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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Trade & Industry devider IFC approves $170-million investment in YCO Cloud's Philippine data center expansion

IFC approves $170-million investment in YCO Cloud's Philippine data center expansion

Published Aug 31, 2026 12:00 am  |  Updated Aug 29, 2026 11:44 am

International Finance Corp. (IFC), the World Bank Group’s (WBG) private-sector lending arm, has approved up to $170 million in financing for YCO Global Cloud Centers Holdings Inc. (YCO Cloud), confirming a major investment in the Philippine data center developer first reported by Manila Bulletin in May.

World Bank board minutes disclosed last Friday, Aug. 28, showed that the board of directors approved the financing for the YCO Catalyst Project on July 28 on an absence-of-objection basis.

The approved package consists of a mezzanine loan investment of up to $20 million in YCO Cloud and senior A loans totaling as much as $150 million, or its Philippine peso equivalent, to special purpose project companies owned by the platform.

The minutes also showed that WBG executive director Robert Bruce Nicholl and alternate executive director Sandro Maluck abstained from the decision.

The approval confirms Manila Bulletin’s report last May that IFC was preparing an investment package of up to $170 million to support YCO Cloud’s expansion amid growing demand for data center capacity in the Philippines.

The YCO Catalyst Project has an estimated total cost of $1.054 billion, with the IFC financing intended to support the development of the company’s data center platform in the country.

YCO Cloud plans to develop two data centers in Malvar town, Batangas province, with a combined capacity of 50 megawatts (MW), alongside another facility in Bataan province.

The Malvar 1 and 2 data centers, both located within an industrial park in Batangas, have already been constructed, while the Bataan facility was still in the planning stage when IFC disclosed the proposed investment in May.

Supporting infrastructure for the planned Bataan facility, including a transmission line, water supply plant, as well as wastewater treatment facility, is expected to be built by the industrial park and the government for the site’s exclusive use.

IFC earlier said the investment is expected to expand businesses’ access to data hosting services, support the growth of digital services, and improve productivity. It could also strengthen competition in the Philippine data-hosting market and help narrow supply gaps.

IFC also intends to help ensure that YCO Cloud’s facilities meet international standards for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

YCO Cloud is majority owned by the Ynchausti family, which holds an 82-percent stake in the company, while Sy-led conglomerate SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) is a minority shareholder.

YCO Cloud is led by president and co-founder Nik de Ynchausti. Its leadership team also includes former presidential deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte as chief legal officer, while former Senate president Franklin Drilon serves as senior advisor, according to the company’s website.

De Ynchausti earlier said the company’s “mission-critical infrastructure is designed to position the Philippines to be Southeast Asia’s digital hub within the next two decades, re-establishing it as the region’s gateway to the West” through “sustainable, greenfield, carrier-neutral, and flexible data center facilities.”

Related Tags

International Finance Corp. (IFC) YCO Cloud World Bank Group (WBG)
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