The Inside Story of POWER101 and the Dawn of Culturally Sensitive Energy Development

From Dialogue to Action: How a Power Sector Giant and Indigenous Leaders Formed an Unbreakable Bond

Empowering communities through open dialogue: The collective team behind the success of the POWER101 seminar.

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Building stronger relationships between the energy sector and local communities is more important than ever. To make this gap meet, SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) recently hosted a meaningful initiative.

This program was designed to promote mutual understanding, respect for indigenous rights, and collaborative development.

Empowering Indigenous Communities Through Energy Education

To begin with, Indigenous Peoples’ leaders, community representatives, and members of TRICAP recently gathered in Baguio City. They participated in POWER101, a fantastic two-day program organized by SNAP. Consequently, The event successfully bridged the gap between the energy sector and Indigenous Cultural Communities.


Indigenous leaders and SNAP representatives collaborating for culturally sensitive energy development during POWER101.

During the first day, participants dove deep into how the Philippine power industry operates. For instance, the sessions covered everything from industry regulations and power generation to the EPIRA Law.

Breaking down the energy sector: Atty. Jessie Bontoyan explains the mechanics of power generation and industry regulations during SNAP’s POWER101 program.

In addition, Atty. Jessie Bontoyan led a critical session on cultural sensitivity. This discussion emphasized the vital importance of respecting indigenous traditions during development projects.

Hands-On Learning and Collaboration in Action

Following a great open forum, the group enjoyed a fellowship dinner to build camaraderie. Next, everyone headed out on day two to visit the Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant in Benguet. This visit offered a firsthand look at sustainable hydropower and environmental stewardship in action.

POWER101: Participants exploring the Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant in Benguet.

Interestingly, this whole initiative was actually a year in the making. It was first proposed back in 2025 by TRICAP National President Jennifer Pia “Limpayen” Sibug-Las, Alaine Gonzales, and Atty. Christine Faith R. Sabella.

Thanks to their vision, the project turned out to be a massive success.

Building Trust for a Sustainable Future

The event’s success was the result of a collaborative team effort. SNAP leaders and specialists worked hard to host, guide, and welcome the community. By opening up these lines of communication, the program successfully advanced a shared future.

Resulting a foundation of mutual trust, respect for indigenous rights, and responsible national development.

Ultimately, programs like POWER101 prove that open dialogue brings energy companies and indigenous communities closer together. Along with technical education, an initiative prioritizing cultural sensitivity is just the most humanitarian thing to do.

Moving forward, it demonstrates how responsible industry practices can coexist harmoniously with community stewardship.

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