From control rooms to solar plants to legal strategy, women across MGEN are helping reshape what leadership looks like in Philippine energy.

In an industry long dominated by men in hard hats and corner offices, a transformation is underway at Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN). Across the company’s operations—from control rooms to solar sites to the boardrooms where energy transition strategies are shaped—women are playing an increasingly visible role in reimagining what Philippine energy can become.

Among them are three voices that offer a glimpse into this broader shift, each at a different stage of their journey and contributing in their own way.

In the Control Room: 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.

Control Room Engr. Cristine Albarando is the lone female control room engineer across MGEN Thermal sites.

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. “This experience has changed my perspective. Initially I had doubts because I deeply respected the weight of the responsibility," she reflects. "But because of the management’s trust and support, the encouragement from my colleagues; I have learned to accept my role. This has shaped me to become a leader. A woman who used to have fear and doubts is now a woman with pride and confidence.”

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.

Leading at Sunrise: 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.

Engr. Jennylene Baluyot, Site Manager at MGEN Renewables Bulacan Solar Plant, leads one of the
Philippines’ major renewable energy facilities.

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. “Leadership under pressure isn’t about having all the answers instantly. It’s about staying calm, making informed decisions with the data you have, and trusting your team“, she reflects.

Over time, her career taught her resilience, confidence, and the importance of listening and empowering others. “Being a woman leading an entire plant means breaking expectations—both my own and those set by the industry—and proving that leadership is defined by capability, not gender. It’s about showing up every day with confidence, making tough decisions, and leading with both strength and empathy.”

Shaping the Frameworks: 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 is 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.

MGEN Chief Legal Counsel and Corporate Governance and Compliance Officer Atty. Maan Ballesteros
shapes the legal strategy behind the company’s energy transition. Photo courtesy of the Senate of the
Philippines.

MGEN Chief Legal Counsel and Corporate Governance and Compliance Officer Atty. Maan Ballesteros shapes the legal strategy behind the company’s energy transition. Photo courtesy of the Senate of the Philippines. Now, her work carries weight across MGEN’s entire energy portfolio. “Legal strategy doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and is rarely purely legal in nature. It means knowing when to ask for help, who to ask, being open to different perspectives, and aware of others’ strengths,” she explains. A strategy is only as effective as the people empowered to implement it, and adaptability is essential when priorities shift.

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.

For Engr. Baluyot, being a woman leading an entire plant sends a signal that women can excel in roles once considered out of reach. Her presence demonstrates what’s possible for women in technical and leadership roles – showing that competence, resilience, and empathy can coexist at the highest levels of operations. She hopes younger women see that there is space for them, that they don’t have to wait for permission: “They can lead, they can excel, and they can belong in this field. And more importantly, they can do it in their own way, bringing their unique strengths with them.”

For Atty. Ballesteros, the impact is equally profound. Through her legal and governance work, she shapes the frameworks that allow MGEN to move forward safely and responsibly, while mentoring others to think strategically, act decisively, and protect their self-worth. Her advice is simple and powerful: “Creativity has no gender; humility has no gender; persistence has no gender; exuberance has no gender. I don’t sing very well, but when I do, I do it with unbridled enthusiasm. I guess it’s the same for most things. Protect your self-worth and from that, you can achieve anything.”

With Engr. Albarando story, she encourages the next generation to step forward and take up space: “To any girl who thinks this world wasn’t made for her, I would say, ‘This world wasn’t made for you. It was waiting for you to redesign it. I am living proof that our perspective, resilience, and skills are exactly what the future of energy requires. Step in, take up space, and remember that by building your career here, you are lighting the path for every girl who will come after you.”

Together, these women are not only helping drive MGEN’s energy transformation – they are expanding what’s possible for women across the Philippine energy sector. By excelling in their respective fields, they are powering a better tomorrow for future generations – showing that leadership comes in many forms.