Ayala widens regional funding access with $100-M DBS deal

Ayala Corp. (AC), the country’s oldest conglomerate, is tightening its grip on regional capital markets with a fresh $100-million sustainability-linked facility from DBS Bank Ltd. as it doubles down on expansion across its portfolio.

The company said Monday that the deal is its first Singapore-dollar-denominated hedged loan facility, allowing it to tap either US dollars or Singapore dollars while broadening its funding base beyond familiar channels.

ESG commitments

The proceeds will bankroll the continued expansion of Ayala’s businesses, while the sustainability-linked structure ties the financing to the conglomerate’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.

“This facility enables us to support Ayala’s growth initiatives while reinforcing our commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices. It also reflects Ayala’s ability to access funding at attractive terms under this challenging environment,” said Juan Carlos L. Syquia, chief finance officer, chief risk officer, and Finance Group Head of Ayala Corporation.

For DBS, the transaction follows a shift among major corporates scrambling for financing arrangements that offer both flexibility and ESG alignment amid volatile global markets.

Important step

“This sustainability-linked facility marks an important step in Ayala Corporation’s efforts to deepen financial innovation and build greater resilience. As the group’s first SGD-denominated hedged loan, the facility enables Ayala Corporation to choose between USD or SGD borrowing which provides greater flexibility and more diversified funding sources,” said Lim Wee Seng, group head of Energy, Renewables and Infrastructure, Sustainability, Project Finance and Strategic Advisory of DBS.

By the end of 2025, the Ayala Group had already amassed roughly $6.9 billion in sustainable financing.