Bayad seals partnership with BillEase for more convenient bills payment options

CHAMPIONING DIGITAL FINANCIAL INCLUSIVITY: Executives of Bayad and BillEase meet for the signing of the partnership to enable customers to settle their bills in a more convenient way via installments. Seen in the photo are (from L-R) BillEase Head of Merchant Products Kurt Molina, BillEase Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer Ritche Weekun, Bayad President and CEO Lawrence Y. Ferrer, and Bayad Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer Dennis S. Gatuslao.

Bayad, the pioneer brand in the outsourced payment collection system, has partnered with BillEase, a top-rated consumer finance app, to enable customers to settle their bills in a more convenient way via installments.

Enjoy big savings this July in your Meralco bill and keep the savings coming through these tipid tips!

July will have a bright spot in monthly bills of Meralco’s customers with the P0.72 kWh reduction on electricity rate recently announced by the utility.

This means that for households consuming 200 kWh, there will be a savings of around P144, while households consuming 300 kWh will pay P316 less fpr their electricity bill this month. The significant decrease is due to the lower generation charge that Meralco pays to its suppliers.

With these savings, you can keep the extra money to your emergency use, or add it to something more long-term like your child’s education fund.

Meralco is back-to-back champion of X-Trash Challenge

Representatives of One Meralco Foundation, Meralco’s Facilities, Safety, and Security Management, and Ateneo Center for Education prepare food packs for distribution at Ateneo de Manila University.

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has once again emerged as the champion in an inter-company competition that aims to promote responsible waste management in the country.

The power distributor bested 12 other Philippine companies in this year’s X-Trash Challenge organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and Basic Environmental Systems and Technology Inc. (BEST, Inc.).

Meralco partners with ARTA to support government streamlining efforts

PARTNERS IN NATION-BUILDING. Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director General and Secretary Ernesto V. Perez (left), Manila Electric Company (Meralco) AVP and Head of Biz Joy P. Mendoza (center), and Meralco SVP and Chief Legal Counsel Atty. William S. Pamintuan sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the “PaspasPilipinasPaspas” project which aims to boost the efforts for the adoption of the Integrated Business Permits and Licensing System (iBPLS) by local government units.

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has partnered with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to help local government units (LGUs) automate their business permit and licensing systems in line with the government’s thrust to promote ease in doing business.

Meralco unit MPower ramps up support for K-12 education

As part of its Back-to-School Donation Drive, MPower and One Meralco Foundation turned over school supplies to the teachers from Lagundi Elementary School in Plaridel, Bulacan.

MPower, the local retail electricity supplier of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), and its partners have poured in over P8 million for various education programs that benefitted some 3,000 kindergarten students in 19 schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

In line with the resumption of face-to-face classes this year, MPower recently donated worth P875,000 of school supplies to seven beneficiary schools which include printers, hard drives, as well as hygiene products and antigen test kits.

MERALCO reaffirms support for DOTr infra projects

DOTr Sec. Jaime J. Bautista (5th from left) and Meralco President and CEO Atty Ray C. Espinosa (5th from right) led officials DOTr and Meralco officials in a strategic meeting to advance the government’s infrastructure development efforts.

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) committed anew its support for the government’s transportation infrastructure development efforts crucial to the country’s pandemic recovery and economic growth.

In a meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa affirmed the power distributor’s assistance through continuing pole relocation and energization activities in support of the agency’s ongoing and planned transportation projects geared towards greatly benefiting the public. 

MERALCO Receives International Recognition for Customer-Centric and Data Driven Digital Tranasformation

Meralco’s customer centric and data-driven program gets recognition at the 8th annual Talend Data Masters Awards

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the country’s largest electric distribution utility, has received a recognition for its customer centric and data-driven digital transformation program at the 8th annual Talend Data Masters Awards.

Established in 2015, the awards program honors companies across the globe that share the goal of transforming data into quantifiable business value. 

With a mission to provide the best value energy solutions for its customers, Meralco has ventured into a digital transformation journey in 2020 by implementing a holistic data management strategy that integrates governance, processes, people, and technology through the Meralco Data Platform (MDP). This allows Meralco to use data analytics and intelligence more broadly, efficiently, and effectively in making business decisions in a timely manner.

Two consecutive months of lower rates for Meralco customers

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced another round of rate reduction as it cut its August rates by P0.2087 per kilowatt hour (kWh), equivalent to a decrease of around P42 in the total bill of a residential customer consuming 200 kWh.  Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga said with this adjustment, Meralco’s rates now have a combined reduction of P0.9154 per kWh over the past two months and a net decrease of P0.2315 per kWh since the start of the year. For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s website at www.meralco.com.ph or follow its social media accounts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco), and Twitter account @meralco.

