News & Events

Alliance Software Japan, Inc. (ASJ) proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary on April 1, 2026, marking two (2) decades of delivering high-quality offshore development services and strengthening technology partnerships between Japan and the Philippines.

In celebration of this milestone, Alliance paid a courtesy call to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, Japan last December 11, 2025. In the photo are Mr. Robert Cheng, CEO of Alliance Software, Inc.; Mr. Sherwin Yu, COO of Alliance Software, Inc. and Mr. Yoshihiro Isano, Director of Alliance Software Japan, Inc., together with the Philippine Embassy team led by Mr. Christian L. De Jesus, Charge d’Affaires / Deputy Head of Mission, accompanied by Mr. Alvin Malasig, First Secretary and Consul of the Embassy of the Philippines, and Mr. Armando Simbulas, Trade and Investment Promotion Manager of the Embassy of the Philippines.

This milestone was also recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry Tokyo, which featured the anniversary on its official Facebook page, highlighting ASJ’s continued contribution to fostering strong business and technology ties between Japan and the Philippines.

As ASJ marks its 20th anniversary, the company remains committed to deepening its partnerships with Japanese organizations and continuing to deliver reliable and innovative IT solutions to the Japan market in the years ahead.

View the full post here: Facebook Post

On February 12, 2026, Alliance successfully hosted another Executive Forum in Bohol at The Metro Centre Hotel, Tagbilaran City, bringing together 36 attendees composed of business leaders, decision-makers, and technology advocates. The event, themed “Redefining Leadership: AI as the Ultimate Advantage,” focused on the growing importance of artificial intelligence in shaping modern leadership and driving organizational competitiveness.

The forum provided a meaningful platform for discussion on how AI is no longer a future concept but a present-day business enabler. Conversations centered on how organizations can leverage AI to improve operational efficiency, strengthen decision-making, and enhance overall business agility in an increasingly dynamic market environment. Participants gained practical perspectives on how emerging technologies can be integrated into existing business processes to create measurable value.

Key insights were shared by speakers from Reyes Tacandong & Co. alongside the Alliance team, who highlighted real-world applications of AI in business operations, governance, and digital transformation strategies. Their discussions emphasized not only the opportunities AI presents, but also the importance of responsible adoption and strategic alignment with business goals.

With the support of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Executive Forum was well-received and successfully fostered engagement among local enterprises and stakeholders. The collaboration underscored a shared commitment to advancing digital transformation and strengthening the regional business ecosystem in Bohol.

As Alliance continues to expand its presence across key regions in the Philippines, it remains committed to empowering organizations through innovation, strategic partnerships, and knowledge-driven engagements. Initiatives such as this reflect Alliance’s ongoing mission to help businesses embrace digital transformation with clarity, confidence, and long-term direction.

Held last March 26, 2026, Shift Forward: Advancing Business Performance with Microsoft 365, Copilot, and SAP B1 Integration focused on helping businesses unlock higher productivity and smarter workflows through the combined power of Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Copilot. The session highlighted how organizations can enhance everyday operations by leveraging AI-driven capabilities that improve efficiency in communication, content creation, and decision-making across teams.

A key highlight of the discussion was the practical use of Copilot within the Microsoft ecosystem, demonstrating how it can assist users in summarizing emails, drafting responses, organizing tasks, and accelerating routine work, ultimately allowing teams to focus more on higher-value activities. The event also showcased how Microsoft 365 applications work seamlessly together to create a more connected and productive digital workplace.

In addition, the integration between Microsoft Outlook and SAP Business One was presented as a powerful enhancement for business operations, particularly through automated notifications and real-time updates. This setup enables users to receive important SAP Business One alerts directly within Outlook, improving visibility of critical business events and ensuring faster response times without switching systems.

The session was led by speakers from VST ECS Phils Inc. and the Alliance Software Inc. team, who shared practical insights and real-world scenarios on how integrated digital tools can streamline workflows, improve collaboration, and support better decision-making. Overall, the event reinforced how connected technologies can empower businesses to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently in today’s digital-first environment.

Alliance Strengthens POS Ecosystem Through New Partnership

Held last March 19, 2026 in Bacolod City, Alliance Software Inc. officially strengthened its POS ecosystem through a new reseller partnership with I.T Geek Solutions. The launch event brought together local business owners and stakeholders to introduce the collaboration and highlight how it aims to streamline operations and empower businesses through modern retail technology.

The event showcased how the partnership enables merchants to improve sales processing, enhance inventory visibility, and simplify day-to-day operations through a more efficient and integrated POS system. Discussions focused on how digital tools can help local enterprises operate more smoothly, reduce manual processes, and gain better control over business performance.

