For SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), fragmentation is an operational risk. As a critical information infrastructure provider operating across the Philippine archipelago, the renewable energy company depends on systems that can move data, approvals, and decisions reliably across hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, and thermal facilities.
This is why having multiple internal systems that do not talk to each other is a major red flag, a concern the company moved quickly to address. Partnering with Kissflow, SNAP set out to reduce operational bottlenecks caused by fragmented systems and manual processes.
Blockages
Previously, SNAP’s systems were fragmented, costly, and slow to maintain. The company was juggling a mix of in-house and outsourced tools, effectively creating isolated systems that couldn’t communicate with one another. This increased operational complexity and costs and introduced additional security risks.
“Adding new features or workflows often meant long development cycles, high expenses, and constant reliance on IT,” recalled Mitch Cabigon, Chief Information Officer, SNAP.
Operationally, approval processes were buried in long email chains, and the company’s IT teams were under sustained pressure as they tried to keep up with hundreds of business requests.
“On top of that, managing multiple legacy systems and outsourced solutions only added to the cost and complexity,” she noted.
Low key, low-code
After evaluating several providers, SNAP selected Kissflow because it allowed the company to consolidate multiple systems into a single platform that was easier to manage, while supporting faster process digitisation. The platform also enabled non-technical staff to build applications with limited training, expanding development capacity beyond IT.
“We needed a unified, scalable, and secure platform that could streamline workflows while reducing dependence on IT. Kissflow’s low-code approach met those requirements. It gave our IT and business teams a shared environment to build, deploy, and manage processes, helping us move faster while staying aligned with our enterprise architecture roadmap,” Cabigon said.
During deployment, SNAP found that the main challenge was not technical capability but employee mindset.
“Many of our staff had never been part of a digital project before, so building confidence around low-code development was critical. Kissflow worked closely with us from the start, running ‘phase zero’ workshops to understand our goals and jointly define the transformation roadmap,” she said.
It also helped that Kissflow operated more as a transformation partner than a conventional vendor, Cabigon remarked.
“They supported internal hackathons, provided hands-on guidance, and helped us sponsor and evaluate projects. The platform’s drag-and-drop interface also made it easier for non-technical staff to learn and use,” she said.
Over time, employees who were initially hesitant began developing their own applications. According to Cabigon, collaboration, practical training, and structured change management were central to making adoption manageable and repeatable.
Powered up
After adopting Kissflow’s low-code platform, SNAP retired several in-house systems, saving approximately US$61,000 annually in infrastructure and support costs. In addition, 19 employees were trained as citizen developers, enabling faster delivery of new applications without increasing pressure on IT.
“We’ve seen efficiency gains of 5% to 10% across HR, operations, and IT service management,” Cabigon observed.
SNAP’s HR team now operates the “iServe” application to manage onboarding and employee requests. The plant safety team uses the “eRUO” application for incident reporting, which Cabigon said has improved response times and visibility.
“Even our executive assistants moved from one-to-one assignments to a shared pool model, coordinated through a single internal system, helping us optimise manpower and improve collaboration,” she shared.
SNAP has defined time and service targets for key processes, making it easier to see where approvals or requests are slowing down.
Citing a Nucleus ROI case study, Cabigon said SNAP recorded a 451% ROI, with a payback period of 2.8 months following the adoption of Kissflow.
According to Rakesh Nandakumar, Associate Vice President for APAC at Kissflow, SNAP focused on expanding low-code development beyond IT while keeping governance and security under IT oversight.
“By enabling citizen developers, the company equipped non-technical employees to design and refine processes themselves. This reduced pressure on IT and encouraged greater ownership across teams. At the same time, SNAP maintained governance, with IT acting as mentors to ensure security and quality standards were met,” he said.
Change management was also a priority. By linking digital initiatives to company values, SNAP focused on building digital literacy across the organisation.
Smarter infrastructure
Looking ahead, SNAP is continuing to digitise business processes to make data more accessible and usable, including the use of analytics and AI to support faster and more informed decision-making.
“A major part of our roadmap is enabling more business users to build and deploy their own applications, improving responsiveness across the organisation. Kissflow supports this by consolidating systems and shortening development cycles. With both technical and non-technical teams contributing, we’re reinforcing a culture of shared ownership,” Cabigon said.
By embedding digital literacy and workflow automation into day-to-day operations, SNAP aims to prepare for growing demand in the Philippine energy market and adapt to ongoing digital change.
According to the Department of Energy, the Philippine energy sector is now valued at 3.3 trillion PHP, up from 630 billion PHP in 2022. With electricity demand expected to double by 2040, the need for systems that can scale and adapt is becoming increasingly acute, Nandakumar said.
“Low-code platforms are changing how organisations respond to new requirements by reducing reliance on external vendors and allowing internal teams to adapt processes more quickly in a fast-changing energy environment,” he said.
