Yesterday, the Aboitiz Power Corporation (APC) held a media launching at the Cebu Country Club of its new logo and brand, now called Aboitiz Power (AP). This logo sports blue colors and symbolized by a power spiral representing Earth, Air and Water. While the colors are sky and deep blue, Aboitiz Power President and CEO Erramon Aboitiz said, “It is saying that we are green without actually being green in color.” This is an offshoot to AP’s getting the Tiwi and Makban Geothermal Power Plants making AP the leading power company using renewable energy.
So why change their logo in the first place? AP want to provide better solutions so these colors convey a positive and fresh approach to energy with a fresh blue palette. In opening his speech, Pres. Montxu quoted from William G. Pollard: “Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”
That the Aboitiz companies embrace this philosophy contributed to its stunning success as it clearly proves that they are never satisfied with the status quo because that means stagnation. This is something that our national and local governments ought to learn from because they usually sit on their laurels when a project is done, but years later, they have to suffer to the problems when the city or the town outgrows that project.
Pres. Montxu pointed out, “We are not energy providers, we are solution providers.” AP is driven by innovation to power the whole Philippines by finding new sources of power, like mini-hydros and setting high operating standards by making it convenient for them by developing new products and services. Pres. Montxu added, “We are here for the long haul. If it means sacrificing today for a better tomorrow, we will encourage it as it is good for the environment and the country. But in the long term, what is good for the customer is good for us. We want the customer to think of us as their energy solutions provider.”
Montxu pointed out that in Davao, their company Davao Light couldn’t reach smaller communities in far-flung areas; hence the solution was for Davao Light to provide solar panels in different locations that would be able to charge batteries. As the people in these areas do not have power lines, many of them could only use battery powered devices. With the solar panels installed in these areas, the people there merely bring their batteries to the recharging stations. Soon, entrepreneurs (many of them Indians) go after these people selling all sorts of battery powered devices.
Pres. Montxu added, “As power generators, we feel it is our responsibility to help conserve energy. Hence this change in our logo aligns Aboitiz Power with the spirit of Aboitiz Group of Companies philosophy, “Passion for Better Ways”. He added, “We deliver Better Solutions and project our desire image. We will be pro active, and be an expert in everything we do and our customers can rely on us and we want our customers to trust us as we aim to create a better future for generations of Filipinos to come.”
Aboitiz Power just acquired the Tiwi and Makban Geothermal power plants and is now the leader in clean energy provider. They are promoting their brand “Clearnergy” in promoting clean and renewable energy. Pres. Montxu pointed out that this new approach in using renewable energy sources and their supporting energy conservation would even be inculcated in all their companies, including their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, where plans are afoot to help not only build or rebuilt schools, but making them energy efficient as well.
Indeed changing the incandescent bulbs with more efficient energy saving bulbs can be one such program. Call it rare that a power company that makes more money if people use more power and energy would be the first to ask its own customers to conserve energy! Indeed, it is a changing world and AP is leading the way to promote a change in our attitude for the better of our country and our people and the environment as a whole!
Pres. Montxu ended his speech with another quote, this time from Sen. Robert F. Kennedy who said, “There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why, while I dream of things that never were and ask why not.” A few years ago, the Aboitiz Group of Companies also changed their logo and launched this Cebuano based company to greater heights. Hence you can very well predict that this change in the logo for Aboitiz Power is just the beginning of great things to come. Pres. Montxu Aboitiz was joined by Antonio Bernad SVP for Strategy and Regulatory Affairs, Basti Lacson Chief Reputation Officer, and Ricky Lacson, VP for Administration and Customer Service.
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Email: vsbobita@mozcom.com