ASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK8FEBRUARYNEWSROOMADB APPROVES $30M LOAN TO EXPAND FINANCIAL ACCESS IN PHRockwell Automation, an industrial automation and digital transformation company, has created a new Security Operations Center (SOC) in Singapore to support the industrial customers of the Asia Pacific region in improving their cybersecurity resilience.The facility belongs to a large network of Managed Security Services of Rockwell and offers 24/7 real-time tracking, sophisticated threat identification, and quick reaction to an incident with the help of SecureOT Security Monitoring and Response.The new SOC is a regional center of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, found in the Asia Pacific headquarters of Rockwell. It combines the latest technologies, including neutral to vendor data ingestion and contextualized threat intelligence, which allows industrial organizations to focus and respond to the most serious cyber threats in multi-vendor environments."Cybersecurity is now inseparable from digital transformation," said Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Regional Director, Southeast Asia at Rockwell Automation. He emphasized the SOC's role in helping manufacturers protect their operations end-to-end and its ability to foster collaboration for faster response times.The SOC also indicates an increasing role of Singapore as a cybersecurity hub in the region, which can be used to enhance industrial resilience and cybersecurity talent upskill.Rockwell Automation 10 th Annual 2025 State of Smart Manufacturing Report has identified cybersecurity as the second key risk facing manufacturers in the Asia Pacific in response to the growing challenges, such as data theft and ransomware.The new SOC is congruent with the Singaporean desires in achieving a secure digital economy, which goes further to reinforce the efforts of Rockwell in enhancing industrial cybersecurity maturity in the region. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$30 million loan facility for Fuse Financing, the lending arm of GCash, to expand credit access for MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) and women entrepreneurs in the Philippines.This first-of-its-kind partnership in ASEAN, launched on February 6, 2026, aims to enhance financial inclusion for underserved sectors.The loan is supported by Mastercard Impact Fund and up to US$125,000 in technical assistance from ADB for product development and digital literacy.More than 250 MSMEs participated in financial literacy workshops during the launch.· ADB approves $30 million loan for Fuse Financing to boost financial inclusion in the Philippines· Over 250 MSMEs joined financial literacy workshops, supporting inclusive growth· AI is being used in collections operations to promote responsible lending and customer protectionGCash claims that 86% of GLoan users are first-time formal borrowers, highlighting the platform's role in fostering financial inclusion. Additionally, Fuse Financing utilizes AI in its collections operations to ensure responsible lending practices and customer protection.The partnership allows fintech companies to tap into institutional capital by leveraging digital platforms for development funds. With over 94 million GCash users, the platform acts as a conduit for financial inclusion, reaching customers previously blocked by documentary requirements and distance from financial institutions.The deal is seen as a model for fintech companies in Southeast Asia aiming to expand credit access in emerging markets.Source: GCash. ROCKWELL AUTOMATION UNVEILS SOC IN SINGAPORE FOR CYBERSECURITY
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