A Global Call to Action: Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, delivers his keynote
address at the 2026 UN Private Sector Forum, calling for accelerated action toward a clean, just, and secure
energy future.
The road to cleaner energy must also lead to affordable electricity, reliable supply and greater economic opportunity—a message Manila Electric Company (Meralco) brought to global leaders at the 2026 United Nations Private Sector Forum in New York.
Represented by Chief Sustainability Officer Raymond B. Ravelo, the Manuel V. Pangilinan-led utility joined 100 global leaders at the UN Headquarters on September 20 to discuss how businesses can accelerate a clean, just and secure energy transition.
For the Philippines, Ravelo stressed, the challenge goes beyond replacing conventional power sources. It also requires financing, supportive policies and a transition that can meet growing electricity demand without placing additional pressure on households and businesses.
Powering Progress with Purpose: Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan shares his vision for a just,
orderly, and affordable energy transition during the One Meralco Long-term Sustainability Strategy Summit.
The invitation-only forum, convened annually on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, brings together corporate executives, investors, heads of state and UN officials to advance shared global priorities. In his keynote address, Guterres called for faster action toward a cleaner and more secure energy future.
That call comes as geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain disruptions expose the vulnerabilities of fossil fuel dependence. Falling renewable energy costs offer opportunities to diversify supply, but developing economies must also address the investment and infrastructure needed to make the shift sustainable.
Ravelo, identified by Meralco as the forum’s lone Philippine delegate, presented the company’s Long-term Sustainability Strategy, which maps its energy transition across three decades through 2050.
The strategy combines near-term supply requirements with renewable energy expansion and preparations for technologies that could support deeper decarbonization.
“For the Philippine energy transition to be just and orderly, it cannot rely on a single solution—it requires multiple technologies working in concert over time,” Ravelo said.
Under this approach, thermal generation continues to support immediate electricity needs while renewable capacity grows. Nuclear power, hydrogen and carbon capture form part of the longer-term options as these technologies become commercially viable.
The aim is to reduce emissions while maintaining the dependable electricity supply needed for investment, job creation and economic growth.
Meralco also highlighted the connection between energy development and community progress under its “Powering the Good Life” sustainability agenda.
Among its examples is MTerra Solar, an integrated solar and battery storage development that the company describes as the world’s largest. According to Meralco, the facility is delivering 600 megawatts of clean power to the grid while creating livelihood opportunities and supporting local value chains during construction and operations.
The project illustrates how investments in cleaner power can generate benefits beyond electricity production, particularly for communities hosting major energy infrastructure.
Ravelo also echoed a principle advocated by Meralco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan: “To do good, one must first do well.”
Applied to the energy transition, the principle places financial sustainability, affordability and supply security alongside environmental goals.
Ravelo likened the global transition to a race in which mature economies are ready to sprint while emerging markets are still building the capabilities and conditions needed to compete.
For countries such as the Philippines, success therefore depends on both the pace of change and the ability of consumers, businesses and communities to benefit from it.
Meralco’s contribution to the forum put those developing-market realities into the global discussion—making the case for an energy transition that cuts emissions, strengthens supply and keeps progress within reach of the people it serves.