Meralco And BFP Partner To Stregthen Emergency Response

PARTNERSHIP FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. In a bid to further strengthen their initiatives to promote fire safety and prevention, a memorandum of agreement was recently signed by Meralco and BFP officials: (front row, L-R) Meralco FVP and Head of Human Resources and Corporate Services Mr. Edgardo V. Carasig, Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa, BFP-NCR Regional Director CSUPT Gilbert D. Dolot PhD DSC, and Regional Chief Directorial Staff SSUPT Achilles M. Santiago PhD DSC.  Also present during the signing were Meralco officials: (back row, L-R) VP and Head of Organizational Safety and Business Continuity Management Engr. Antonio M. Abuel, Jr., VP and Head of Facilities, Security and General Services Engr. Benjamin U. Cusi, SVP and Head of Legal and Corporate Governance Atty. William S. Pamintuan, and AVP and Head of Local Government and Special Projects Atty. Oscar P. Moreno, Jr. (Note: Public health standards were strictly followed during the event and face masks were only removed for the photo.)

Meralco recognized for ESG excellence, now a FTSE4Good constituent

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has been recognized as one of the most socially and environmentally responsible companies globally.

UK-based FTSE Russell, a global sustainability index provider, announced Meralco’s inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index Series—specifically in the FTSE4Good Emerging Index and in the FTSE4Good ASEAN 5 Index.

Meralco is the second power company in the Philippines recognized by FTSE Russell for outstanding sustainability performance.

The FTSE4Good Index Series is a set of global sustainability indices that measure the performance of companies in key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas such as climate change, labor standards, and anti-corruption. It was designed to help market participants assess sustainable investment products, to research environmentally and socially sustainable firms, and to provide a transparent and evolving global ESG standard against which businesses could benchmark their performance.

To be included in the FTSE4Good Index, a company in an emerging market must achieve an overall ESG rating of 2.9 or higher.

In FTSE Russell’s latest assessment, Meralco garnered and ESG rating of 3.2 – topping the Philippines’ and the global energy sector’s averages.

“We are very honored and grateful for this distinctive recognition of our sustainability strategy and initiatives. This confirms that we are indeed progressing in the right direction. Our inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index inspires us to heighten our sustainability agenda and to continue creating a positive and transforming difference for all we serve—truly, powering the good life,” said Meralco First Vice President  and  Chief  Sustainability Officer Raymond B. Ravelo, who also serves as the President and CEO of eSakay, Meralco’s electric vehicle subsidiary.

Meralco’s sustainability agenda called “Powering the Good Life” is deeply rooted in and promotes the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The company’s key sustainability initiatives include sourcing 1,500 megawatts (MW) of its power requirements from clean energy in the next five years while building 1,500 MW of renewable energy capacity through 2027; electrifying 25% of its vehicle fleet by 2030; planting and nurturing five million trees by 2025 to help protect and preserve Philippine forests and watersheds; and achieving 40% women representation in its workforce by the end of this decade.

“We, in Meralco, will continue to advance our drive towards sustainability not only by intensifying our efforts to keep the lights on for our customers and communities but also by heightening our initiatives to protect and preserve the planet,” said Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Ray C. Espinosa.

“As we forge ahead, we are committed to accelerating our sustainability transformation while meeting the needs of our recovering nation. We likewise set our vision towards co-creating a society with all the hallmarks of enduring and meaningful progress as we provide and power more life to sustain the Filipino,” he concluded.

Torre del Oro Cuts Costs while Saving the Environment with Meralco Biz Partners

“I was convinced to go solar because of the company that was behind it: Meralco. I knew that we were dealing with a serious player in the industry,” said Edmund Chiongson, President of Torre del Oro, a company that leases out buildings and warehouses to manufacturing companies engaged in export.

“On top of our responsibility of being environmentally-friendly, I wanted our tenant partners to have a more competitive electrical cost than others,” he said. “We wanted to explore the use of solar energy, which is why we consulted Meralco Biz Partners.”

Spectrum Energizes Alphatech's First Solar-Powered Facility

From L-R: Spectrum Chief Operations Officer Patrick Henry T. Panlilio, Alphatech Senior Vice President Allan Keith G. Castro, Spectrum President and CEO Engr. Ferdinand O. Geluz, and Plastimer Group of Companies Executive Vice President Teo Kee Bin led the inauguration of Spectrum’s 856.80 kWp solar rooftop project in Alphatech’s manufacturing plant in Guiguinto, Bulacan. (Note: Public health standards were strictly followed during the event and face masks were only removed for the photo opportunity.)

Spectrum, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), has energized Alphatech Development Corporation’s first solar-powered facility, supporting the latter’s push for sustainable business operations.

