Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita, former President and CEO of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) and former Provincial Administrator of Bulacan, was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Good Governance in Public Utility Development and Hydraulic Resources Stewardship at the 2025 UP Alumni Association (UPAA) Awards Ceremony held in UP Diliman on August 16, 2025.
Sta. Rita, a proud alumna of the UP School of Economics, currently serves as Vice President for the Investment Management Group – Power Sector and Special Assistant to the PCEO at the Maharlika Investment Corporation.
The first female President and CEO of Napocor (2013–2017), she is credited with the full financial turn-around of Napocor with a 2.9 Billion pesos revenue in 2015, expanding missionary electrification to 67 islands, and revitalizing critical watershed and dam projects.
In February 2015, she was commended by Senator Serge Osmena on the Senate Floor as one of the key persons instrumental in averting the summer of 2015 power crisis, a group effort to maximize the capacity of CBK power plant in Cavinti, Laguna which if utilized will add 120 megawatts in the Luzon Grid.
The key was the relocation of informal settlers and organizing the community living inside and around the Cavinti lake in about 2 to 3 months.
She also served the Provincial Government of Bulacan as Provincial Administrator from 1991 to 2008.
She joins a distinguished roster of awardees this year, including DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Landbank PCEO Lynette Ortiz, and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who was named Most Distinguished Alumnus.