I.T Geek Solutions, a local IT solutions provider based in Bacolod, focuses on delivering practical and accessible technology services for small and medium-sized enterprises. With strong capabilities in POS deployment and system support, the company has been actively helping local businesses adopt digital solutions that improve efficiency and drive growth.

Through this partnership, Alliance extends its POS solutions to a wider network of merchants, combining enterprise-grade technology with localized implementation and support. The collaboration ensures that businesses in the region can access reliable systems backed by responsive service and industry expertise.

Overall, the Bacolod launch event underscored a shared commitment between Alliance and I.T Geek Solutions to accelerate digital transformation among local businesses, making retail operations more efficient, connected, and future-ready.

Alliance Software Inc. continues to strengthen its commitment to delivering end-to-end solutions through a series of partner events and collaborations held in early 2026. These initiatives highlight the company’s dedication to innovation, client engagement, and building a strong ecosystem of partners across different industries.

The year began with the Alliance x VITRO Pocket Event last January 29, led by the Infrastructure Solutions pillar. This exclusive session brought clients to an on-site tour of the VITRO data center in Mandaue. During the event, Alliance and VITRO showcased the advantages of hosting in a professional data center compared to maintaining on-premises servers. Clients were given a closer look at how data center hosting enhances security, reliability, and scalability, which are the key factors in ensuring business continuity and performance.

Following this, Alliance participated in the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) event on February 19–20, under the ERP Solutions pillar. As a delegate, Alliance presented its capabilities in SAP Business One (SAP B1), engaging directly with finance professionals and organizations. The event served as a platform to demonstrate how SAP B1 can streamline accounting processes, improve reporting accuracy, and support data-driven decision-making.

Alliance also expanded its reach in Bacolod through a partner event with IT Geek, which is an entitative by the Retail Solutions pillar. This collaboration focused on POS clients, aiming to strengthen relationships within the retail sector. The event highlighted solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience, reinforcing Alliance’s commitment to supporting businesses at every stage of their growth.

Most recently, on March 26, Alliance participated in the Shift Forward event, a bundled and collaboration event by the ERP Solutions and Workplace Productivity Solutions Pillar. During this session, the team introduced an integration between Microsoft 365 and SAP B1. This innovation allows SAP B1 to automatically send notifications through email via Microsoft 365, enabling better communication, real-time updates, and improved productivity for users.

Through these partner events—ranging industry collaborations and product showcases technical integrations and on-site experiences—Alliance Software Inc. continues to position itself as a reliable and forward-thinking solutions provider. Each initiative reflects the company’s mission to empower businesses with scalable, secure, and innovative technologies.

As Alliance moves forward, these engagements remain a key driver in strengthening partnerships, expanding market presence, and delivering value-driven solutions to its growing network of clients.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are no longer asking if they should adopt technology, but how quickly they can do so. This is where Alliance positions itself as more than a solutions provider. It becomes a true partner in transformation.

Alliance’s vision is rooted in a clear mission to provide solutions for businesses facing challenges in automation. What makes Alliance different is that its value goes beyond software. It focuses on enabling businesses to unlock efficiency, improve operations, and create better experiences for their customers.

For many businesses, the journey begins with their very first POS system. What used to be a manual process, where issuing receipts could take up to five minutes, is transformed into a seamless transaction completed in less than a minute. This shift is not just about speed. It represents progress. It allows businesses to serve more customers, reduce errors, and operate with a level of efficiency that was previously difficult to achieve.

Alliance understands that digital transformation is a continuous journey. The first step often requires a leap of faith by embracing change and adapting to technological advancements in the business landscape. With Alliance, businesses are guided, supported, and equipped with every step of the way.

As businesses grow, so does their data. While data can be overwhelming, it also holds significant value. Alliance empowers businesses to manage and maximize this data through enterprise-grade solutions designed specifically for MSMEs. Instead of becoming a burden, data becomes a strategic asset that supports better decision-making and stronger business outcomes.

In the age of AI, Alliance introduces intelligence into everyday operations. Through automated workflows and data-driven insights, businesses gain the ability to anticipate trends, optimize performance, and respond effectively to market demands. This transforms automation into meaningful innovation.

Scalability is also a key part of Alliance’s approach. Whether a business starts with a single store or expands into multiple locations, the solutions are built to grow alongside them. This ensures long-term sustainability and prepares businesses for continued growth in a competitive environment.

What defines Alliance is its commitment to delivering real business impact. It is about helping businesses move forward, adapt with confidence, and succeed in an AI-driven world. By combining innovation with a strong understanding of business needs, Alliance enables organizations to keep up with change and take the lead.

