hub for mission-critical systems

    Philippine bank bets on high-tech hub for mission-critical systems

    Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., one of the Philippines’ largest banks, has migrated its production site to Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings’ NARRA1 data center, marking a major step in its digital transformation strategy.

    The move positions RCBC to scale digital operations, strengthen resilience, and meet regulatory and cybersecurity requirements across its nationwide banking network.

    The formal partnership was signed at RCBC Plaza in Makati, attended by RCBC executives including President and CEO Reggie Carioso and CIO John Alabastro, alongside Digital Edge Philippines President Vic Barrios.

    The collaboration is central to RCBC’s 2026 roadmap, which emphasizes high-availability infrastructure, operational continuity, and secure digital banking experiences.

    NARRA1 is the Philippines’ largest carrier-neutral data center, designed for Tier 3 availability with dual-power redundancy, robust security protocols, and hybrid-cloud readiness.

    Its energy-efficient, renewable-powered design supports sustainability objectives while meeting strict banking compliance standards, providing a reliable foundation for RCBC’s mission-critical workloads.

    The partnership reflects broader trends in the Philippine financial sector, including accelerated adoption of AI, expansion of hybrid-cloud architectures, rising digital transaction volumes, and heightened regulatory scrutiny.

    RCBC’s migration to NARRA1 allows the bank to maintain uptime, safeguard critical services, and handle growing digital demand without compromising security or efficiency.

    Digital Edge’s NARRA1 has earned regional recognition for energy efficiency and engineering, including TIA-942-C certification, BERDE, IFC EDGE, LEED Gold, and the Innovation in Energy Efficiency Award from the W.Media Asia Pacific Cloud & Data Center Awards. These credentials reinforce its positioning as a hub for high-density, mission-critical workloads.

    RCBC executives highlighted operational resilience and environmental efficiency as decisive factors in selecting NARRA1, while Digital Edge emphasized the migration as validation of the shift toward hybrid, cloud-ready banking infrastructure in the Philippines.

    The partnership establishes a benchmark for secure, sustainable, and resilient digital operations in the Philippine banking sector, aligning both organizations to support accelerated innovation and infrastructure demands through 2026 and beyond.

  • Gotianun-led commercial bank reinforces chatbot with ChatGPT

    Gotianun-led commercial bank reinforces chatbot with ChatGPT

    EastWest Bank, a leading financial institution in the Philippines known for its innovative digital banking solutions, is excited to unveil the latest advancements in its artificial intelligence chatbot, ESTA (EastWest System Tech Assistant), now accessible on Facebook Messenger.

    For years, ESTA has been reshaping the digital banking landscape for EastWest credit cardholders and employees, underscoring the bank’s dedication to technological progress and superior customer service.

    ESTA is tailored to meet the contemporary banking requirements of its users, leveraging the popularity of Facebook Messenger to offer a seamless platform for credit cardholders to conduct various credit card services effortlessly.

    From balance transfers to installment conversions and accessing Insta-Cash, ESTA ensures a secure and user-friendly banking experience at users’ fingertips. Notably, it consistently facilitates Php1 billion in monthly installment bookings.

    Recently, EastWest integrated ChatGPT into its Customer Service operations, resulting in a remarkable 75% decrease in warm body interactions. This integration paves the way for future interactions where account information retrieval and transactions can be executed through textual commands, enhancing user convenience significantly.

    EastWest proudly introduces an enhanced version of ESTA for its employees, seamlessly integrating with ChatGPT on Microsoft Teams.

    This upgrade enables staff to access a wealth of knowledge sources efficiently, including internet resources, internal manuals, policies, and more. This internal tool streamlines information retrieval and analysis, fostering a smarter and more productive work environment akin to having a virtual assistant for complex tasks.

    Efren dela Cruz, Jr., Head of Consumer Service Delivery at EastWest, emphasized, “ESTA is a groundbreaking innovation that offers unparalleled accessibility and convenience in digital banking, showcasing EastWest’s commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced customer and employee experiences.”

    EastWest reaffirms its dedication to customers through ESTA’s consumer-friendly features, including real-time account security controls, enhanced promo searches, transaction visibility, and streamlined credit card services.

    These features aim to provide customers with a seamless and integrated banking experience, reflecting EastWest’s vision for the future of banking.

    Experience the future of digital banking today with ESTA. Engage with ESTA on Facebook Messenger at http://www.ewlend.com/esta or apply for an EastWest credit card through the ESTA chatbot at http://www.ewlend.com/creditCard.

  • An important PSBank announcement for Holy Week

    An important PSBank announcement for Holy Week

    As the Holy Week approaches, PSBank, a prominent financial institution in the Philippines, has released an advisory outlining its operational schedule for the upcoming religious observance.

    The advisory states that all PSBank branches nationwide will be closed from March 28 (Maundy Thursday) to March 29 (Good Friday) in observance of Holy Week.

    Despite the branch closures, clients are assured that they can still access their accounts and conduct banking transactions seamlessly through PSBank’s ATMs and PSBank Mobile/Online platforms, which will remain available 24/7.

    The decision to close branches during the Holy Week is a common practice among banks in the Philippines, as it allows employees to observe the religious significance of the occasion while ensuring that essential banking services remain accessible to clients through alternative channels.

    This proactive approach by PSBank reflects its commitment to providing uninterrupted banking services and convenience to its customers, even during holidays and special occasions.

    During the closure period, clients are encouraged to utilize PSBank’s ATMs for cash withdrawals, balance inquiries, and other basic transactions.

    Additionally, the PSBank Mobile and Online platforms offer a convenient and secure way for clients to manage their accounts, transfer funds, pay bills, and perform various banking activities from the comfort of their homes or on the go.

    These digital channels provide a seamless banking experience, allowing clients to stay connected with their finances and fulfill their banking needs efficiently.

    By leveraging technology and digital solutions, PSBank demonstrates its dedication to enhancing customer experience and ensuring accessibility to banking services beyond traditional branch operations.