If no man is an island, then what more is Earth?

Communities are interconnected, and care often begins at the local level. In Bataan, AboitizPower, local government units, and fishing communities are working together to build more resilient coastal areas.

Here, these sectors harness energy and use it for the greater good.

In the town of Mariveles, AboitizPower subsidiaries GNPower Mariveles Energy Center (GMEC) and GNPower Dinginin (GNPD) are extending their role beyond plant operations.

Along the coasts of Morong and Orani, fishing communities experience the link between energy and the environment through the condition of their shorelines. The connection is clear: energy, environment, and livelihood are intertwined.

For residents, the impact is not measured in kilowatt-hours, but in what they see along their shores, in their daily catch, and in the long-term health of ecosystems they depend on.

For fisherfolk like Marcelindo Silvestre of the Tubo-Tubo Fisherfolks Association, these connections are tangible.

“This is a big help to us,” he said. “When the mangroves are healthy, fish, crabs, and shrimp return. Our catch improves. At the same time, they protect us from strong waves.”

Across parts of Orani and Samal, around 37 hectares of mangroves have been rehabilitated and maintained through partnerships involving local communities, government, and GMEC and GNPD. These areas now serve as both natural coastal barriers and breeding grounds for marine life—benefits that directly support livelihoods.

“We really feel that they (GMEC and GNPD) are true partners because they listen to us,” Silvestre said. “They ask, ‘What do you need? What is the situation at sea?’ Because of that, we don’t feel like mere beneficiaries—we feel like family looking out for one another. It’s fulfilling to work when you know your partners genuinely care about your livelihood and aren’t just focused on business.”

Further along the shoreline in Sitio Fuerte, Morong, another effort is underway. Through the Sagip PaWeCan initiative, sea turtle eggs are relocated from vulnerable nesting areas to a protected hatchery, where conditions are managed to improve survival rates.

“Sagip PaWeCan has made a lasting mark on Bataan’s environmental conservation efforts,” said Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) OIC Raphael De Leon. “It has significantly contributed to the preservation of Bataan’s sea turtle population, strengthened the province’s eco-tourism potential, and educated local communities about environmental stewardship.”

Since 2023, the initiative has supported the release of thousands of hatchlings back into the sea, with local partners, including the PGENRO, playing a key role in sustaining the effort.

While these initiatives are modest compared to the scale of power generation, they reflect a broader shift in how operations are viewed within host communities—not only in terms of output, but also in terms of presence and responsibility.

“It’s easy to see us only as a source of electricity,” Mendoza said. “But we view ourselves as part of the same local fabric. We share the same coastlines and the same future as these coastal villages. Our work isn’t finished by producing power; it continues in the health of the sea and the resilience of these fishing communities.”

As operators of baseload facilities, GMEC and GNPD continue to play a central role in supporting grid reliability. At the same time, on-the-ground efforts show that an integrated approach—one that includes environmental stewardship and community partnership—is essential to long-term sustainability.

In Bataan, where industry and coastal life meet, that balance is shaped over time through sustained engagement, shared accountability, and outcomes that communities can see, own, and sustain.