Manila Electric Co., the country’s largest listed distribution utility better known as Meralco, is proving that powering the good life means powering a workplace where everyone belongs.
The power distributor was named Emerging Changemaker of the Year at the 2026 Bahaghari Awards of the Philippine Financial & Inter-industry Pride (PFIP), recognizing organizations turning inclusion from corporate talk into meaningful action.
At the heart of Meralco’s efforts is #Mbrace Diversity and Inclusion, an enterprise-wide program launched in 2021. Initially focused on women’s empowerment, the initiative has since widened its embrace to LGBTQ+ employees and persons with disabilities (PWDs)—because talent, after all, comes in more than one package.
Meralco has made allyship visible, too. Pride Month activities have included rainbow crosswalks at its Ortigas headquarters and sector offices, employee storytelling campaigns that amplify diverse voices, and group posters featuring solidarity from senior leaders. The company has also partnered with PFIP for forums and webinars, including “Proud to Be Me” and “Safe to Be Me,” encouraging conversations about gender, safe spaces and everyday allyship.
Beyond the rainbow-colored celebrations, Meralco has expanded all-gender and universal restrooms across its facilities, bringing inclusion into the everyday workplace—not just the annual calendar.
Raymond B. Ravelo, Meralco chief sustainability officer, said #Mbrace is more than a program; it is a movement woven into the company’s sustainability agenda, “Powering the Good Life.”
From opening pathways for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry to creating safer spaces for LGBTQ+ colleagues and opportunities for PWDs, Ravelo emphasized that sustainability means ensuring everyone can contribute and thrive.
Guided by its four pillars—Power, Planet, People and Prosperity—Meralco is putting people firmly in the picture. The award recognizes a simple but consequential idea: a stronger workforce is built not only by keeping the lights on, but also by making sure everyone has a place in the room.
Because real progress is not just about delivering power. It is about sharing it fairly.
