Meralco Underscores Role of Internal Audit in Power Sector Transformation at ASEAN Summit

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has highlighted the pivotal role of internal audit in driving operational transformation and innovation in the power sector during the 2025 Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) Internal Audit Summit, held on August 13–14.

In his keynote address, Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho emphasized the evolving role of internal audit from traditional compliance to a proactive and strategic function.
“By embedding audit foresight into strategic execution, we ensure that transformation happens with control, not chaos. This is especially vital as we pursue innovation without compromising risk standards or regulatory alignment,” Aperocho said.

Meralco Senior Vice President and Group Chief Audit Executive Melanie T. Oteyza presented the company’s digital transformation initiatives, with particular focus on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which she described as the “digital nervous system of modern utilities.” According to Oteyza, AMI plays a critical role in supporting the government’s customer choice initiatives, including the Retail Aggregation Program. As of June, the program had switched 19 aggregated groups covering 292 services.

Oteyza also underscored the need for ASEAN utilities to adopt a broader risk perspective in auditing AMI, pointing to key challenges such as cybersecurity, data integrity, vendor reliability, and regulatory compliance. She urged auditors to harness artificial intelligence and analytics to transform audit practices into more insights-driven processes.
“Internal Audit must evolve from guardians of compliance to catalysts of resilience and innovation. Our role is not only to protect value—but to enable it,” she said.

Her presentation further touched on global lessons in AMI governance, stressing the importance of implementing cyber and operational safeguards and ensuring data assurance. She called on regional utilities to integrate these principles early to avoid future implementation challenges and to strengthen audit maturity.

The two-day summit brought together 150 delegates, including chief audit executives, leaders, and practitioners from seven Southeast Asian countries. The Philippine delegation was represented by Meralco, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the National Power Corporation (NPC), and the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo).

The annual HAPUA Internal Audit Summit serves as a collaborative platform for ASEAN utilities to share expertise and advance audit practices across the region.