There was a time when bringing your full self to work meant risking your job, your safety, your future— you. It meant hiding under societal standards, masking your true self for the benefit of others. It was always about what the society wants— your identity versus your capabilities. For many LGBTQ+ professionals, that fear still lingers. It limits themselves and in turn limits what they can do. Fortunately the landscape is shifting, it’s evolving. From boxed-in office cubicles and cramped-like open spaces, more doors are now open to people who can show up as their authentic selves. They find more support in the work industry— creating more safe spaces for them.
When Yanyan Manzon, an AboitizPower Land Solutions Specialist, sat down for an interview, she shared a personal experience as a transwoman who had undergone sex reassignment surgery.
“When I don’t have to mask parts of who I am, I can focus more fully on my responsibilities and bring my best ideas forward.”
In a male-dominated industry like electric power, her decision to be fully transparent was an act of quiet courage. Regardless of her identity, Yanyan was hired by AboitizPower because of her capabilities.
AboitizPower’s formal journey in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) began in 2019, sparked by a small but passionate legal team. From monthly employee stories and Pride forums to Safe Spaces Act learning sessions, DEIB gained traction quickly.
In 2021, the company expanded HMO coverage to include same-sex and common-law partners, offering equal benefits to employees regardless of marital status. By 2023, with over 3,000 employees, AboitizPower adopted its first official DEIB policy, reinforced by partnerships with groups like the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE).
Every day inclusion took shape through internal campaigns like #EverydayPrideDay, new hire forms with preferred pronouns, and content delivered in local dialects. In June 2023, AboitizPower joined the Philippine Pride March for the first time, taking the company’s values beyond its offices and into the streets.
These efforts validate a March 2025 study published in Current Psychology that said organizational trust significantly influences employee pride and performance. This suggests that when employees perceive their workplace as authentic and values-driven, they are more likely to feel engaged, committed, and empowered to perform at their best
No more boxed-in offices, closed doors
For John Alekhine Dionisio, Assistant Control Room Operator at GNPower Dinginin in Mariveles, Bataan, being openly gay in a traditionally masculine environment might have once felt risky. But not here.
His team leaders, Eric and Luis, don’t just treat him professionally—they connect with genuine interest. “We talk about my personal life,” he shared, smiling. “Masarap maging bakla sa trabaho.” (It feels good to be gay at work.)
He didn’t have to worry about coming out, people just accepted him from the get-go. It became part of what’s natural rather than something we all get nervous talking about. His coworkers even ask him about the community. They try to understand what SOGIE ( sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression) is. Acceptance isn’t a policy anymore..
Meanwhile, in Davao, April Gonzales, a proud lesbian and Control Room Engineer at Therma South, Inc., built a nearly nine-year career with AboitizPower, even finding love along the way. April’s partner works in the chemical laboratory, and their relationship has never been hidden or judged.
“From day one, it felt like home. I wasn’t treated any differently,” April said. “Because I’m accepted for who I am, I’ve gained the confidence to go beyond what’s expected of me.”
It’s no longer a “me versus my capabilities” it’s just me and my capabilities. She’s been promoted twice and continues to thrive. “They don’t look at who you are—they look at what you’re capable of.”
Personal growth in professional spaces
Justin Alec Rama (3rd from right) with her Supply Chain Management Team.
Justin Alec Rama, Vendor Accreditation and Performance Management Specialist at Therma Marine, Inc., began her gender transition at a later point in her life as a young adult. At AboitizPower, she didn’t just find a job—she found a place where she could truly be herself.
One moment stood out early on. At the office, unsure of which restroom to use, she was gently and firmly guided by Ate Sheila, a housekeeping staff member: “Huwag ka sa panlalaki mag-CR… doon ka sa girls na CR.” (Don’t use the men’s restroom… use the women’s instead.) That quiet affirmation told her she was seen and accepted.
Her supply chain team goes the extra mile by pairing her with female colleagues during work trips, checking on her well-being, and supporting her through the ups and downs of transition.
“The support makes me strive to perform well,” Justin explained, adding how she is never made to feel less and, amidst stress, is even encouraged to rest, recover, and return stronger.
At the same time, Yanyan Manzon, now thriving at Therma Visayas, Inc. in Cebu, proves that authenticity can exist even in traditionally male-dominated spaces. As the company’s first transwoman employee to undergo sex reassignment surgery, she blazed a trail just by being honest from day one.
“Pride Month is not just a celebration. It’s a protest for collective well-being,” she said.
Despite initial doubts about whether a “man’s world” would accept her, she found a culture grounded in respect. “My queries and opinions are always acknowledged.”
John’s joyful candor, April’s steady confidence, Justin’s brave transformation, and Yanyan’s quiet revolution show that when people feel safe to be themselves, they perform better, live better, and lead better.
At AboitizPower, DEIB is not a checkbox, but a value that can help power progress. The company’s DEIB journey continually creates spaces where people don’t have to choose between their identity and their career.
Because when you bring your whole self to work—and your workplace celebrates it—that’s not just acceptance. That’s power.
That’s the power to be you.
About AboitizPower
Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) is the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution, and retail electricity services. Guided by its vision and higher purpose, the company actively contributes toward uplifting the lives of the Filipino people and achieving a better world.
The company is one of the largest power producers in the Philippines, with a balanced portfolio of assets located across the country. It is a major producer of renewable energy, with several hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar power generation facilities. It also has thermal power plants in its generation portfolio to support the country’s baseload and peak energy demands.
AboitizPower also owns distribution utilities that operate in high-growth areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including the country’s second and third-largest private utilities.
In step with the country’s ambitions for its energy mix, AboitizPower aims to grow its portfolio of generation assets with renewables and selected baseload builds. The Company seeks to increase its renewables group’s assets from indigenous energy sources such as solar, hydro, geothermal, and wind. To date, AboitizPower, together with its partners, offers the largest renewable energy portfolio in the Philippines based on installed capacity under its operational control.
About AboitizPower Transition Business Group
The AboitizPower Transition Business Group manages and operates the thermal power generation assets of Aboitiz Power Corporation. Our thermal assets provide much-needed, reliable power to the Philippine grid. Our mission is the same across all our facilities — to advance business and communities by providing reliable, reasonably-priced, and responsibly-produced power. Together with you as our partners, we can continue to Transform Energy for a Better World
