Two Philippine infrastructure projects have earned global recognition for using digital engineering to tackle some of the country’s toughest challenges—from protecting hydropower assets against landslides to restoring a centuries-old church devastated by an earthquake.
Aboitiz Renewables Inc. and QB Engineering & Construction (QB Engineers) were named finalists in the 2026 Bentley Systems Year in Infrastructure (YII) Awards, joining 36 projects selected from more than 300 entries submitted across 53 countries. The annual awards recognize infrastructure projects that apply Bentley’s digital engineering technologies to improve the planning, construction, and operation of critical infrastructure.
The Philippine finalists underscore a broader industry shift toward digital twins, geospatial intelligence, and artificial intelligence (AI) as infrastructure owners increasingly rely on connected data to improve resilience and decision-making.
Landslide prediction for hydropower
Aboitiz Renewables advanced to the Geospatial and Reality Modeling category with GeoShield, a digital platform developed for its hydropower facilities in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
The project was created to address recurring landslide threats that put access roads, pipelines, slopes, surge tanks, and power generation assets at risk, while increasing downtime, safety hazards, and repair costs.
Built on Bentley’s iTwin platform and integrated with third-party geotechnical applications, GeoShield combines lidar, photogrammetry, electrical resistivity tomography, geographic information systems, field observations, AI-powered prediction models, and digital twin simulations into a single decision-making environment.
During its pilot deployment, the platform identified two areas with a high probability of landslides before major failures occurred. It achieved 85% accuracy in AI-based predictions and 91% accuracy in digital twin detection, while helping the company avoid an estimated US$6.8 million in potential losses and reduce work hours by 50%.
The system also provides asset-specific intelligence that supports safer and more reliable renewable energy operations.
Restoring a historic landmark
QB Engineers secured a finalist spot in the Structural Engineering category for “Our Lady of Light Parish Church, Loon: Digitally Reconstructing a Historic Landmark.”
The project centered on rebuilding the Our Lady of Light Parish Church in Loon, Bohol, which collapsed during the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the province in 2013.
Engineers faced two critical challenges: preserving the church’s historic character while demonstrating that the reconstructed structure could withstand future seismic events and restoring public confidence in rebuilding on its original site.
Using Bentley’s STAAD software, the team created a three-dimensional structural model and conducted seismic analysis to evaluate how reinforced concrete framing would interact with reinstated coral stone masonry. The digital approach refined the church’s strengthening strategy and enabled engineers to complete the remaining structural evaluation and restoration design in just four months.
The process saved approximately 1,500 work hours and allowed the church to reopen as both a place of worship and a restored cultural landmark, with salvageable materials reused to preserve its historic identity.
Global competition highlights AI and digital twins
The two Philippine entries are competing alongside projects involving bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, power plants, water systems, and flood-control infrastructure from around the world.
Bentley Systems said this year’s finalists reflect the growing adoption of AI and connected digital infrastructure across the sector. Of the 36 finalist projects, 24 incorporated AI into their workflows, while 22 were built on connected digital foundations such as digital twins.
“The YII Awards honor the professionals behind the infrastructure that communities rely on every day,” Cate Lochead, chief marketing officer of Bentley Systems, said.
She added this year’s finalists demonstrate a shift from disconnected files and manual workflows toward connected information, intelligent automation, and continuous insight.
Finalists will present their projects during Bentley’s YII 2026 event at the Fairmont Singapore on October 6 and 7, where winners and Founders’ Honors recipients will be announced.
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