Efforts to reinforce disaster preparedness and basic health services in Cebu’s coastal communities are gaining traction, as AboitizPower subsidiary East Asia Utilities Corporation (EAUC) expands its community investments in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City.
The initiative reinforces a broader push by private-sector energy firms to strengthen local resilience in areas exposed to recurring typhoons and climate-related risks-particularly among coastal households and school communities.
In late March, roughly 200 pupils from Ibo Elementary School were provided with emergency ‘go bags’ equipped with first-aid kits, flashlights, whistles and basic tools.
The program aims not only to supply immediate response materials but also to embed disaster awareness at an early age, particularly among children living in hazard-prone zones.
Leonardo Robel Jr., vice-president for corporate services at AboitizPower’s Transition Business Group-Visayas, said the intervention addresses a persistent gap in household-level preparedness.
Barangay captain Rose Macasaol noted that the assistance-alongside parallel infrastructure upgrades-has had a tangible impact on daily safety and emergency readiness.
Beyond the school-based program, EAUC has installed 24 solar-powered streetlights across key thoroughfares, improving visibility in previously underlit areas and reducing risks for residents and motorists. The barangay health center has also undergone targeted upgrades, including the addition of a dedicated doctor’s room to support consultations and primary care services.
Leonardo Robel Jr., vice-president for corporate services at AboitizPower’s Transition Business Group-Visayas, said the projects reflect a sustained partnership model with host communities, combining infrastructure support with health and safety initiatives.
The rollout was implemented in coordination with local stakeholders, including barangay officials, the Lapu-Lapu City Health Office and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., the group’s social development arm.
EAUC operates a 50-megawatt bunker oil-fired power facility in Lapu-Lapu City, supplying energy to Cebu’s industrial corridor.
Its community programs form part of a wider effort by Philippine power producers to align operational footprints with social investment strategies in vulnerable localities