ON MARCH 5, Energy Development Corporation (EDC) marked its 50th year — its “golden year” — of harnessing the earth’s geothermal power to (em)power communities across the country.
It was not just another corporate celebration. It was the celebration of a rare milestone — one that can be summed up in a single word: excellence.
Excellence in generating the earth’s indigenous energy for communities and for the people.
But 50 years is 50 years — a record worth noting, an achievement worth honoring.
The excellence that now defines EDC, a subsidiary of the Lopez-led FirstGen Corporation — the country’s leader in renewable energy — did not happen overnight.
It took decades of struggle, relentless challenges, and countless ups and downs before EDC could finally claim that word: excellence.
Along the way, both triumphs and setbacks marked the company’s journey toward mastering geothermal power.
Yet EDC — from its beginnings as a state-run corporation to its present life as a private enterprise — stood its ground, continuing to tap and harness the geothermal energy that nature — or perhaps God Himself — placed beneath the earth during creation.
GIST TO EXIST
Rewind to 1976.
When EDC was established as a government-run corporation, its mission was already clear — and far from ordinary: to produce clean energy.
Producing such energy is akin to unearthing one of God’s precious gifts to humanity.
A noble mission, indeed.
Drilling deep into the earth’s crust to extract geothermal steam is no easy task. It is tedious work, technically demanding and financially risky.
Challenges abound.
Hurdles rise at every stage.
Yet EDC never bowed to adversity — big or small — because it understood the larger purpose: empowering communities by responsibly tapping the resources nature has bestowed.
Generating energy while avoiding pollution is not just an engineering feat.
It is an act of long-term planetary stewardship.
And that, perhaps, is the real reason EDC has endured for half a century.
That is the gist of why EDC continues to exist.
MAGNUM OPUS
Harnessing geothermal power is not a cheap undertaking.
It requires massive capital, sophisticated technology, and unwavering commitment.
The process involves drilling miles beneath the earth’s surface to extract high-pressure steam trapped deep underground.
Tedious.
Risky.
Yet transforming the earth’s natural heat into sustainable, green energy has made EDC more than just another energy company.
It has become a champion of a complex enterprise that balances industrial progress with environmental stewardship.
Geothermal power, after all, relies on the constant heat from the earth’s core.
Turning this natural heat into reliable base-load electricity — power that remains stable regardless of weather conditions — is truly EDC’s magnum opus.
A great work, indeed.
ETCHED IN HISTORY
Looking back at EDC’s journey, one could say its story is etched in history.
Its work resembles intaglio, the art of engraving — leaving a permanent imprint on the earth’s narrative.
From its pioneering geothermal fields in Tongonan, Kananga, Leyte and Palinpinon, Valencia, Negros Oriental — both in the Visayas — EDC built its foundation.
Success came.
But so did failure.
Even its expansion to other parts of the country — Luzon and Mindanao — carried both triumphs and lessons learned from missteps.
Still, EDC never retreated from its mission.
Born to dig, discover, and harness the earth’s hidden energy, the company continues to explore deeper and farther in search of geothermal potential.
Its mission remains grounded: to unlock the cleanest energy the earth can offer.
And the numbers speak for themselves.
By 2025, EDC’s geothermal portfolio had climbed to nearly 1,200 megawatts (MW).
NON-BARGAINABLE BRAND
As one of the flagship subsidiaries of the Lopez-led FirstGen Corporation, EDC continues to strengthen its roots while navigating the rapidly expanding era of renewable energy.
This journey, however, unfolds amid the growing global challenges of climate change and rising energy demand.
For FirstGen, EDC is not just another subsidiary.
It is a cornerstone of the company’s broader mission to harness renewable energy.
From geothermal, FirstGen’s portfolio has expanded to include wind, hydro, and solar power — cementing its reputation as the country’s renewable energy giant.
With such stature comes serious responsibility.
FirstGen has committed approximately P200 billion in investments to further explore and develop indigenous energy sources across the country.
FirstGen president Francis Giles Puno captured the essence of this pursuit during the company’s golden celebration.
Generating geothermal power, he said, demands boldness.
“So, it’s not for the faint of heart,” he stressed.
‘5 IMPERFECT 10s’
Half a century — five decades — may be called “five imperfect 10s.”
And yet those imperfect decades tell a story of persistence.
EDC itself could easily stand for three enduring values:
E for Excellence
D for Dedication
C for Consistency
Fifty years in the geothermal industry speaks volumes — a narrative shaped by experience, perseverance, and hard-earned wisdom.
Step by step, challenge by challenge, EDC earned the right to claim the word excellence.
And history agrees.
As the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said:
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
And that, perhaps, best describes EDC.
Excellence — not overnight, but habitual./PN
