Ayala Group inks MOUs for smart city, digital infrastructure With Japanese firms MANILA, Philippines — The Ayala Group is set to expand Filipinos’ access to digital and financial products and services through partnerships with Japanese firms forged during President Marcos’ state visit to Japan. The group signed in Tokyo a series of strategic memoranda of understanding (MOU) with Japanese partners to help expand Filipinos’ access to more intelligent urban services, more inclusive financial solutions and data-driven digital platforms. The partnerships bring together Ayala Corp., Globe Telecom, GCash parent company Mynt, Mitsubishi Corp., MUFG and KDDI to pursue high-impact collaborations across intelligent cities, digital finance and data-driven ecosystems. “These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to nation-building, leveraging innovation, infrastructure and technology to support the Philippines’ long-term growth,” Ayala president and CEO Cezar Consing said. Consing said the Ayala Group and its Japanese partners are working to build intelligent urban environments and expand GCash’s role as a powerful platform for financial inclusion. “We are creating more connected cities, more inclusive financial systems and more opportunities for Filipinos to participate in and benefit from the digital economy,” he said. Among the agreements signed is the development of “Intelligent City” initiatives, a pioneering partnership with Makati, in which the partners will explore data-driven urban platforms powered by artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and advanced connectivity. Globe’s network will support the initiatives to enhance business productivity and support sustainable growth across sectors such as mobility, retail, energy and infrastructure. Ayala said this is complemented by a joint push to accelerate financial inclusion growth, leveraging the combined strengths of the group, MUFG and Mitsubishi. The collaboration will focus on expanding the quality of financial services, deepening ecosystem integration, enabling cross-border opportunities and advancing digital innovation to drive financial inclusion. To support these efforts, Ayala said