Aboitiz Renewables Protects Critical Water Sources, Plants Trees

Generating power from renewable energy sources cannot exist in isolation from nature. Hydropower plants, for example, rely on water flow regulated by forests with thriving ecosystems and healthy soil.

Resource conservation. A Hedcor team member and his son participate in a tree planting activity in La Trinidad Hydro in Alapang, Benguet, which harnesses the Balili River. I Photos: Aboitiz Renewables

That said, even the most advanced clean energy systems cannot be reliable, efficient, or sustainable without a balanced ecology.

Aboitiz Renewables Inc., the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), recognizes the need to safeguard watersheds to ensure consistent hydropower generation and to reforest degraded slopes essential for responsible geothermal operations.

Across its portfolio of clean energy power plants, Aboitiz Renewables integrates environmental conservation into its operations—protecting natural resources to preserve them for future generations.

To date, Aboitiz Renewables and its subsidiaries have planted more than 6.4 million trees across project sites in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

These were planted in critical watershed areas near hydro plants, along fire-prone buffer zones, and on eroding slopes where vegetation helps prevent landslides and sediment runoff.

These green buffers help regulate water cycles, reduce flood risks, and stabilize terrain.

“Protecting the planet is not a solo effort—it is something we build into every project, every partnership, and every team. At Aboitiz Renewables, sustainability is not an add-on—it is a shared responsibility,” said Aboitiz Renewables President Jimmy Villaroman.

“Earth Day reminds us that the future we are working toward is only possible if we build it together,” he stressed.

Protecting Vital Waterways

In the heart of Mindanao lies Mount Apo, the Philippines’ highest peak and one of its most ecologically significant protected areas.

It is also a vital watershed, feeding four run-of-river hydropower units operated by Hedcor, a subsidiary of Aboitiz Renewables. These plants generate clean energy for thousands of homes and businesses.

But Mount Apo faces threats from deforestation and encroachment like many critical watersheds. Recognizing this, Hedcor has adopted a long-term approach to forest protection to sustain the flow of renewable energy.

Between 2022 and 2024, Hedcor reforested over 10 hectares of degraded land within the Mount Apo Natural Park, exceeding its goal with more than 16,000 native trees planted—helping secure the watershed’s future.

Hedcor also turned over ₱5 million to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) under its Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas (SAPA). This binding agreement allows for responsible development within protected areas while funding conservation efforts through annual fees.

“Hedcor’s activities go beyond regulatory compliance—they are rooted in real, measurable action. The company is setting a benchmark for what responsible energy development should look like in protected environments,” said Clint Michael Cleofe, OIC–Protected Area Superintendent of the Mount Apo Natural Park.

Hedcor also regularly organizes riverbank clean-up drives to protect the rivers that power its hydropower plants.

In 2024 alone, more than 700 kilograms of waste were collected across priority waterways in Luzon and Mindanao through Hedcor’s collaborative efforts with local partners.

Forest Recovery in Geothermal Zones

In Tiwi, Albay, and MakBan, Laguna, AboitizPower’s geothermal subsidiary, AP Renewables Inc. (APRI), is addressing upland degradation through slope reforestation and river rehabilitation.

In partnership with the National Power Corporation, APRI is restoring 20 hectares of streambanks and degraded land, having planted more than 24,000 trees since 2022.

These efforts are critical to maintaining the health of geothermal power systems, which depend on stable underground water sources.

In 2024, geothermal energy accounted for approximately 8.2% of the country’s gross energy generation in megawatt-hours. With 1,952 megawatts of installed capacity, the Philippines is the world’s third-largest geothermal energy producer, making it an essential component of energy security and the clean energy transition.

As part of DENR’s Adopt-an-Estero Program—which APRI has supported since 2012—it continues to regularly remove debris and waste from the Tigas River in Calauan, Laguna, and the Visitang-Naga River in Albay.

In 2023 alone, 81 volunteers from APRI and local communities helped remove over 200 kilograms of solid waste, reflecting a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and the principle of “leaving things better than we found them.”

“As stewards of our planet, we must take action and preserve our rivers. Through collaborative efforts, we are protecting ecosystems and ensuring a sustainable future for generations,” said APRI Senior Assistant Vice President for Safety, Health, and Environment Mavic Arago.

By integrating restoration, reforestation, and waterway protection into its operations, Hedcor, APRI, and the rest of Aboitiz Renewables demonstrate that environmental protection and clean energy generation are part of one unified mission.

As the Philippines works to expand its renewable energy capacity, Aboitiz Renewables is committed to Transforming Energy for a Better World—growing its clean energy portfolio while conserving the natural ecosystems that make this progress possible.