Asticom, Workday push AI-powered enterprise platforms in PHL

ASTICOM Technology, Inc., the shared services and outsourcing subsidiary of Globe Telecom, Inc., has partnered with global technology company Workday, Inc. to promote artificial intelligence (AI)-powered human capital management (HCM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms among Philippine enterprises.

“Together, Asticom and Workday are combining deep local expertise and global, world-class AI-powered technology to help Philippine enterprises modernize how they manage their people and finances,” Asticom President and Chief Executive Officer Mharicar Castillo-Reyes said during a media briefing on Tuesday.

She said the partnership aims to help enterprises address structural barriers to growth, including fragmented legacy systems and workforce management challenges, through AI-powered and cloud-based platforms.

The Philippines “stands at a defining moment,” she said, citing a Philippine Institute for Development Studies study showing that only 14.9% of firms use AI tools despite Filipinos being among the highest users of AI in Southeast Asia.

Ms. Reyes also cited the Philippines’ 43^rd overall ranking in Oxford Insights’ Global AI Readiness Index 2025, saying this presents an opportunity for enterprises to transform AI from a perceived technology threat into a productivity driver.

Asticom and Workday said AI-powered solutions could help organizations address rising attrition, increasingly complex payroll requirements, and demand from new talent for flexible and seamless digital experiences.

One of the key features highlighted during the briefing was Sana, Workday’s AI-powered chatbot.

“Sana brings all of these enterprise applications together in a very simple conversational interface. Sana has that ability to sit on top of incredible enterprise data and be able to have conversations with that,” Workday ASEAN General Manager Jess O’Reilly said.

She said Sana differs from conventional chatbots because it can draw insights from enterprise-wide data and applications through a conversational interface.

Workday also said it is developing AI agents grounded in enterprise data across human resources, finance, and planning to help organizations streamline operations.

The two companies also addressed concerns about automation and job displacement, saying the discussion should focus on reskilling and redeploying workers rather than eliminating jobs.

“The question that I ask back to that is, does your business expect you to have flat growth or negative growth this year? And we all know the answer is definitely not,” Ms. O’Reilly said.

“So, whilst I think we’re going to be able to provide incredible value in automating and leapfrogging capability, our businesses are still expected to drive growth. And so, with this unlock of capability or time, I believe it’s going to be repurposed to that growth. And we’re seeing it time and time again, you know, there is no shortage of companies wanting to find or cultivate their talent,” she added.

Ms. Reyes said the objective of the partnership is not to eliminate jobs but to provide workers with tools that can help them move away from repetitive tasks and take on higher-value work.

On Tuesday, shares in Globe Telecom fell by P8 or 0.46% to close at P1,722 each. — Juliana Chloe A. Gonzales