The future of business is intelligent, connected, and fast-moving. With Alliance, that future is already within reach.

Alliance Software Inc. has officially launched the second run of its ReactJS Class under the Software Engineering Certificate Program for School Year 2025–2027, tailored for students from the University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJR). The program continues its commitment to developing students’ technical competencies and in better preparing them for real-world challenges in the IT industry, with a balanced focus on both software development and project management skills.

The program started last January 24, 2026, and will run until May 16, 2026. It currently consists of 35 selected students who are expected to attend classes every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN, which are being held at the USJ-R Quadricentennial Campus, providing a dedicated learning environment for hands-on training and collaboration.

The current program is designed to cover two core areas: ReactJS and project management. Through this structure, students are not only educated in modern frontend development using ReactJS but are also introduced to foundational project management concepts that will help them learn how to structure workflows, specify project requirements, manage timelines, and execute software development cycles effectively.

The sessions are facilitated by subject matter experts: Ms. Hannah (Systems Analyst) for Project Management and Mr. Quint (Software Developer) for ReactJS. Both instructors guided students through practical lessons that integrate technical knowledge with real-world situations, ensuring learners gain both coding proficiency and teamwork experience. In addition to practical learning, students also develop collaboration skills as they are organized into teams that will work together to complete a final project by the end of the semester, with project topics ranging from a student performance tracker to a simple food ordering system.

The program was created to intentionally reflect Alliance’s vision in the IT industry while supporting its shared mission of empowering students in the academe. It aims to equip learners with the necessary skills and experience to thrive in professional environments by bridging the gap between academic learning and industry expectations.

Feedback from previous interns who have graduated from the program highlights its strong impact on student development. Many described it as a valuable learning experience that helped them build not only technical skills but also an understanding of effective teamwork. In particular, they emphasized the importance of communication skills when collaborating with other members of their development team, noting it as a key factor in successful project execution.

With the launch of its second run, Alliance continues to strengthen its commitment to developing future-ready IT professionals who are equipped with both the technical and collaborative skills needed in the evolving IT industry.

After months of anticipation and multiple delays since October 2025—caused by a series of calamities and unforeseen events that impacted Cebu City—Alliance Software, Inc. (ASI) has finally and successfully launched the ASI Running Club on February 6, 2026. What was once postponed time and again has now become a meaningful milestone, reflecting the resilience, patience, and unwavering enthusiasm of Alliance Software employees.

Despite the rainy weather during the launch, employees showed up with energy and excitement, proving that not even unfavorable conditions could dampen their spirit. The long-awaited initiative marks the beginning of a stronger push toward health, wellness, and community within the organization.

Strategically located at the heart of the Cebu Business Park (CBP) running loop, Alliance Software is surrounded by a vibrant community of runners—making it an ideal environment to foster a running culture. With more individuals embracing running through fun runs, marathons, and fitness goals, the timing of the club’s launch could not be more fitting.

Interest in the ASI Running Club was evident from the start, with 66 employees pre-registering ahead of the launch. However, due to storm advisories and weather conditions on the day itself, only about half were able to attend.

Still, the momentum was carried forward. On February 20, 2026, the club held its first official running activity, with 27 participants joining as pioneers. Their presence signified not just participation, but commitment to building a consistent and supportive running community within ASI.

Since then, the ASI Running Club has continued to build its momentum by holding running activities twice every month—further strengthening engagement and encouraging employees to stay active and connected.

From setbacks to a strong start, the ASI Running Club is now on track to become a hub for wellness, camaraderie, and shared goals—one step at a time.

As the world evolves, so does language. Have you ever noticed how new words seem to appear in English all the time? Take the word “doomscrolling,” for example. It refers to the act of endlessly scrolling through negative news on social media. A few years ago, that word did not even exist, but now it is widely understood.

The presentation featured several popular AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity AI. Through demonstrations, attendees saw how these tools can assist with tasks such as writing project documentation, generating code snippets, creating test cases, analyzing logs, and summarizing meetings. Hernie also emphasized that AI-generated responses should always be reviewed and validated by users.

In the same way, when watching Japanese media, you might notice something interesting. Some words sound strangely familiar. You might hear words like コーヒー (kōhī), パン (pan), or others that resemble English. As you go deeper, you may encounter words like テレビ (terebi). These feel like English, but they do not actually exist in the English dictionary in that exact form. So, what is going on here?

What Exactly Is Gairaigo?

These words are called gairaigo (外来語). Simply put, gairaigo are borrowed words. They are terms that Japanese has taken from other languages, mostly English, and adapted into its own system. English does the same thing too. Words like karaoke and tsunami were originally borrowed from Japanese.

