Aboitiz bares more projects for Luzon host communities

BOKOD, Benguet -- SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) Group held a series of stakeholders’ forums in its host provinces of Benguet, Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, and Ifugao recently to sustain its commitment for a more aggressive implementation of community-based projects beneficial for its host and neighboring communities.

Attended by around 300 elected officials from host barangays, municipalities and provinces, sectoral representatives and members of indigenous peoples’ organizations, the stakeholders’ forum highlighted SNAP’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs for the past five years of its existence in the said areas.

SNAP-Benguet has implemented 179 CSR projects since it acquired the Ambuklao and Binga hydroelectric power facilities in 2008. Ambuklao has funded 95 projects, while Binga has funded 84, majority of which are on indigenous peoples’ focus, infrastructure, and education. SNAP-Magat has been implementing a total of 212 projects in the host provinces of Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, and Ifugao since 2007, majority in the key result areas of infrastructure, education and governance.

Other highlights of the forum were plant operations updates from SNAP-Benguet and SNAP-Magat’s assistant vice presidents and plant managers Emmanuel Lopez and Wilhelmino Ferrer. Aboitiz Power’s community relations officer Wesley Briola gave a re-orientation on the process of availing the Energy Regulation (ER) 1-94 fund, which requires power generators to remit to government one centavo per kilowatt-hour of their electricity sales. These funds are dispensed by the Department of Energy and used for projects on electrification, reforestation, and livelihood.

SN Power’s country representative Rodolfo Azanza also gave an update on SNAP’s greenfield development program, SNAP’s business development arm. The program aims to expand the company’s renewable energy portfolio by identifying and developing sustainable hydroelectric projects in the different parts of the archipelago in order to sustain sufficient renewable sources of power for the different grids.

SNAP also took the opportunity to introduce its CSR programs to newly elected officials of the four provinces.

Top officials from the provinces and municipalities were on hand to participate in the forum, including Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan; Ifugao Governor Dennis Habawel; Bokod Mayor Mauricio Macay; Itogon Vice Mayor Adriano Carantes; Ramon Mayor WilfredoTabag; Bagabag Mayor Johnny Sevillana; Diadi Mayor Norma Miguel; Lamut Mayor Mariano Buyagawan; Lagawe Mayor Cesario Cabbigat; Ambuklao Barangay Chairman Arthur Solano; Binga Barangay Chairman Miguel Cosalan; and Tinongdan Chairmen Ben Medina.

This year’s stakeholders’ forum, with the theme “CSR Revisited: Partnering for Shared Value” took a look back at the past five years of SNAP’s voluntary CSR program and the company’s plans for the future. The annual event is a venue of SNAP and its stakeholders to discuss, among other things, direct benefits, new projects, and updates on the company’s corporate social responsibility program which is jointly implemented by SNAP and its host communities.

SNAP-Magat owns and operates the 360-megawatt hydroelectric plant (HEPP) located at Ramon, Isabela and Alfonso Lista, Ifugao. It also owns the 105-MW Ambuklao HEPP in Bokod, Benguet and 125-MW Binga HEPP in Itogon, Benguet. SNAP is a joint venture between SN Power of Norway and Aboitiz Power.