Officials from the two companies on May 25 led the inauguration of the 856.80 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar rooftop project at Alphatech’s manufacturing plant in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

Expansion Powered by Meralco helps Farmrichfoods Elevate the Poultry Industry in Bulacan

In 2014, Sonny Sebastian, Chief Executive Officer of Farmrichfoods Meat Processing and Poultry Dressing Plant Corporation, decided to expand the family business to include poultry rendering. This is a process that turns chicken by-products into useful and consumable end-products such as animal feeds. The expansion will not only make Farmrichfoods more profitable, but it will also result in sustainable and zero-waste operations and provide more jobs for the people of Pandi, Bulacan, where the facility is based.

Farmrichfoods’ collaboration with Meralco Biz Partners powered their expansion through the Peak / Off-Peak (POP) solution, which generated monthly savings of P35,000.

Meralco Reopnes Doors For Aspiring Female Linecrew As It Reaffirms Commitment To Diversity And Inclusion

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has relaunched a recruitment and capability-building program for aspiring female linecrew members as part of the Company’s commitment to drive and heighten gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

The Meralco Linecrew Training Program (MLTP) aims to develop a pool of skilled female line workers, who are envisioned to eventually become part of the Meralco workforce.

A total of 15 individuals will be part of the newest batch of trainees under the MLTP. For a period of five months beginning May, they will undergo a series of lectures and rigorous physical training and endurance conditioning programs that will build and hone their skills to properly use manually operated tools and safely climb Meralco utility poles. They will subsequently be assessed for hiring and deployment.

Meralco Recognized For Outstanding Service Amid The Pandemic

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) emerged as one of the top  companies in the Philippines on service excellence, leveraging both digital and traditional customer channels despite the challenges brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In the recently concluded 2021 ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Awards presented by Asia IoT Business Platform (AIBP), Meralco was recognized for its entry, “Transformation Powered by Technology and Tradition”, which showcased the power distributor’s programs aimed at enhancing customer experiences through process improvements and digital transformation.

Among Meralco’s key customer-centricity initiatives are its Facebook Live Chat, which serves 8,000 transactions per hour; Virtual Customer Assistant, which allows customers to speak with Meralco representatives via video conferencing; and Online Customer Appointment, which enables customers to schedule appointments before visiting Business Centers. All these are geared towards ensuring the safety and convenience of Meralco customers.

Meralco asks gencos to join CSP for 170-MW summer supply

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is urging generation companies to join the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for the supply of 170 megawatts (MW) of peaking power needed for the summer months.

Through the Third Party Bids and Awards Committee (TPBAC), Meralco said interested parties have until Wednesday, January 5, to submit Expressions of Interest for the contract covering the period February 26, 2022 to July 25, 2022.

A Pre-bid Conference is scheduled on January 12, 2022, and the Bid Submission Deadline will be on February 2, 2022.

Meralco helps restore power in typhoon-hit areas

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has extended assistance to expedite restoration of electricity services in areas that were severely affected by Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai)

The company immediately coordinated with the Department of Energy and the Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) and sent an advance party in Cebu on December 19 to help assess the extent of damage to power facilities.

Meralco’s new integrated ICT command & control center accelerates customer-centric innovations

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has unveiled its most advanced command and controlcenter to date -- the Operations Platform and Telecommunications Integrated Command Center (OPTIC), which now manages all information, communication, and technology (ICT) systems across the Company.

The first of its kind among electricity distribution utilities in the country, the OPTIC is a state-of-the-art facility that aims to reduce unplanned downtime of critical ICT systems, increase productivity of employees, and enhance service delivery to Meralco customers.

McKinley Hill is Set to Ensure More Reliable Power Through a New State-of-the-Art Substation

The partnership between Meralco and Megaworld Corporation will improve distribution efficiency, power reliability, and power quality in the luxury township.

The new substation will support the power demands of businesses, institutions, and communities within McKinley Hill, McKinley West, and nearby areas. (PHOTO: Megaworld Corporation)

As the narrative shifts from preparing for a post-pandemic future to thriving in a world where COVID-19 is here to stay, Megaworld Corporation and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) recognize the role that the private sector plays in driving economic recovery. The two corporations partnered to ensure that the integrated community within McKinley Hill—composed of businesses and homes—is powered with stable and reliable electricity, with the goal of ultimately improving lives.

Packaging Company Betafoam Rebuilt Itself From The Ashes with The Help of This Energy Expert

How does one rebuild from literal ashes? You do it with strength, character, a lot of optimism, and the right partners. For Betafoam Corporation, an insulation and packaging company located in Dasmariñas, Cavite, this holds true.

During the pandemic, Betafoam increased its operations for products that saw higher demand, including packaging for essential goods and logistics companies, bubble wrap, and plastic sheets.