SNAP Group’s renowned excellence in occupational health and safety was given national recognition by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the 11th Gawad Kaligtasan and Kalusugan (GKK) Awards, held on December 11 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center Auditorium, Quezon City.

The national awards are given by the DOLE in recognition of outstanding achievement of establishments and individuals in terms of responding to the safety and health needs of workers and their communities. Both plants have been recognized as GKK Regional Champions hence, qualified for the national awards.

After going through a rigorous selection process with other national contenders, SNAP’s Ambuklao and Binga Hydroelectric Power Plants won Silver for their Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental programs and for exceeding compliances to the National Safety and Health standards. Its Magat hydro plant also won Bronze for implementing best safety and health practices applicable to the industry. In the Individual Category, SNAP-Benguet assistant vice president and plant manager Hollis Fernandez won Silver for his initiatives in building a world-class health and safety culture as well as influencing both the management and the workforce through sound safety management practices and innovative programs.

In his keynote message, DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III cited SNAP hydro plants for the efforts in the area of occupational health and safety worthy of emulation by companies nationwide.

SNAP hydro power plants have secured and maintained management system certifications on Occupational Health & Safety Management System (OHSMS) ISO 45001 and ISO 14001: Environmental Management System, ISO 9001: Quality Management System and ISO 55001: Asset management under an Integrated Management System.

These prestigious distinctions reaffirm SNAP’s standing as a renewable energy company that puts high value on the well-being of its employees, host communities, and the environment.

SNAP Group is a joint venture between SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower. It supplies clean, renewable, and dependable energy through the operation of the 105-megawatt (MW) Ambuklao hydro, and the 140-MW Binga hydro in the province of Benguet. SNAP also owns and operates the 8.5-megawatt Maris hydro in Isabela, as well as the newly uprated 360- to 388-MW Magat hydro on the border of Isabela and Ifugao.

PHOTO CAPTION 1 (SNAP-BENGUET): SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet, represented by VP and Chief Technology Officer Emmanuel G. Lopez, (3rd from right) and DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III (5th from left), during 11th GKK awarding ceremony in Quezon City.