Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) and Japan’s JERA Co., Inc. have inaugurated the Global Technical Center of Excellence (GTCOE) at the LIMA Commercial Center in Batangas. The training facility is designed to develop engineers and operators with strong expertise in operations and maintenance (O&M), leadership, and adaptability.

The initiative builds on JERA’s 2021 equity investment in AboitizPower and their 2023 talent exchange program, which deployed engineers to each other’s plants for cross-border knowledge sharing. The new center strengthens these efforts by creating a permanent platform for technical training and collaboration.

At full operation, the GTCOE will provide hands-on O&M training at AboitizPower facilities, including the GNPower Mariveles Energy Center and GNPower Dinginin. It will also serve as a venue for knowledge exchange, aiming to develop professionals who can respond to shifting demands in the power sector.

The two companies said the GTCOE will expand its reach by partnering with universities, industry groups, government agencies, and international organizations. This approach is intended to build a steady pipeline of talent for the Philippine energy industry and beyond.

“A competent workforce is needed, especially in a rapidly evolving sector such as power generation,” said AboitizPower Transition Business Group President and Chief Operating Officer Celso Caballero III. “The GTCOE is a platform where technical expertise meets with leadership, adaptability, safety, and global readiness.”

JERA executives highlighted that the GTCOE represents a natural extension of their collaboration with AboitizPower. “The GTCOE represents a natural extension of this collaboration, focused on exchanging knowledge, developing energy talent, and creating lasting value for the broader energy ecosystem,” said Tetsuya Watabe, JERA Corporate Vice President and Chief O&M Engineering Officer.

Exclusive Access for First Three Years

AboitizPower Thermal Group Chief Engineering & Projects Officer Don Paulino said the program will initially run exclusively for AboitizPower and JERA employees during its first three years as part of their workforce development strategy. Training programs will vary in length—some lasting just two to three weeks, while others extend to three months depending on the specific track.

The first batch of trainees will start on September 15, with 12 trainees from JERA and six from AboitizPower. A second batch will follow in November, consisting of 32 students equally divided between the two companies.

“One major goal is preparing engineers to meet international standards. So one of the things that we’re planning to do here is, for example, we will get our engineers internationally certified. So they’re not just certified here, for example, in the mechanical engineering registration. We want to make sure that they’re competent internationally,” Paulino added.

After the initial three-year period, the companies plan to open the program to the broader energy sector. “Eventually, we’re opening it to the energy sector, because our intention is really help with energy sustainability, energy security, and hopefully affordability,” Paulino said. “Because if we can run our power plant more reliable, more effectively, and more efficiently, then that will provide energy security that this country needs right now.”

Strong Government and Diplomatic Support

The Department of Energy welcomed the launch, noting its importance to the sector’s workforce transition. “We recognize that one of the most valuable resources is our people,” said DOE Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director Marissa Cerezo. “This underscores the urgent need for reskilling and rightskilling our workforce. In this regard, the establishment of the GTCOE could not have come at a more opportune time.”

Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines, Kazuya Endo, said the project reflects bilateral cooperation between the two countries. “Investing in people is one of the most meaningful ways we can contribute to long-term progress, and the GTCOE is a powerful symbol of that commitment,” he said.

AboitizPower is one of the largest power producers in the Philippines, operating renewable and thermal plants nationwide with more than 4,000 megawatts of attributable capacity. It also runs distribution utilities and provides retail electricity supply.

JERA, Japan’s largest power generator, holds a 27 percent equity stake in AboitizPower through its subsidiary JERA Asia. Beyond power generation, JERA’s portfolio spans the entire energy supply chain, including fuel procurement and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.