In the bustling halls of Meralco, where electricity hums and progress pulses, there exists a silent force, one that helps power the hearts and homes of families across the nation. These unsung heroes are the working mothers of Meralco, whose dedication and resilience illuminate a path towards a brighter future, both within the company and beyond.

This Mother’s Day, the largest distribution utility in the country joins the world in honoring the unsung heroes of Filipino homes who truly embody the true spirit of empowerment in every path they illuminate.

Melanie T. Oteyza: A Nurturing Mom at Home and in the Office

An endearing mother not just to her children but also to her employees, Meralco Senior Vice President and Chief Audit Executive Melanie T. Oteyza values the company as her second home where she nurtures not just her professional career but also those of her staff.

As one of Meralco’s leaders, Mel—as she is fondly called—has cultivated a culture of inclusivity and diligence within her team. At the heart of the 53-year-old executive’s leadership philosophy, lies a simple yet profound principle: love and family, proving that she’s not just a mother of three but a mother to her 38 employees as well.

“I consider Meralco as a family and it’s like an extension of my home, I stay here more in terms of hours and I work with a lot of people here, so I don’t consider them as just mere colleagues, but as members of our family,” she said.

By affectionately referring to her team members as “anak”, Mel extends a maternal embrace that instills a sense of belongingness to the group.

“Whenever we’re here in the office, it’s like a sense of home. In the Internal Audit office, I call them kids, because I act like a mother to them, and they are my kids. So, I really call this office my home” she emphasized.

Beyond the confines of the corporate corridors, Mel’s nurturing spirit lights the way for her own family, especially her children—Louis, Mary and Miguel—ensuring that they remain her top priority.

“I would sacrifice everything for my children and for my family,” she said.

As a corporate leader, Mel highlighted how Meralco provides a conducive environment for working mothers to grow professionally without sacrificing their roles at home with various programs such as the Meralco’s Yes You Can! (YYC) Program—a coaching and mentoring initiative led by the distribution utility’s female executives.

The YYC program is geared towards helping women managers and supervisors gain more confidence and self-awareness so they can unlock their full potential as leaders and achieve their career development objectives.

“In the YYC program of Meralco, we nurture the female and working mom employees in terms of their career development by providing mental and physical programs for them,” Mel said.

As someone who has clearly succeeded in balancing career and family, Mel offers this advice to her fellow working moms: “Sometimes, mothers want to take on everything with their own hands. It’s nice to remember that you can ask support from your parents, your mom, your husband, your family, and even in the office,” she said. “Moms may seem like superheroes but they’re human beings too like everyone else.”

Maria Cyrill M. Pascual: The First-time Mom Engineer

For Distribution Engineer Maria Cyrill M. Pascual, Meralco’s family-oriented culture has been instrumental as she navigates her new role as a first-time mom all while excelling in her career.

Cyrill finds comfort in Meralco’s nurturing environment for working moms like her—providing facilities and resources to support women like her in their motherhood journey.

“I really appreciate that within our facility, Meralco allotted space for lactation rooms,” Cyrill, who still breastfeeds her 14-month-old son said. “I still manage to balance my role as a new mom and a distribution engineer thanks to my colleagues who are very considerate.”

Looking back at the start of her motherhood journey, Cyrill lauded Meralco for fostering a supportive workplace culture where open communication and empathy were encouraged. She noted how her colleagues and supervisors were also understanding of her responsibilities as a mother and provided flexibility when needed.

Meralco has been embracing gender equality and acknowledged women’s contributions through its comprehensive diversity and inclusion program, known as #MBrace, which aims to create a more gender-balanced workplace through a deliberate effort to source women for a variety of professional roles.

Meralco aims to increase women representation in its workforce to 40% by 2030. Currently, some 23% of the company’s workforce are women—remarkably higher than the global energy sector average of 13%.

Joahnna Marie S. Cada: WonderwoMOM

Female linecrew Joahnna Marie is a testament to the transformative power of breaking societal norms, who not only excels in a traditionally male-dominated field but also carries the arduous responsibility of being a single parent to her 15-year-old son.

For Joahnna, joining Meralco is not only about job security but securing the future of her family—especially her son.

“When I joined Meralco, it was like a ray of hope illuminating our lives. Suddenly, I had the means to provide not only for my son’s needs but also for my parents as well,” she said.

As she climbs utility poles day in and day out, Joahnna carries the determination to keep the lights on not only for Filipino households but also for her son’s future.

“There is no difficult task if you love what you’re doing, especially when you think those things are for your child and family’s future,” she said.

Despite the demands of her job, Joahnna ensures that she continues to giver her unwavering support to her son. From attending school events to simply spending time with him at home, Joahnna said she can’t help but be grateful that Meralco’s conducive working environment allows her to be a hands-on mom to her son.

Since Meralco provides additional parental leaves for solo parents, Joahnna said she can ensure that her son never feels the absence of his father.

“Meralco acknowledges my role as a solo parent through additional leave and financial assistance so I can focus on being the best mother I can be,” she said.

Melanie, Cyrill and Joahnna are just a handful of working moms in Meralco who continue to show the world that women can do anything they put their minds into—whether its excelling in their chosen careers, being a homemaker, or both.

Beyond keeping the lights on for millions of Filipinos, Meralco ensures that it provides a nurturing environment to its employees—including the working moms who light the way not just for their families but for the communities the company serves as well.