Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has collaborated with the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Philippines, Inc. (JCCIPI) to promote sustainable, innovative and energy efficient solutions in the Philippine energy industry.
In a recent joint webinar on sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends in the Philippines, Meralco shared its commitments and initiatives to JCCIPI members to drum up possible collaborations that would propel ESG leadership and drive transformative results.
As the country’s largest electricity distributor, Meralco proactively works with government organizations and private sector players to achieve their sustainability goals making the company a good choice for like-minded companies that are part of JCCIPI.
JCCIPI is a private and non-profit organization consisting of Japanese or Japanese-related companies and organizations in the Philippines.
“Meralco can provide expertise in the energy sector while JCCPI can contribute technological advancement and investment. This collaboration can result in sustainable energy solutions,” said Bernice Gretchel P. Garcia–Rama, Meralco Head of Enterprise-Commercial and Conglomerates.
Meralco Head of Energy Services Danilo B. Aquillo, for his part, emphasized the power distributor’s sustainability programs that aim to create positive and lasting impact in the communities within its franchise area.
These include the company’s commitment to a just, orderly and affordable transition to clean energy through sourcing 1,500 megawatts (MW) of the company’s supply requirements from renewable energy and the development of 1,500 MW of renewable energy projects.
In addition, Meralco is also speeding up its drive to greenify its transportation fleet by shifting 25 percent of its vehicles to electric by 2030.
On the power distribution side, Meralco Head of Enterprise-Industrial Victor L. Risma IV said Meralco is scaling up its smart grid program to achieve higher efficiency, have better demand response and accommodate more renewable energy in its expansive distribution network.
Part of this program is the adoption IEC 61850—the latest international standard for communication protocols covering intelligent electronic devices at its substations, the rollout of smart meters, the deployment of its advanced metering infrastructure, the implementation of supervisory control and data acquisition system, and in the future, the installation of distributed energy resources management system.
These efforts are a testament to Meralco’s unwavering commitment to power economic progress and empower partners and communities by equipping them with green, innovative and energy efficient solutions.
For its part, JCCIPI committed to continue working with Meralco in creating an environment that would support these sustainability efforts.
“We at JCCIPI are excited to deepen our collaboration with Meralco in driving sustainable solutions within the Philippine energy landscape. Through this partnership, we aim to harness the power of innovative technology from Japanese companies, coupled with Meralco’s expertise in the energy sector, to drive forward sustainable solutions in the Philippines,” said Nobuo Fujii, JCCIPI Vice President.
“Through our joint efforts, we aim not only to benefit Japanese companies operating in the Philippines, but also to promote social responsibility by promoting energy efficiency and waste reduction. Together, we will continue to explore new avenues for sustainable development and make a positive impact on our environment and society,” he added.
Meralco and JCCIPI pledged to continue working together in developing ESG training programs, conducting workshops and seminars, and implementing more initiatives that will drive energy efficiency, waste reduction and social responsibility of Japanese businesses in the country.