The Manila Electric Company (Meralco), under the leadership of Manuel V. Pangilinan, is taking another decisive step toward the country’s nuclear energy future by sending a new batch of engineers abroad through its Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program.
This pioneering initiative aims to develop a pool of world-class Filipino nuclear engineers who will play key roles in the Philippines’ eventual adoption of nuclear power as part of its long-term, low-carbon energy transition.
Seven engineers from Meralco and its power generation arm, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGen), comprise this latest group of scholars: Rachelle Gesmundo-Varias, Regino Hibaler, Eljhon Capili, Keith Danae Suquib, Dennmarc Marcaida, Eljan Javellana, and Raymund Grant Pagulong.
Capili and Suquib have departed for France to pursue a Master’s in Nuclear Engineering at Université Paris-Saclay, while Gesmundo-Varias and Hibaler are now taking their Master of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering at Ontario Tech University in Canada. Marcaida, Javellana, and Pagulong are set to follow in early 2026 for their graduate studies at the KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School in South Korea.
They join the pilot batch of five scholars who began their studies in 2024 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States and Harbin Engineering University in China. All FISSION scholars will undergo internships in leading nuclear technology firms before returning home to apply their expertise in advancing the country’s nuclear readiness.
Through the Meralco Power Academy (MPA), the FISSION program partners with top global universities to expose Filipino engineers to advanced research, small and micro modular reactor technologies, and real-world nuclear operations.
This academic initiative is part of Meralco’s broader Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program—its blueprint for integrating nuclear power into the nation’s energy mix to ensure cleaner, more sustainable, and reliable electricity for generations to come.
“Through the FISSION program, we are investing in the future of energy by equipping Filipino engineers with the specialized knowledge and global experience needed in the country’s adoption of nuclear power,” said Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho. “This reflects Meralco’s commitment to building a future-ready energy workforce and supporting the safe, secure, and sustainable development of nuclear energy for the Philippines.”