As Filinvest continues its 70th year celebration, it turns the spotlight once again on the real stories behind its purpose: the people whose lives were changed not just by opportunity, but by belief.
This is the story of Banny Polutan, a man who grew up with nothing—but who, through faith, hard work, and a little help from Filinvest, built a life filled with everything he once only dreamed of.
From humble beginnings to purpose
Banny Polutan grew up in Brgy. Imelda, Villanueva, Misamis Oriental—one of the host communities of FDC Misamis Power Corporation. Orphaned at a young age, Banny moved from one relative’s home to another, working odd jobs while studying just to survive.
“Growing up, life was far from easy. One of the biggest challenges I faced was becoming a working student. I had to balance my studies with a job just to meet my daily needs and wants,” he shared. “It was exhausting at times, but what kept me going was my determination to build a better life.”
Despite lacking the financial means to go to college, he refused to give up. He worked part-time in service jobs before eventually becoming a laborer at a construction firm. That would prove to be a turning point—because in 2014, that firm was building what would become FDC Misamis, a Filinvest-owned power plant.
Despite not having a degree, he applied for a permanent position. What he had instead was grit, experience, and a willingness to learn. Filinvest saw that—and said yes.
“I believe Filinvest, through FDC Misamis, saw my dedication and work ethic,” Banny said. “Even without a college degree, I proved that I was capable and reliable.”
In 2016, he was hired as a regular employee, only two years later, he was promoted to Mechanical Technician in the plant’s main facility—an achievement that speaks not only to his skills, but to a company culture that puts value where it matters: in people.
“Sometimes, it’s not just about the educational background, but about the heart and attitude you bring to your work,” Banny said.
A dream for six
Today, Banny has a family of eight—his own two children, plus the four children of his late brother, whom he lovingly raises as his own.
Because of his stable job at FDC Misamis, Banny now owns a house and a car. But more than that, he’s fulfilled the dream he fought so hard for: to give his children the education he never had.
His eldest daughter and niece are both graduating this year—one in education, the other in business administration. And all six kids are in school.
“Joining FDC Misamis was truly life-changing… It has brought a sense of financial security and peace to our lives,” Banny shared. “For someone like me who once struggled just to make ends meet, being able to provide for my family is a huge blessing.”
Advice from the ground up
Banny doesn’t consider himself extraordinary. But the choices he’s made—and the quiet perseverance he’s shown—are exactly the kind of everyday heroism that Filinvest aims to uplift.
“My advice is simple: keep going. Life will throw challenges your way, but never lose faith. Put God at the center of your life and trust His plan for you,” he said.“Your situation now does not define your future. Believe in yourself, and with perseverance, better days will come.”
Banny’s journey is just one among many. Across its wide network of partners and communities, Filinvest’s commitment to enabling dreams extends beyond employment—it empowers ecosystems of progress, sustainability, and shared success.
Powering the future together: ENGIE and Filinvest
At the heart of Filinvest’s green transformation is its partnership with ENGIE in the Philippines, a global leader in low-carbon infrastructure. Together, they are proactively contributing to the future of sustainable development in the country—one innovation at a time.
“Filinvest was ENGIE’s first joint venture partner in the Philippines and the first conglomerate we worked with to deploy large-scale sustainable infrastructure,” said Jean-Baptiste Dreanic, Managing Director of ENGIE Services Philippines. “They provided the ambition, trust and a platform that enabled us to implement meaningful solutions at scale.”
With Filinvest’s long-term vision, ENGIE helps implement some of the country’s most advanced clean energy solutions:
- A District Cooling System in Filinvest City, Alabang—the first of its kind in the Philippines—now serves 16 buildings across a 3.4-kilometer underground loop, significantly reducing carbon emissions.
- Over 17 megawatts of solar rooftop capacity deployed and under development across Filinvest assets and partner facilities.
- At Clark International Airport, ENGIE has provided clean energy infrastructure that supports day-to-day operations while aligning with Filinvest’s green development roadmap.
“Filinvest’s long-term vision enabled ENGIE to implement high-impact, sustainability-led infrastructure,” Jean-Baptiste added. “They are more than a client—they are a true partner in driving the country’s energy transition.”
Together, Filinvest and ENGIE demonstrate that sustainability is not just a corporate goal—it’s a shared commitment to a cleaner, more resilient future.
A playground for dreams: Decathlon’s Philippine journey
Moving on to the world of retail, Filinvest’s impact isn’t just measured by square footage—it’s about enabling bold ideas to take shape.
For Decathlon Philippines, that idea is deeply rooted in purpose: to make sports accessible to everyone.
“Decathlon’s purpose is to move people through the wonders of sport for the many,” said Janina Meriel David, Chief of Staff and Internal Communications Leader of Decathlon Philippines.
“Decathlon doesn’t just offer sports products, we also advocate living an active and healthy lifestyle, fostering connections through sports. The Philippines is one of the countries with huge potential in bringing this purpose to life, which is the reason we started big in a central location where sports can be openly practiced by people of all ages, levels, and backgrounds.”
That strategic starting point was Festival Mall, Alabang—where Decathlon opened its first-ever store in the Philippines in 2017.
“Festival Mall is one of the visions and available in terms of our concept matching the criteria,” David shared. “Festival fully understands and supports the concept that we have—that’s the main reason for opening seamless on our first store.”
Filinvest provided a large and accessible location that not only showcased Decathlon’s wide selection of products but also enabled its signature in-store playground where visitors could test, try, and experience sports firsthand.
“Festival Mall provided us with a space large enough where customers can test and try our products, a playground to share the wonders of sport, and our own access that makes us even more visible and reachable,” David said. “It provided an ideal location not just for us to place our products, but also a location where we can be close to the people discovering, starting, and improving in their sport from all over the Metro.”
That vision paid off. Today, Decathlon Alabang remains the flagship store—not just in scale, but in impact.
“Decathlon Alabang started and continues to be the main flagship store: the hub for teammates in crafting strategies, actions, solutions, and new ideas for unforgettable shopping experiences that are duplicated across the rest of our stores,” she added.
Looking ahead, the partnership continues strong.
“It’s always exciting to be partnered and aligned with a lively and growing mall like Filinvest,” David said. “We are grateful to be in a location where we are accessible to Filipinos from all walks of life and look forward to the continued support that Filinvest has provided to help us move even more people—Filipinos—through the wonders of sport!”
One dream at a time
From sports to power, from city malls to rural communities, Filinvest’s 70-year legacy continues to be written—one story, one partnership, one dream at a time.
And for people like Banny Polutan, it’s a story of how faith and hard work, when met with trust and opportunity, can change not just one life—but generations.