Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has announced a long-term sustainability strategy that outlines a “just, orderly, and affordable transition” to cleaner energy while expanding access to underserved communities.

The plan was unveiled at the Horizons: One Meralco Long-term Sustainability Strategy Summit, led by Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan and Department of Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin.

Pangilinan said the strategy seeks to combine environmental goals with social impact. “If there is a carbon-free future, there must also be a poverty-free future. Strategy means little if the power it delivers is not within reach of the people who need it most. Every watt we deliver must carry not just power, but purpose,” he said.

Garin noted that coal still accounts for 62.5% of the country’s generation mix but stressed the need to accelerate renewable energy development. She reiterated government targets of 35% renewable energy by 2030, 50% by 2040, and over 50% by 2050, supported by microgrids and hybrid systems for underserved areas. “The energy transition is not just about replacing fuels—it’s about transforming futures,” she said.

Meralco Chief Sustainability Officer Raymond B. Ravelo outlined a three-horizon roadmap to 2050 under the “Powering the Good Life” strategy, starting with renewable investments and expanding to nuclear, hydrogen, biomass, and carbon capture. “We have made a deliberate choice: to place sustainable, life-giving action at the heart of everything we do,” Ravelo said.

Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) is leading the shift with the MTerra Solar project, the world’s largest integrated solar and battery system. MGEN President Emmanuel V. Rubio said the project will energize about 2.4 million households and reduce roughly 4.3 million tons of emissions annually. 

“Our long-term commitment is to phase out coal by 2050. But during this transition, coal remains necessary to bridge the gap—used responsibly and strategically—to guarantee that as we shift to cleaner sources, we do not sacrifice reliability and affordability,” Rubio said.

One Meralco Foundation President Jeffrey O. Tarayao said electrification projects in schools, health centers, farms, and water systems will help bridge inequality. “These are not just projects—they are lifelines. They are bridges between poverty and productivity, between exclusion and empowerment,” he said.

Pangilinan closed the summit stressing the need for collective action. “Power alone is not enough. True compassion requires a totality of solutions,” he said.

How should the Philippines balance coal phase-out with affordability and reliability in its energy transition? Discuss below.

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