Aboitiz Power Corp.’s retail electricity arm, AdventEnergy, has signed up new customers following the recent expansion of the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) program, making competitive power options available to far more businesses across the country.
Under new rules that took effect June 26, 2026, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) lowered the eligibility threshold from 500 kilowatts to just 100 kilowatts in average monthly peak demand, opening the door for thousands more power users to choose their own electricity supplier instead of relying solely on their usual distribution utility.
Among AdventEnergy’s latest clients are five campuses of non-profit educational institution Arriesgado College Foundation Inc., receiving 301 kilowatts of power, and the flagship Fully Booked bookstore operated by Belagua Corp. in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, with a 261-kilowatt supply.
Catherine Del Villar-Pasilaban, AdventEnergy vice president for retail energy sales and services, noted the milestone comes after more than 10 years of market development. “When retail competition began in 2013, only users with demand of at least one megawatt could join these programs. Choosing a retail electricity supplier for the first time is not a small decision. It means asking new questions, looking at your operations in a new way, and trusting a new partner with something your business cannot run without,” she said.
The ERC reports that over 2,300 customers had already switched suppliers by the time the 100-kilowatt rule kicked in, with the change bringing an estimated additional 12,000 end-users into the competitive market. AdventEnergy now serves more than 1,000 facilities nationwide, spanning large industrial sites to the growing 100–499 kilowatt segment. The Aboitiz Group holds a 26% share of the competitive retail electricity market as of July 2026.
For consumers and the wider public, this expanded market means more businesses — from schools and bookstores to small and medium enterprises — can now shop around for better electricity rates, improved service, and greener energy options. Greater competition typically helps keep prices fairer and service standards higher, while more businesses managing their energy costs well can mean more savings that translate to better prices, stable operations, and more jobs in the communities they serve.
This expansion also aligns with Aboitiz Power’s broader clean energy push: the group plans to add 3,600 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity, reaching 4,600 megawatts of clean power by 2030 alongside its reliable thermal facilities, to meet the country’s growing energy needs and support the ERC’s roadmap toward full retail competition by 2031.
