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The Aboitiz Group, through its renewable energy (RE) and power generation arm SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP), reinforced its commitment to sustainability by highlighting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles during its annual Host Communities’ Forums held across Northern Luzon in September.
Held under the theme “Redefining Impact: ESG in Community Development,” SN Aboitiz Power’s Host Communities’ Forums gathered more than 200 representatives from local governments and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations across Benguet, Ifugao, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya. The discussions focused on how ESG-driven initiatives can enhance community resilience and promote long-term sustainability in SNAP’s host areas.
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Highlighting ESG’s importance
Aboitiz Foundation Chief Operating Officer Mardi Mapa-Suplido, who delivered the keynote address, urged participants to see ESG principles as more than corporate frameworks. She highlighted their growing role as practical tools for fostering accountable governance and building inclusive, resilient communities.
SNAP Group President and CEO Joseph Yu echoed the call for sustainable progress, saying that redefining impact involves creating inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking solutions that empower communities and drive long-term growth.
“By embedding ESG principles into our projects and partnerships, we aim to build not just energy facilities but also stronger, more inclusive, and future-ready communities,” Yu noted.
The forum launched in Itogon, Benguet, on September 3, gathering about 80 participants. SNAP presented updates on its RE projects, including the 40-megawatt (MW) Binga Battery Energy Storage System (BESS 1)—the first in the Cordillera Administrative Region to secure financial close and begin construction earlier this year. Two more 40-MW facilities, Binga BESS 2 and Ambuklao BESS, are pending regulatory clearance.
Other forums followed with SNAP-Magat hosting sessions on September 16 and 17 in Ifugao, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya, bringing together roughly 150 community leaders to discuss ongoing sustainability initiatives and development partnerships.
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Championing community development
The Host Communities’ Forum is SNAP’s annual platform for engaging community stakeholders, providing updates on company operations and initiatives while encouraging their active involvement in shaping its CSR programs.
Formed as a collaboration between Scatec and Aboitiz Renewables Inc. (ARI), SNAP continues to expand renewable capacity while strengthening partnerships with local communities as part of the group’s shift toward a sustainable energy future.
Over the past 17 years, SNAP has invested around ₱600 million through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, completing more than 1,200 projects that span social infrastructure, health, education, livelihood, environmental initiatives, and Indigenous Peoples’ development.
The forum featured SNAP’s Barangay Health Care Clinic project in Tikey, Bokod, Benguet, funded through the company’s CSR program and the Department of Energy’s ER1-94 initiative. It also noted the completion of the Senior Citizens’ Building in Kapangan under the same program.
Mayors Bernard Waclin of Itogon and Eric Donn Ignacio of Bokod expressed their appreciation for SNAP’s sustained support, noting how the projects align with the community’s needs.
SNAP manages a portfolio of power generation assets, including the 112.5-MW Ambuklao and 140-MW Binga hydro plants in Benguet, the 360-MW Magat plant along the Isabela-Ifugao border, the 8.5-MW Maris hydro plant, and the 24-MW Magat BESS in Isabela.