In a major stride toward digital modernization, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has officially partnered with Digital Edge to migrate its critical IT infrastructure to NARRA1, the largest carrier-neutral data centre in the Philippines. The agreement, formalized on 9 December 2025, serves as a cornerstone of RCBC’s 2026 digital roadmap, designed to bolster system resilience, support surging digital transactions, and lay the groundwork for artificial intelligence integration in banking operations.
Strengthening the Backbone of Digital Banking
Faced with an increasingly digital financial ecosystem, RCBC is reinforcing its operational core by relocating its production workloads to NARRA1, a high-performance facility operated by Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd. The move is aimed at enhancing regulatory compliance, business continuity, and technological agility—all essential in a sector where downtime and data loss can have heavy consequences.
“Digital Edge’s operational track record, sustainability-centred engineering expertise, and commitment to security made them the right partner for us,” said John Alabastro, Chief Information Officer at RCBC. “We have selected NARRA1 because it offers both the technical capacity and environmental efficiency needed by a modern, fast-scaling bank like ours.”
RCBC’s strategic direction underscores a growing demand among Philippine financial institutions for next-generation infrastructure that is both scalable and compliant with global data protection standards.
NARRA1: A Regional Powerhouse in Laguna
Located in Laguna Technopark, Biñan, NARRA1 is emerging as a central hub in Southeast Asia’s expanding digital landscape. Officially ready for service since March 1, 2023, the facility offers 10 megawatts of IT power capacity with space for 2,200 data cabinets spread over more than 5,200 square meters of colocation space.
The centre operates on a resilient Tier 3 architecture, providing dual power paths, uninterruptible power supply (N+1 redundancy), and advanced cooling and fire suppression systems. Its design anticipates natural threats with seismic and flood resistance, while maintaining a high sustainability benchmark with a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of approximately 1.19, outperforming global industry norms.
Further elevating its green credentials, NARRA1 utilizes 100% renewable hydroelectric energy from partners such as First Gen Corporation, aligning directly with RCBC’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives.
Digital Demand Meets Sustainable Design
RCBC’s migration to NARRA1 coincides with explosive growth in digital banking adoption across the country. As more Filipinos embrace mobile banking, cashless payments, and digital wallets, the need for robust, always-on infrastructure has surged.
“RCBC’s decision to place its production workloads in NARRA1 reflects a broader modernization trend among Philippine financial institutions,” said Vic Barrios, President and CEO of Digital Edge Philippines. “By design, NARRA1 is already one of the most energy- and water-efficient data centers in the region.”
From a technology standpoint, NARRA1’s carrier-neutral model opens up a diverse network ecosystem, giving RCBC accessible pathways to multiple cloud providers, telecoms, and enterprise partners. This allows the bank to execute a digital strategy that is as interconnected as it is secure.
AI and the Road to 2026
Beyond operational stability, RCBC is preparing for the future of financial services. With AI and machine learning poised to reshape banking—from fraud detection to customer service automation—the infrastructure at NARRA1 offers the high-density computing needed for next-level analytics and AI workloads.
RCBC’s IT blueprint also embraces a hybrid cloud model, blending on-premise systems with cloud scalability to optimize costs and performance. NARRA1 enables such flexibility without compromising on security or speed, a crucial advantage in an industry governed by strict data governance laws.
“The completion of NARRA1 is a landmark moment in creating our regional platform across Asia,” said Samuel Lee, CEO of Digital Edge, at the launch of the facility. “We aim to plug the unmet demand in the Philippines’ rapidly growing data centre colocation market while raising the bar in sustainable design and operational efficiency.”
Timeline of Transformation
- March 1, 2023: NARRA1 becomes ready-for-service
- December 9, 2025: RCBC and Digital Edge formalize long-term infrastructure migration partnership
- 2026: Execution of RCBC’s digital roadmap continues, integrating AI readiness and enhanced digital service delivery
Banking on the Future
RCBC’s partnership with Digital Edge marks more than a shift in infrastructure—it signals a paradigm shift in banking operations across the Philippines. As RCBC invests in one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced and environmentally responsible data centres, the bank positions itself not only to meet today’s digital demands but also to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the financial services of tomorrow.
In doing so, RCBC joins a growing wave of institutions transforming from traditional banking towers into agile, data-driven ecosystems—underpinned by concrete, climate-conscious choices and powered by the unseen engines inside data centers like NARRA1.
