STELLA

STELLA is a multi-platform lending system built for Five Star Finance Inc. to modernize loan applications and benefit tracking for AFP retirees. It connects a Next.js web admin dashboard for branch staff, a React Native mobile app for clients, and an Express.js API backed by PostgreSQL — three architectures working as one cohesive system.

Background

AFP retirees were navigating a slow, manual process — paper forms for loan applications and spreadsheet-based coordination between the CDO branch and the main office in Quezon City. The branch manager engaged us directly as a capstone client, seeing a clear need for a system that could streamline operations locally and give retirees a way to submit details and track their loan progress without an in-person visit.

Challenge

As the Frontend Web and Mobile Developer in a two-person team, my biggest challenge was context-switching across two active codebases simultaneously — the Next.js admin dashboard and the React Native mobile app — while occasionally jumping in to support the backend. Each platform had its own constraints and user expectations: branch staff needed an efficient operational tool, while retirees needed a mobile experience that was approachable regardless of technical familiarity. Keeping both moving in parallel without dropping quality on either side was a constant balancing act.

Goal

To replace a fragmented paper-and-spreadsheet process with a unified digital system that connects branch staff and retirees in real time. The system was built, presented to Five Star Finance, and received positive feedback — though deployment stalled when the CDO branch had no authority to push adoption to the main office. The work stands as a fully functional, production-ready platform demonstrating what modern tooling could do for the organization.