Powering Progress: How a Makati Landmark’s Green Pivot Signals a New Era for Philippine Business
A historic commercial tower in the country’s financial hub makes a decisive move toward sustainability, joining a growing wave of enterprises redefining corporate responsibility
In the heart of Makati’s Central Business District, where glass and steel towers have long symbolized Philippine economic might, a quiet revolution is taking place. The Philippine AXA Life Centre—an enduring fixture of the metro’s skyline—has become the latest major commercial property to embrace renewable energy, signing a supply agreement with ACEN RES that marks more than just a operational shift. It represents a fundamental reimagining of what it means to be a responsible business in an era of climate urgency.
The partnership, announced February 20, 2026, places the landmark building under the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), a government initiative that allows large electricity consumers to voluntarily transition to renewable sources through licensed suppliers. While the mechanics may sound bureaucratic, the implications are profound: one of Makati’s most recognizable addresses is now powered by the same commitment to sustainability that is increasingly driving investment decisions worldwide.
“This partnership with ACEN RES marks a significant milestone in our commitment to responsible property management,” said Arturo Tanyag, President of the Philippine AXA Life Centre Condominium Corp. His words carry the weight of institutional memory—the building has stood as “a pillar of stability in Makati for decades,” as he noted. Yet stability, in Tanyag’s framing, is no longer synonymous with stasis. “True resilience involves adapting to the needs of the future.”
That adaptation comes with dual benefits. The transition directly reduces the building’s carbon footprint while simultaneously offering tenants something increasingly valuable in today’s commercial real estate market: a physical environment that aligns with their own sustainability commitments. In an age where environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria influence everything from leasing decisions to capital allocation, the move positions the property as infrastructure for the modern economy.
ACEN RES, the retail electricity supply arm of the Ayala group, has emerged as the dominant player in this transformation. The company currently commands a 57% market share among GEOP suppliers, according to the latest Competitive Retail Electricity Market report from the Energy Regulatory Commission. This dominance reflects both first-mover advantage and the accelerating appetite for renewable options among Philippine enterprises.
Sheila Mina, ACEN RES Vice President and Head of Account Management, sees the Philippine AXA Life Centre’s decision as part of a broader inflection point. “As we see more established commercial hubs like this make the switch, it sends a powerful message that sustainability is now a business imperative,” she observed. The language is telling—what was once framed as corporate social responsibility has evolved into operational necessity.
The transition was formally recognized through ACEN RES’s “Powered by Renewable Energy” badge, a proprietary certification launched in 2022 to publicly identify businesses that have completed the shift to renewable power. The badge now appears in nearly 100 facilities nationwide, serving as visible proof of private sector engagement with climate mitigation. In a country particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, these markers carry symbolic weight beyond their marketing function.
For observers of Philippine business culture, the Philippine AXA Life Centre’s move offers a case study in how legacy institutions navigate transformation. The building’s decades-long presence in Makati could have justified complacency; instead, its leadership treated longevity as license to evolve. The result is a model for how established commercial infrastructure can be retrofitted for contemporary priorities without sacrificing its core identity.
As more properties follow this path—drawn by regulatory frameworks like GEOP, pressure from tenants and investors, and genuine commitment to emissions reduction—the Makati skyline may increasingly represent not just economic power, but economic power responsibly exercised. The Philippine AXA Life Centre’s lights will burn no less brightly for being powered by renewable energy. If anything, they shine a bit clearer.
