Lopez-led First Gen Corp. has received an award from the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) for implementing a livelihood program, helping improve the lives of an indigenous cultural community in Mindanao.

The LCF presented a Medal of Recognition for Enterprise Development to First Gen last 1 July for the company’s support in organizing and implementing a grassroots social enterprise for the benefit of the Mamanwas living in the remote village of Maraiging in the town of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.

The LCF, a non-profit organization, held the conference and awarding ceremony under the theme, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity for Shared Prosperity.”

Mindanao tribal community

The Mamanwa indigenous people (IP) live mostly in the remote mountainous areas of Mindanao. Most of the Mamanwas in Maraiging subsist below the poverty line due to limited economic opportunities.

To help the Mamanwas in Jabonga, First Gen collaborated in 2021 with other groups, such as the SEARCH Foundation, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), to form an association, the Maraiging Mamanwa Farmers Skilled Workers Association (MAMAFASWAS).

First Gen, the country’s leading provider of clean and renewable energy, is building a run-of-river hydroelectric power plant in Jabonga as part of its program to expand its capacity to 13 gigawatts by 2030.

The First Gen projects aim to boost the country’s renewable energy supply and help assure energy security. For Jabonga, First Gen expects its project there to stimulate local economic development by creating direct and indirect employment opportunities and developing more infrastructure for the benefit of local residents, including the Mamanwas.

“With the hydroelectric project in Jabonga, we’re not just investing in renewable energy infrastructure; we’re investing in communities,” said Dennis P. Gonzales, First Gen senior vice president and head of portfolio development.