A year after marking its 15th anniversary and unveiling a refreshed corporate identity, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) continues to move forward with a clear vision: to lead the Philippines’ transition to a secure, affordable, and sustainable energy future, guided by its mission of Powering a Better Tomorrow.

That same purpose extends beyond the energy projects MGEN develops. It also shapes the workplace it builds for its people – from how it designs its offices and connects its sites to how it supports employees who show up to work every day.

For MGEN, culture is a decision made daily – reflected in the spaces it creates, the way its teams work together, and the experience it seeks to build across One MGEN.

Designing Workspaces, Living The Values

MGEN designs its offices to support open communication among employees. Low-partition workstations have replaced traditional high-walled cubicles, and board games are now part of the pantry setup, giving employees a reason to pause and connect across teams.

This intent carries into the Head Office’s all-gender restroom and its extension of health and medical coverage to same-sex and common-law partners, both part of MGEN’s effort to make its workplace welcoming regardless of who an employee loves or how their family is defined.

“At MGEN, culture is built through the way we work every day — how we make decisions, collaborate across teams, and hold ourselves accountable. Over time, these everyday actions define who we are as an organization,” said MGEN President and CEO Emmanuel V. Rubio.

This consistency carries across every site. MGEN continues updating logos, audio-visual materials, and other collaterals to keep its identity current for employees regardless of location.

Regular employee sessions also give teams opportunities to gather, stay informed, raise questions, and discuss matters that affect the organization and their work. Hybrid town halls connect MGEN’s growing, multi-site workforce, with the company’s second town hall of the year held jointly at the Pasig Corporate Office and Cebu site through livestream.

These conversations continue through Coffee Sessions with the President and CEO, business unit general assemblies, POWER Values Workshops, and live walkthroughs and orientations on company policies. Together, these sessions create regular spaces for employees to hear updates directly, understand the direction of the business, and participate in discussions across the organization.

MGEN’s POWER Values — Passion for Safety and Sustainability, Owning Our Actions and Doing What’s Right, Winning Together, Executing with Excellence and Innovation, and Recognizing High Performance — are intended to be lived out in the everyday decisions, behaviors, and interactions of employees.

Across the workplace, employees encounter both visual and non-visual reminders of these values — from office installations, elevator wraps, and values cards to workshops, employee discussions, recognition, and the way policies and practices are carried out.

Each employee also receives a POWER Values card together with their company ID and redesigned lanyard, keeping the values within reach throughout the workday. Even practical details reflect the same principles: the lanyard includes a breakaway clip designed with employee safety in mind.

Supporting Wellness, Strengthening Safety

Connecting its people is only part of how MGEN takes care of them. Sportsfests give employees a recurring outlet for health, friendly competition, and camaraderie across teams. Other employee-led activities – including trivia nights for a cause and volunteer engagements – provide additional ways for employees to connect while supporting communities.

MGEN extends this same care to protecting the people who show up to its sites every day. The company marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work with initiatives addressing both physical safety and broader employee well-being – treating safety as second nature rather than a compliance requirement.

MGEN also supports employee well-being through activities that make care more accessible and inclusive. Mental Health Month featured initiatives such as Wear Your Emotion Day, film screenings, stress management sessions, and a Mind Health Fair, complemented by free massages with visually impaired therapists and inclusive self-care workshops. This focus on belonging is reinforced by MGEN’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belongingness Policy and inclusive benefits for same-sex and common-law partners.

Building Community, Off The Clock

Beyond what the company builds for its employees, MGEN is also building something of its own. The company’s own music group, Power Generation, represents MGEN at One Meralco’s Battle of the Bands, an expression of the culture that grows wherever employees are given room to shape it themselves.

MGEN is also growing a wider roster of employee interest groups – giving employees more opportunities to connect outside their day-to-day work. These include badminton, basketball, performing arts, physical fitness, pickleball, spiritual, and tennis clubs – creating spaces for employees to pursue shared interests, stay active, and build stronger connections with colleagues across the organization.

MGEN continues to strengthen a workplace where employees can connect, contribute, and feel supported. Across its offices and sites, programs, policies, and everyday practices are designed to make its values more visible and relevant to employees.

As the organization continues to grow, MGEN remains focused on building a culture that brings its people together, strengthens a shared sense of One MGEN, and empowers employees to play their part in powering a better tomorrow.