Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has entered into a partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to accelerate the development and energization of new or “greenfield” economic zones, as the government pushes to expand industrial growth areas outside established hubs.

In a statement released today, the two agencies announced that they have formalized the collaboration through a memorandum of understanding covering PEZA-owned greenfield ecozones, including the Pantao Ecozone in Albay and the Palawan Mega Ecozone in Puerto Princesa.

Under the agreement, PEZA will identify priority ecozones for technical assessment and handle access and permitting coordination, while Meralco will provide power infrastructure and energy solutions tailored to the requirements of new industrial estates. Both parties committed to ensuring reliable, affordable, and stable electricity supply for future locators.

Meralco currently supplies power to 244 of the country’s 433 ecozones, including major industrial hubs such as Cavite Economic Zone and the First Philippine Industrial Park in Batangas.

“This partnership is a significant step toward building greenfield ecozones that will serve as engines of growth for our country. These projects, developed from the ground up, demand modern and reliable infrastructure, with power distribution systems at their core,” Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said.

He added that “by combining PEZA’s commitment to creating globally competitive investment destinations with Meralco’s expertise in delivering world-class utility services, we will ensure that dependable power becomes the backbone of sustainable development.”

The signing was led by Meralco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan alongside senior Meralco and PEZA officials, marking a move to align utility expansion with the government’s ecozone development pipeline.

For energy sector stakeholders, the partnership signals potential new demand for transmission and distribution upgrades in frontier areas, particularly in Visayas and Mindanao-facing growth corridors.

What do you think are the biggest power infrastructure challenges in greenfield ecozones? Join the discussion.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.