MANILA — MPower, the retail electricity supplier of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), has entered into a power supply agreement with Big Ben Group to support the construction materials manufacturer’s operations in Pulilan, Bulacan.

MPower said Wednesday that the partnership would provide Big Ben Group with a reliable and cost-competitive electricity supply as it expands its manufacturing operations.

Big Ben Group manufactures and supplies ready-mix concrete for residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects.

The company’s Director Benjamin Eusebio said the partnership would help strengthen its energy management and sustainability efforts.

“Sustainability has to be embedded in how we operate and plan for the future. Partnering with MPower enables us to improve our energy management while supporting our long-term business and sustainability goals. It reinforces our belief that responsible business decisions and operational excellence go hand in hand,” Eusebio said.

Big Ben Group Chairman Eusebio Pacifico Garcia said reliable and cost-efficient electricity is essential to maintaining production and meeting commitments to customers.

“Energy reliability and cost efficiency are fundamental to how we operate and compete. We cannot promise excellence to our clients if we do not secure excellence in our own operations. Partnering with a trusted provider like MPower strengthens the foundation of our business and supports our long-term vision for growth and resilience,” Garcia said.

He added that the partnership would help strengthen operational continuity, improve production efficiency, and ensure timely delivery of projects.

MPower Head Redel Domingo said the company would provide energy solutions tailored to Big Ben Group’s operational requirements.

“Our commitment extends beyond delivering power. We support Big Ben Group’s growth by providing the energy solutions and expertise needed to strengthen operational performance and long-term resilience,” Domingo said.

“By ensuring a stable and reliable power supply, we help create the conditions for businesses to focus on what they do best and continue creating value for their customers and communities,” he added.

Launched in 2013, MPower serves commercial and industrial contestable customers under the Retail Competition and Open Access framework of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.

The power deal comes as residents of Sitio Capulid in Barangay San Francisco, Bulakan, Bulacan, continue to call for the installation of 17 permanent electric posts that they said were committed by Meralco about three years ago.

Residents said the agreement was reached during the term of former barangay chairman Roberto D. Morelos, but the permanent posts have yet to be installed.

Around 200 families in the area have since relied on temporary electric posts that they installed at their own expense.

Residents said the makeshift structures have become a safety concern, particularly during high tide when flooding can submerge the road for up to two days and weaken the posts’ foundations.

A resident told Republika News that the agreement followed severe flooding in the area, which raised concerns over the safety of the community and the potential impact of the condition of the electrical posts on electricity-related costs.

The residents have appealed to the local government, the National Electrification Administration, and the Department of Energy to intervene and require Meralco to install the permanent posts.

Sitio Capulid is located in Barangay San Francisco, Bulakan, Bulacan.