^{First batch of GTCOE graduates pose for a class photo after completing the three-month training program, comprising Filipino and Japanese engineers and technical professionals. Photo credit: AboitizPower}

Aboitiz Power Corporation and Japan’s JERA Co., Inc. have begun operationalizing their joint push to strengthen power plant capability in the Philippines, with 37 engineers completing the first training cycles of the Global Technical Center of Excellence (GTCOE) in Batangas.

AboitizPower and JERA first announced and launched the GTCOE in September 2025 as part of a broader initiative to build a pipeline of industry-ready engineers for power generation facilities in the Philippines and the wider region.

The graduation signals the start of what both companies envision as a regional pipeline for power generation talent, at a time when the Philippine grid is managing new technologies such as liquefied natural gas and battery energy storage alongside conventional assets.

Of the initial graduates, 18 engineers completed a three-month Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Basic Training Program, while 19 trainees finished an Advanced Global Start-Up Trainee Program. The cohorts were composed of Filipino and Japanese professionals, reflecting the cross-border nature of the AboitizPower–JERA partnership.

Training under the O&M program combined classroom instruction with plant-level exposure, including simulator sessions and line-tracing activities at the GNPower Mariveles Energy Center and GNPower Dinginin facilities in Bataan. Course modules covered safety, plant systems, maintenance disciplines, LNG-to-power operations, and battery energy storage systems.

Among the graduates, Engr. Jhanrod Jobell Enoc, a Filipino engineer from Samal Island, Davao, received the highest distinction in the O&M program. In his valedictory speech, he cited long-standing power supply challenges in his home island as his motivation.

“Our island has been in a state of calamity due to an unreliable power supply since 2016. Growing up, I saw firsthand how much electricity affects our daily lives—our comfort, our productivity, and even our safety,” he said. “It reached a point where I knew I had to act instead of simply complain. I want to be part of the solution. That is my greatest reason for joining GTCOE.”

JERA Philippines Chief Technical Officer Hideaki Oana said the completion of the first programs reflects the practical outcomes of the joint venture. “Through GTCOE, we are investing in people who will shape a reliable and sustainable future for power generation,” he said.

GTCOE Director Engr. Mayshelle Rosario described the initiative as a platform for long-term collaboration between the two countries’ power sectors. “This program represents more than skills training for all of us. It symbolizes partnership, mutual learning, and the strengthening of ties between Japan and the Philippines,” she said.

The GTCOE is located at the LIMA Commercial Center in LIMA Estate, Batangas, and is positioned to support the development of technical talent for the regional power generation industry. Through its subsidiary JERA Asia, JERA holds approximately 27% equity in AboitizPower.

How important are dedicated training hubs like GTCOE in improving plant reliability and workforce readiness as the Philippine power mix evolves? Join the discussion.

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