UNION Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) continues to push the envelope in its digital transformation journey when it recently held the virtual groundbreaking ceremony for its Innovation Campus—a real-estate development supportive of the institution’s innovation initiatives.
To be erected on a 1-hectare property in San Pedro, Laguna, the campus will serve as a hub for research and development that will enhance the bank’s digital capabilities. Further, the campus will house various centers of innovation within UnionBank—including its institutes on data science and artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, digital bank EON, as well as the recently launched Asian Institute of Digital Transformation (AIDT), in a tie-up with Global Learning Solutions Singapore.
“This is a major step for us, and it is also an affirmation that even during this [time of a] crisis, there are companies who continue to invest in the future of the Philippines,” UnionBank President and CEO Edwin Bautista said in his message during the event. “The…government, or one of the secretaries, said that the [country] can be a major hub for AI; maybe, in Asia.”
Bautista added: “We can certainly make this little corner in San Pedro, Laguna, the epicenter of AI, blockchain, and all those wonderful technologies that this bank is harnessing in order to create the future of banking.”
Dennis Omila, chief information officer of UnionBank, said the future campus will also seek partnerships with developers and programmers for projects centered on innovation, as he pointed out: “We are humble enough to accept that all great ideas are not with us, and we have to embrace them.”
Aside from pushing for the introduction of high-tech solutions, Omila said the bank is also planning to apply for green certification of these solutions to ensure sustainability in their operations.
Eugenio Ynion, president of Yngen Holdings was also among the key figures who joined the event. A long-time collaborator of UnionBank, Yngen Holdings has helped co-create many solutions that utilize the bank’s expertise in digital banking.
In his message, Ynion said the campus is proof of UnionBank’s digital leadership and unwavering commitment to supporting Filipino talent. He also pointed out that the Innovation Campus will bring drastic changes to the host barangay upon the opening of the campus, such as a greener environment, friendlier community and more educated youth.
“We celebrate another milestone, because the UnionBank Innovation Campus is also the first out of many more establishments that will be part of The San Antonio Digital Hub,” Ynion—also a chairman of barangay San Antonio in San Pedro, Laguna—said. “Soon to rise is a structure that will not only be a testament to UnionBank’s great leadership, but likewise to its commitment in making a difference to the Filipino community.”