Meralco: Internal audit key to power sector’s digital shift

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) emphasized the critical role of internal audit in ensuring operational transformation and guiding the future of the power sector during the 2025 Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) Internal Audit Summit.

In his keynote speech, Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said the company has expanded its internal audit function from a compliance mechanism into a proactive tool for risk-intelligent decision-making.

“By embedding audit foresight into strategic execution, we ensure that transformation happens with control, not chaos. This is especially vital as we pursue innovation without compromising risk standards or regulatory alignment,” Aperocho said.

Meralco Senior Vice President and Group Chief Audit Executive Melanie T. Oteyza, meanwhile, underscored the importance of auditing advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), which she described as the “digital nervous system of modern utilities.”

She noted that AMI, which underpins the government’s customer choice initiatives such as the Retail Aggregation Program, requires a broader audit perspective that addresses cybersecurity, data integrity, vendor reliability, and regulatory compliance.

“Internal Audit must evolve from guardians of compliance to catalysts of resilience and innovation. Our role is not only to protect value — but to enable it,” Oteyza said, urging ASEAN auditors to adopt insights-driven practices through artificial intelligence and analytics.

Oteyza also shared lessons on AMI governance, cyber resilience, and data assurance, calling on regional utilities to strengthen audit maturity through collaboration and continuous learning.

The HAPUA Internal Audit Summit, held from 13 to 14 August 2025, brought together 150 chief audit executives and practitioners from seven Southeast Asian countries. Meralco joined other Philippine energy firms — the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, National Power Corporation, and National Transmission Corporation — in representing the country at the event.