However, there is a common misconception that all gairaigo come from English. That is not the case.

For example:

1. アルバイト (arubaito) comes from German and means part-time job
2. アンケート (ankēto) comes from French and means survey
3. ゴム (gomu) comes from Dutch and means rubber

This shows that gairaigo are a mix of influences from different languages, adapted to fit Japanese pronunciation and writing.

What Exactly Is Gairaigo?

Gairaigo are widely used in Japanese for a few simple reasons.

1. New Things Need New Words

When new technology or ideas enter Japan, it is often easier to adopt the original term rather than create a completely new one.

コンピューター (computer)

インターネット (internet)

2. They Sound Modern

Loanwords often carry a sense of being modern, stylish, or global.

In a way, this is similar to how English speakers sometimes view new slang. Think about phrases like, “What are the cool new words people use these days?” Gairaigo can give off that same kind of modern or trendy impression in Japanese.

3. Language Naturally Evolves

At the end of the day, all languages are borrowed from one another. Japanese is no exception. Gairaigo are simply a reflection of cultural exchange and how language adapts over time.

When Gairaigo Gets Confusing

Gairaigo are widely used in Japanese for a few simple reasons.

1. New Things Need New Words

For example:

インターネット (internet)

1. ストーブ (sutōbu) usually means a heater, not a cooking stove
2. マンション (manshon) refers to an apartment, not a luxury mansion

These differences can be confusing, especially for beginners. Even learners with some experience still get tripped up by these.

Gairaigo are everywhere in modern Japanese, from daily conversations to advertisements and media. They show how languages influence each other, how meanings can shift, and how communication continues to evolve in a globalized world.

Interested in learning Japanese yourself?

Alliance Software Inc. offers free Japanese classes open to both beginners and advanced learners. It is a great opportunity to explore the language further and understand concepts like gairaigo in more depth.

Stepping into a leadership role often comes with a mix of pride, challenge, and reflection. For Shirlene, her recent promotion to the Management Committee embodies all three. What initially seemed like part of succession planning turned into an unexpected yet deeply meaningful milestone in her career. More than anything, the promotion affirmed a sense of trust placed in her capabilities, something she values as the foundation of leadership.

Shirlene attributes her growth to consistently giving her all in every project she handles. For her, effective leadership begins with control and accountability. This means ensuring that operations run smoothly and that issues are resolved before they ever reach higher management. This approach not only builds efficiency but also fosters trust, allowing her to operate with minimal supervision. Over the years, she has successfully managed expanding teams across different regions, including scaling a European account from a small group into a team of 40. Along the way, she has witnessed and contributed to the growth of her team members, mentoring individuals from developers into senior and technical leadership roles.

Transitioning into the Management Committee, however, has required her to step outside her comfort zone. Moving from familiar teams to a broader organizational scope meant adapting to new dynamics and responsibilities. Decision-making is no longer confined to individual projects. It now impacts the organization as a whole. This shift has challenged her to develop a more strategic and holistic perspective while balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.

Her leadership philosophy is grounded in humility and empowerment. She openly acknowledges that she does not have all the answers. Instead, she draws strength from the people around her. By delegating effectively and empowering her team, she creates an environment where individuals can maximize their strengths. At the core of her values are integrity and decisiveness. For Shirlene, leadership without integrity is unsustainable. The ability to make firm decisions, especially during uncertainty, is essential in guiding teams forward.

Maintaining team alignment and motivation is another priority she holds close. She emphasizes the importance of a supportive environment where team members feel heard and valued. By fostering open communication and reinforcing a sense of unity, she ensures that no one feels left behind, even in challenging times.

Looking ahead, Shirlene is eager to replicate successful practices across teams. She aims to ensure that standards are consistently upheld throughout the organization. She sees this as an opportunity to build on existing successes and create a more unified and high-performing culture.

Despite her achievements, she remains grounded in a simple yet powerful belief. Success is not about chasing perfection or promotion. Instead, it comes from loving what you do and giving your best in every task. She likes project management to a game of chess, which requires focus, strategy, and consistency. For those aspiring to leadership roles, her advice is clear. Concentrate on doing your work well, and growth will naturally follow.

At the heart of her journey there is passion for both her work and her personal life. She credits this passion as the driving force that sustains her through challenges and setbacks. As she takes on this new role, Shirlene aims to make a meaningful impact by strengthening teams, upholding values, and leading with purpose.

Her story shows that leadership is not just about position. It is about trust, integrity, and the ability to bring out the best in others.