Not so long ago, a young woman on her bicycle would pass by a breathtaking landscape of rice paddies and mountains on her way to work. While taking pleasure in the beauty of nature, she also could not help but notice the transmission lines, steam pipes, and geothermal fields in the background. She grew more curious about the facilities and promised herself that one day, she would learn what these are for.

True enough, she found out about electricity in more ways than she imagined possible. Maria Kimberlyn Terbio, or more popularly known as “Ate Kim” of AboitizPower’s Cleanergy Center, is now more than just a young woman on a bicycle. She is now fulfilling her dreams of helping people and working hard to make it happen every day.

“I was once a visitor at the Cleanergy Center,” Ate Kim said as she recalled how her journey with AboitizPower began.

As a community mobilizer for an NGO in her community, Ate Kim was responsible for helping the youth find economic opportunities. Inspired by the many positive stories she had heard about AboitizPower, she proposed and built on a partnership with AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI), the business unit that operates and manages the MakBan Geothermal Power Plant and Cleanergy Center in the provinces of Laguna and Batangas.

That partnership with APRI led her to the Cleanergy Center, which opened endless opportunities for her to realize her dream of making an impact on many people’s lives. Ate Kim joined APRI in 2016 and has since contributed to the organization’s goal of advancing business and communities.

To date, the Cleanergy Center, where Ate Kim works as a tour guide, has welcomed close to 40,000 local and foreign visitors since it opened in 2013. It has become a favorite educational facility for people who want to learn about Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s brand for clean and renewable energy, in a fun and engaging way.

In 2017, the Cleanergy Center underwent renovation to provide visitors with an even better learning experience. It reopened in December last year in time for its fourth anniversary celebration that highlighted the youth’s invaluable role in the community.

Recently, APRI also awarded the Cleanergy Youth Ambassador title to twelve students of Buenaventura E. Fandialan Memorial Integrated National High School (BEFMINHS) in Laguna. This project was launched in 2017, where aspiring Cleanergy youth ambassadors were trained on tour and events management at the Cleanergy Center. The volunteers also immersed in APRI’s host community in Brgy. San Vicente, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

Ate Kim’s eyes glistened with tears as she witnessed how her once small idea of creating opportunities for the youth to discover their potentials has now become a reality.

“Inilaban ko ang pangarap kong ito na makapagtrabaho sa AboitizPower at APRI kasi dala ko rin ang pangarap ng mga kabataang naniniwala sa akin sa NGO kung saan ako nagsimula,” Ate Kim said. The Cleanergy Youth Ambassadors Project was actually inspired by her “youth integration” proposal to APRI when she was still in her previous organization.

Ate Kim is only one of the thousands of AboitizPower team members all over the country, who are continuously inspired by the lives they help improve through the work that they do.

“Sa work, inspired ako sa mga bisita natin sa Cleanergy Center, kapag masaya sila at satisfied sa pagpunta nila dito, kapag nakangiti sila, kapag nagpapa-picture sila sa’kin, kapag nagba-bye sila sa’kin hanggang sa gate, hanggang sa sasakyan nila, kapag parang gusto na nila akong i-uwi dahil sobrang natuwa sila. Sobrang fulfilling talaga.”

This inspiring “dream come true” story of Ate Kim is a testament to AboitizPower’s bigger dream of becoming the power partner, neighbor, and employer of choice of all its stakeholders.