Safety always.

This phrase perhaps one of the most familiar campaign taglines on occupational safety, but for SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP), safety is a value worth promoting beyond its facilities.

For the last three years, SNAP-Benguet has conducted water rescue training for barangay emergency volunteers in its host communities. The most recent training, held on June 7 and 8, was attended by 32 representatives from Barangays Ambuklao, Tinongdan and Dalupirip, including members of the provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction management councils.

The annual training aims to teach skills for water emergencies, water-related injuries, and self-assessment to minimize personal risks during water rescue through a combination of lectures and practical exercises. It is part of the company’s community safety campaign with the onset of the rainy season and the annual reliability test of Ambuklao and Binga dams’ spillway gates.

SNAP-Benguet’s technical working group with the National Power Corporation (NPC) and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) also holds annual public information drives on dam and reservoir operations to promote community awareness and response. In April, SNAP-Benguet distributed posters to promote awareness on operation protocols and responsibility among community members during dam and reservoir operations.

“SNAP is committed to safety – that of our employees, contractors, and our communities. We work closely with our partners on emergency and disaster preparedness initiatives as we believe safety is a value that we share with our host communities,” says SNAP’s Chief Corporate Services Officer Atty. Mike Hosillos.

SNAP-Magat, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April, also marked its milestone with a “Safety Caravan” held on April 28. Eleven SNAP-Magat employees and four contractors were trained to serve as facilitators for on basic emergency preparedness, fire protection, injury management and personal protection. The session, which was participated in by 20 students of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo National High School and 10 sentries (“tanod”) of Barangay Gen. Aguinaldo in Ramon, Isabela. The program ended with an emergency simulation to apply learning from the session.

Participants appreciated the lectures and practical exercises and SNAP’s safety partner, Aaron Flynn of Emergency Management Center (EMC) said he looked forward to making the sessions even more challenging and relevant to the participants. “It is great to be part of SNAP’s ongoing support to local communities,” he added.

SNAP-Benguet is a joint venture between SN Power and AboitizPower. It owns and operates the 105-MW Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant and the 140-MW Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant in the province of Benguet. SNAP-Magat owns and operates the Magat Hydroelectic Power Plant located on the border of Isabela and Ifugao. Magat hydro has a capacity of 360 MW and maximum output of 380 MW.