Hedcor to start Mt Prov energy project; 6 schools benefit from Aboitiz aid

SABANGAN, Mountain Province – The construction of the Sabangan Hydropower Project is set to start with the groundbreaking ceremony here 9 a.m. on June 18 at the municipal hall.

“This is Hedcor’s first venture in Mountain Province, our response to the government’s thrust in increasing the renewable energy portfolio of the country,” said Rene Ronquillo, president and COO of Hedcor Sabangan Inc.

Media who would like to participate were urged to contact John Matias and Leslie Monica Cornelio at

john.eugene.matias@aboitiz.com leslie.monica.cornelio@aboitiz.com 0927-6185-483 0928 550 9764

This, as volunteers from SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) Group marked the last days of May meaningfully by joining DepEd's 2013 National School Maintenance Week program or "Brigada Eskwela." 

Led by SNAP Group president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio and top executives of SNAP Group, 97 volunteers from Ambuklao, Binga, Magat hydroelectric power plants and their executive office teamed up with representatives from local government units, beneficiary schools, and the communities to clean up and paint several school facilities across Manila, Benguet, Ifugao and Isabela. 

SNAP-Magat, headed by Plant Manager Willy Ferrer, conducted two days of Brigada Eskwela on May 23 and 24 for Gen. Aguinaldo Elementary School in Ramon, Isabela and Sto. Domingo Elementary School in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao. About 647 school children from Gen. Aguinaldo and 230 students in Sto. Domingo can expect brighter, cleaner schools this June.

In Taguig City, volunteers from the executive office headed to Napindan Elementary School on May 25 to paint exterior classroom walls and halls of the school which hosts 2,568 pupils.

Aside from Rubio, among the SNAP volunteers were chief finance officer Eleanor Blomdahl and Chief Corporate Services Officer Mike Hosillos.  They were part of a bigger team of 84 volunteers from various Aboitiz Group business units who participated in the Taguig activity led by Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

SNAP-Benguet, led by Support Services Manager Val Galpo, also held a two-day BrigadaEskwela on May 27 and 28.

The activity benefitted a total of 300 students of Binga Elementary School and Binga National High School in Tinongdan, Itogon and 45 students of Banao Elementary School in Ambuklao, Bokod.

"SNAP's measures of success includes making a difference in the communities where we operate, and part of making a difference is taking the time to participate in activities like Brigada Eskwela," Mr. Rubio said during the pre-activity ceremony in Taguig.

SNAP is a regular sponsor of Brigada Eskwela through its Corporate Social Responsibility and Volunteerism programs in order to bring to the grassroots level the fruits of the implementation of development projects within the villages hosting the operation of their existing power plants.

It owns and operates the 360-MW Magat hydroelectric power plant in Isabela and Ifugao, the 105-MW Ambuklao plant in Bokod, Benguet, and the 125-MW Binga plant in Itogon, Benguet.

After fully rehabilitating Ambuclao dam in order to increase its power output from 75 mw to 105 mw, SNAP is now in the final stages of completing the full rehabilitation of Binga Dam in Itogon town in order to increase its power output from 100 mw to 125 mw to help sustain the power supply of the Luzon grid so that it will be able to cope with the rapidly increasing power demand triggered by robust economic growth in fast growing areas in Northern and Central Luzon.

The Cordillera has been identified by the energy department as a primary source of renewable energy, particularly hydro power, because of the abundance of free flowing river systems that get water from the region’s watersheds.