Twenty-eight top-performing engineering students from across the Philippines have completed the 280-hour PowerCamp internship program of the Meralco Power Academy (MPA), gaining hands-on technical skills, industry exposure, and leadership training to prepare them as the country’s next generation of energy professionals.
Held from June to July and formally recognized in a recent graduation ceremony, the program immerses students in on-the-job learning and project-based work designed to strengthen both technical expertise and professional readiness. Participants represent 11 leading institutions nationwide, including the University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, Mapua University, and universities in Nueva Ecija, Cebu, and Mindanao—reflecting a nationwide reach for talent development.
For Meralco, led by chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, the initiative is far more than a training exercise: it is a strategic investment in the energy sector’s long-term capacity and stability. As MPA trustee and Meralco PowerGen president and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio noted, these future engineers and leaders will play a central role in shaping how the Philippines meets its rising energy demand and advances its energy transition goals. The program acts as a critical talent pipeline, ensuring the industry has the skilled workforce needed to modernize infrastructure, integrate renewable energy, and sustain reliable power supply across the country.
The program’s real-world impact is already evident. Alongside the graduation, MPA hosted a homecoming for 35 PowerCamp alumni, showing the value of its growing professional network. Seven alumni have joined the One Meralco Group, while 14 are preparing for their engineering licensure exams. Heart Well S. Sumalinog, now a Cadet Engineer at MGEN Renewables, credited PowerCamp as the stepping stone that launched her career even before she took her board exam.
Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie L. Aperocho emphasized that the program serves the broader energy industry, not just the company. “PowerCamp has never been just a way to recruit top graduates. It is a vital platform to discover, nurture, and train the brightest talents for the entire energy sector,” he said. By building a deep, diverse pool of engineering talent from all regions of the country, Meralco is strengthening both its own operational future and the nation’s ability to meet evolving energy challenges for years to come.
