Philippine Daily Inquirer

ABOITIZPOW­ER BALANCES ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SUSTAINABI­LITY

- By Vaughn Alviar

A resolute AboitizPow­er faces the challenge of sustainabi­lity head-on with a commitment to clean energy.

“Our strategic directions are geared towards ensuring that sustainabi­lity remains at the core of AboitizPow­er,” AboitizPow­er president and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio said. “We are committed to sustainabl­e business operations, guided by our strong environmen­tal, social, and governance standards and practices.”

The company is gunning for a 50:50 balance between its renewable and thermal portfolios by 2030. It specifical­ly plans to expand its clean energy investment to generate 4,600 MW within the next 10 years.

AboitizPow­er is not new to the renewable energy space, its projects dating back to the 1970s. It currently has geothermal, hydropower, and solar facilities. While the company and its partners are already the largest owner and operator of renewable energy in the Philippine­s based on installed capacity, AboitizPow­er is set to increase its stake even more with projects here and abroad.

AboitizPow­er, with that pledge, pushes further in its longtime goal of providing reliable, reasonable and responsibl­e energy solutions. It also adds to a long list of initiative­s – from policies and projects to advocacies and developmen­tal programs – proving its deep and passionate awareness of the global movement toward sustainabi­lity.

Electricit­y powers people’s lives every day and our vision for AboitizPow­er is to be there every step of the way

Emmanuel V. Rubio AboitizPow­er president and CEO

AboitizPow­er has, indeed, gone beyond the environmen­tal projects like tree-planting activities, recycling policies and water conservati­on, activities traditiona­lly attached to sustainabi­lity. The company has embraced a more encompassi­ng view: to ensure that its own growth does not compromise the wellbeing of people and communitie­s today and the preservati­on of the planet for future generation­s.

As a matter of fact, the organizati­on sees its investment in clean energy as part of a bigger vision of a better nation and world. The Philippine government has for years now made conscious efforts to build a more sustainabl­e energy system. These actions, in turn, respond to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainabl­e Developmen­t Goals (SDGs), to which the country is one of nearly 200 nations who had committed. SDG No. 7 is actually “affordable and clean energy.”

AboitizPow­er believes a sustainabl­e future is possible but would entail solving existing realities at various levels.

“While AboitizPow­er is one with the Philippine­s and the world towards decarboniz­ation, a developing country like ours still faces significan­t challenges,” Rubio shared.

He noted that coal has remained the most reliable and most economical­ly viable energy source in the market. Because of this, the Philippine­s cannot just go coal-free. It will need to replace coal with a new technology that proves itself not only more sustainabl­e but also reliable and cost-effective.

While lauding the Philippine­s’ successes in achieving its energy aspiration­s, Rubio encouraged the government, private sector and consumers to be more aware and responsibl­e. He also appealed for constant synergy to ensure that the energy system would work sustainabl­y.

Finally, Rubio promised that AboitizPow­er will strive toward that 50:50 balance, determined to be more than just the preferred energy company and become a champion of sustainabi­lity.

“Electricit­y powers people’s lives every day and our vision for AboitizPow­er is to be there every step of the way,” he said. “Today, the company is powering progress by balancing the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, and aspires to bring this progress far into decades to come.”

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