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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider Aboitiz Upgrade Solar, Alphaland champion sustainable tourism in Balesin Island

Aboitiz Upgrade Solar, Alphaland champion sustainable tourism in Balesin Island

By MBrand
Published Oct 3, 2025 10:28 am

At A Glance

  • Aboitiz Upgrade Solar Inc. (AUSI), the joint venture between Aboitiz Power Distributed Renewables, Inc. and Upgrade Energy Philippines (UGEP), has partnered with Alphaland Corporation's Balesin Island for the launch of a new three-hectare ground-mounted solar farm.
  • The 4.1 megawatt peak ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system, paired with a 5.5 megawatt hour battery energy storage, will supply approximately 60% of Balesin's total energy demand, saving an estimated 1.6 million liters of diesel annually.
Aboitiz Upgrade Solar (AUSI) sets a milestone solar project in Balesin Island. From left: Balesin Island General, Manager Roberto Rossino; AUSI Director, James Yu; Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman, Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan; Department of Energy Secretary, Sharon Garin; AUSI President and Upgrade Energy Philippines, Inc. CEO, Ruth Yu-Owen; and Alphaland Corporation President, Dennis Valdes, attend the inauguration of the 4.1MWp ground-mounted solar PV facility that is paired with a 5.5MWh battery energy storage system.
Aboitiz Upgrade Solar (AUSI) sets a milestone solar project in Balesin Island. From left: Balesin Island General, Manager Roberto Rossino; AUSI Director, James Yu; Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman, Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan; Department of Energy Secretary, Sharon Garin; AUSI President and Upgrade Energy Philippines, Inc. CEO, Ruth Yu-Owen; and Alphaland Corporation President, Dennis Valdes, attend the inauguration of the 4.1MWp ground-mounted solar PV facility that is paired with a 5.5MWh battery energy storage system.
Aboitiz Upgrade Solar Inc. (AUSI), the joint venture between Aboitiz Power Distributed Renewables, Inc. and Upgrade Energy Philippines (UGEP), has partnered with Alphaland Corporation’s Balesin Island for the launch of a new three-hectare ground-mounted solar farm.
Once completed, the 4.1 megawatt peak ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) system, paired with a 5.5 megawatt hour battery energy storage, will supply approximately 60% of Balesin’s total energy demand, saving an estimated 1.6 million liters of diesel annually.
“Renewable energy is not only for cities or industrial zones; it has a place even in the most exclusive and remote destinations” said AUSI Director and AdventEnergy President James Yu. “I hope this project opens more doors to scaling renewable solutions across the country, reaching secluded locations like Balesin.”
Sustainable tourism
Balesin is also among the 298 cleanup sites identified in the Philippines that took part in the 2025 International Coastal Cleanup Day.
Under the theme “Clean Seas Against the Climate Crisis”, AUSI and Alphaland participated in the event, which mobilized more than 500 AUSI and Balesin Island employees, partners, and volunteers from the local barangay, who collected approximately 6,000 kilograms of trash, including from areas beyond the coast.
Alphaland Corporation President Dennis Valdes emphasized that this sustainability campaign is aligned with Balesin Island’s “Three-Pillar Innovation” initiative of technological innovation, sustainable consumption, and community empowerment, which serves as the foundation for a socially and environmentally responsible approach toward its operations.
“We are the first and only Philippine resort awarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for innovative tourism and sustainability,” Valdes said. “Creating a sustainable Balesin was always the dream of our founder, Roberto V. Ongpin. Over the years, we've designed the island with this principle in mind.”
UGEP President and CEO and AUSI Chairperson Ruth Yu-Owen also emphasized that combining clean energy with grassroots action demonstrates how partnerships can push the boundaries of what sustainable progress looks like.
“Sustainability does not stop at the generation of renewable energy, it transcends to how we take concrete steps to care for our environment and maximize the collective power of communities,” Yu-Owen said. “Through these initiatives, we’re showing that progress is strongest when it integrates both innovation and stewardship.”

Related Tags

Aboitiz Upgrade Solar Balesin Island Alphaland Corporation renewable energy (RE)
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