First Balfour, along with its allied businesses, T1 Rentals and T1 Transport, continues to uphold its commitment to workplace safety, earning multiple awards at two major safety conferences organized by the Safety and Health Association of the Philippine Energy Sector, Inc. (SHAPES) and the Safety Organization of the Philippines, Inc. (SOPI).
The 20th Energy Safety, Health, and Environment Conference, organized by SHAPES in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE) on December 10–11, 2025 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center in Quezon City, brought together industry leaders to recognize outstanding safety, health, and environmental practices and programs across the industry.
L-R: First Balfour OSH Supervisor Mariano Rian Con-ui, First Balfour Corporate OSH Coordinator Janine Silvano, T1 Rentals OSH Supervisor John Patrick Vecino, First Balfour OSH Manager Ralph Lee, First Balfour Corporate OSH Head Emil Estrabo, First Balfour OSH Manager Vincent Peralta, T1 Transport Safety Lead R-Vic Fernandez, First Balfour OSH Supervisor Seannekate Amilbahar, and First Balfour OSH Specialist Eunice Adrados
First Balfour, T1 Rentals, and T1 Transport were among the companies honored at the event, earning four Outstanding Corporate Safety & Health Awards and seven Outstanding Safety & Health Professional Awards from SHAPES:
Outstanding Corporate Safety & Health Awards
- First Balfour Corporate Office
- First Balfour Leyte BAU – CWRMS Project
- T1 Rentals
- T1 Transport
- First Balfour Corporate OSH Head Emil Estrabo
- First Balfour OSH Manager Ralph Lee
- First Balfour OSH Manager Vincent Peralta
- First Balfour OSH Supervisor Seannekate Amilbahar
- First Balfour OSH Supervisor Mariano Rian Con-ui
- T1 Rentals OSH Supervisor John Patrick Vecino
- T1 Transport Safety Lead R-Vic Fernandez
L-R: DOLE Board of Trustee Construction Safety Division Chairman Ricky Salanda, First Balfour OSH Manager Ralph Lee, T1 Rentals OSH Supervisor John Patrick Vecino, First Balfour OSH Manager Vincent Peralta, T1 Transport Safety Lead R-Vic Fernandez, T1 Rentals Asset Management Manager Jose Oyos Jr., First Balfour Corporate OSH Head Emil Estrabo, and DOLE Board of Trustee Industrial Safety Division Chairman Michael Arguelles
During the SOPI event, T1 Rentals, First Balfour, and T1 Transport were recognized for reaching significant milestones in safe-manhours without lost time incidents (LTI):
Award of Distinction (for achieving a minimum of five million safe-manhours)
- T1 Rentals
- First Balfour Corporate Office
- T1 Transport
T1 Rentals, in achieving 5.3 million safe manhours, has consistently demonstrated exceptional safety performance across all areas of operations. Highlighting the role of its people in this accomplishment, T1 Rentals OSH Supervisor John Patrick Vecino says, “Receiving these recognitions is a testament to the dedication and vigilance of our teams,” He adds, “Every employee plays a role in keeping our operations safe, and these awards reflect our collective commitment to each other’s well-being.”
On the other hand, T1 Transport, having reached 2.5 million safe-manhours, earned recognition for its dedication to maintaining safe and responsible practices in the heavy transportation sector. “Safety is the cornerstone of our operations,” shares T1 Transport Safety Lead R-Vic Fernandez. Emphasizing the team’s commitment to safety and operational excellence, he adds, “This recognition motivates us to continuously improve our practices, ensuring the safety of our employees while maintaining reliable service for our clients and partners.”
Additionally, First Balfour’s Corporate Office, having achieved 2.5 million safe-manhours, along with its Leyte BAU – CWRMS Project, which has attained zero LTI for 10 years, continues to exemplify excellence in workplace safety.
With these achievements in both SOPI and SHAPES, Corporate OSH Head Emil Estrabo emphasizes the value of everyone playing a role in fostering a culture of safety, “Safety is a shared responsibility. Every action we take to work safely helps protect lives and strengthen our team. Congratulations to all of us on these achievements. May these recognitions reinforce our strong safety culture and inspire everyone to continue making safety an integral part of our daily work.”
These recognitions underscore First Balfour’s strong safety culture and the dedication of its teams, demonstrating that operational excellence and a high commitment to safety go hand in hand with our mission of building for a decarbonized and regenerative future.
