From power control centers to solar energy facilities to planning rooms women throughout MGEN are changing what it means to be a leader in Philippine energy. For many years, the energy business has been filled mostly with men wearing safety helmets and sitting in executive chairs. But things are changing at Meralco PowerGen Corporation, known as MGEN. Throughout the company – in rooms where workers monitor electricity flow, at outdoor solar power locations and in meeting spaces where leaders decide how to create cleaner energy – women are becoming more visible and important.
They are helping to imagine new possibilities for energy in the Philippines. Three women at MGEN show us how this change is happening. Each one is at a different point in her career and each one contributes something special to the company’s mission.
Engr. Cristine Albarando
MGEN Thermal Cebu Control Room Engineer
Engr. Cristine Albarando arrives at the plant 20 to 30 minutes before her shift. It’s a habit she’s kept since becoming MGEN Thermal’s lone female control room engineer in Cebu. While waiting, she chats with colleagues and checks her phone. But ten minutes before her shift starts, she’s already inside the control room.
Her day begins with a toolbox meeting, discussing plant issues and activities with the team. From there, she checks the DCS monitors, reviews system parameters, and goes through the previous shift’s logbook. The rest of her shift is a constant loop of coordination – following up with maintenance, assigning tasks to operators, and reporting anything that could affect plant performance. Engineering wasn’t originally her plan. Encouraged by her father to pursue the course, she had no idea what a power facility meant until she studied mechanical engineering. The weight of the role came later, once she understood what was at stake.
What keeps her going is knowing her daily work keeps the lights on for millions of Filipino families, from the smallest houses to major hospitals. It’s a mix of immense pride and grit, she says — building a career inside one of the country’s biggest energy projects as a young Filipino woman.
Engr. Jennylene Baluyot
MGEN Renewables Bulacan Solar Site Manager
Before she was leading MGEN’s Bulacan Solar Plant, Jennylene Baluyot was working to prove she belonged in a field where she was often the only woman on site. The moment it clicked for her was seeing the direct impact of her work. Seeing how the plant’s performance translated into reliable energy – for businesses, communities, and everyday life – gave the work a clearer sense of purpose. It was something she wanted to keep building on.
Leading a solar plant means staying ahead of problems before they become crises. Her day starts with the numbers. She reviews generation versus target, checks alarms, inverter status, and any issues from the previous shift. From there, she heads out on site. A quick walk-through helps confirm what the system is reporting: the condition of the modules, equipment status, even how weather is affecting output. Sometimes, that changes priorities immediately.
High pressure moments are part of the job. When a significant portion of the plant went offline during peak solar hours due to an inverter issue, the decision was hers to make. The response had to be immediate: isolate the affected section, restore what could be brought back online, and assign clear roles across the team. It was a balance between acting fast and making sure every step was controlled and safe.
Atty. Maan Ballesteros, MGEN Chief Legal Counsel and Corporate Governance & Compliance Officer
While the operations team focuses on keeping the plants running, Atty. Maan Ballesteros shaping the legal frameworks that make those operations possible. Her role covers contracts, regulatory strategy, and corporate governance across MGEN’s portfolio – thermal, natural gas, and renewables. It is work that sits at the intersection of business decisions, policy, and risk.
Her path to law wasn’t straightforward. Medicine had been the expectation growing up, but she chose differently – something that fit her strengths better. Now, her work carries weight across MGEN’s entire energy portfolio. Being a woman has shaped how she approaches challenges. She draws on perspectives and experiences others might overlook, turning perceived disadvantages into opportunities. Listening carefully, asking sensitive questions, and reading situations beyond the surface are all part of how she builds strategy that works in practice.
Building What Comes Next
All three women see their roles as part of a larger transformation, not just of MGEN but of what’s possible for women in Philippine energy.
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Mindanaoan is a multi-awarded blogger, content creator, seasoned social media strategist and publicist with undeniably successful track record. Her content niches are lifestyle, travel, politics and events. 2012 International Visitor Leadership Program (for global leaders) alumnus and O visa grantee (for people with extraordinary skills and who have risen to the top of their field). Avid traveler and a proud relief operations volunteer. Regular resource person for social media, blogging and content creation. Available for work and travel – [email protected]
