A proud Bulakenya and alumna of the UP School of Economics, Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita broke historical ground as the first—and only—female President of the National Power Corporation (NPC) since its founding in 1936. Honored as a 2025 UP Distinguished Alumni Awardee for Good Governance in Public Utility Development and Hydraulic Resource Stewardship, Sta. Rita exemplifies transformative leadership in both local and national public service. This UPAA award recognizes the impact of Sta. Rita’s work during her stint as President and CEO of the National Power Corporation from 2013 to 2017.
Before her national appointment, Sta. Rita served as the longest-tenured Provincial Administrator of Bulacan, holding the position for 17 years under three governors. During this time, her work has been instrumental in HELPING her THREE GOVERNORS INSTITUTIONALIZE reforms in decentralization, meritocracy, and e-governance—reforms that helped position Bulacan as the most decorated province in Galing Pook history, earning 11 prestigious citations. Galing Pook Executive Director attributed this sustained success to Sta. Rita’s SUPPORT LEADERSHIP, noting that “her 17-year tenure ensured the sustainability of the programs,” and that Bulacan’s governors “empowered the bureaucracy” she oversaw (Rappler, 2024).
In 2013, Sta. Rita made history anew as President and CEO of NPC, where she led the nation’s Missionary Electrification Program, extended power access to 67 islands, and lit up over 7,600 off-grid households for the first time. She oversaw essential hydroelectric resources and watershed areas in Luzon and Mindanao that are integral to the country’s renewable energy framework.
Under her leadership, NPC achieved a landmark full financial turnaround: a ₱2.9 billion net income in 2015, its highest in years based on COA-audited NPC Annual Report. This marked the first time in seven years that NPC was able to remit dividends to the National Treasury—clear proof of its renewed financial health. That same year, her leadership proved even more critical when the country faced a looming power crisis. To mitigate the shortfall, Sta. Rita’s contribution allowed the increase of Caliraya Reservoir’s water elevation to maximize the Kalayaan Pumped Storage Plant’s output. This complex undertaking INCLUDED resettling informal settlers and negotiating with affected stakeholders in a very short PERIOD OF time—all accomplished with sensitivity. Her decisive action allowed the technical team to increase the water level, which resulted in an additional 120 to 400 MW during peak hours, successfully averting the feared power shortage. On February 10, 2015, Senator Sergio Osmeña III lauded her “gallant efforts” on the Senate floor, highlighting her pivotal role ON the AVERTED 2015 power crisis.
Beyond power and governance, Sta. Rita remains a dedicated advocate of social justice. She leads the Tahanang Mapagpala IMMACULATE CONCEPCION Foundation INC, a shelter for abandoned elderly women, which she kept afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic through a trust fund she had the foresight to establish years before through a fundraising. DURING her presidency, the home was named one of the country’s Ten Outstanding Social Welfare Agencies by DSWD and earned PCNC accreditation for good governance.
As an author of “Running a Bureaucracy”, a centennial publication of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG), and co-author of “Towards an Informed Citizens’ Participation in Local Governance,”a sourcebook on local public finance published by Social Watch Philippines, United Nations Development Program, and the Civil Service Commission, Sta. Rita continues to mentor generations of public servants. Through her work in public administration, she champions ethical leadership, citizen empowerment, and environmental stewardship.
Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita’s life’s work is a testament to what visionary, values-driven governance can achieve—powering not only remote islands but also the heart of public service itself.
SHE RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE IN MARCH , 2025 AS VICE PRESIDENT (POWER) OF THE MAHARLIKA INVESTMENT CORPORATION ( MIC), THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATION MANAGING THE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND OF THE COUNTRY. Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita: Championing Good Governance in Public Utility Development and Hydraulic Resource Stewardship
A proud Bulakenya and alumna of the UP School of Economics, Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita broke historical ground as the first—and only—female President of the National Power Corporation (NPC) since its founding in 1936. Honored as a 2025 UP Distinguished Alumni Awardee for Good Governance in Public Utility Development and Hydraulic Resource Stewardship, Sta. Rita exemplifies transformative leadership in both local and national public service. This UPAA award recognizes the impact of Sta. Rita’s work during her stint as President and CEO of the National Power Corporation from 2013 to 2017.
Before her national appointment, Sta. Rita served as the longest-tenured Provincial Administrator of Bulacan, holding the position for 17 years under three governors. During this time, her work has been instrumental in HELPING her THREE GOVERNORS INSTITUTIONALIZE reforms in decentralization, meritocracy, and e-governance—reforms that helped position Bulacan as the most decorated province in Galing Pook history, earning 11 prestigious citations. Galing Pook Executive Director attributed this sustained success to Sta. Rita’s SUPPORT LEADERSHIP, noting that “her 17-year tenure ensured the sustainability of the programs,” and that Bulacan’s governors “empowered the bureaucracy” she oversaw (Rappler, 2024).
In 2013, Sta. Rita made history anew as President and CEO of NPC, where she led the nation’s Missionary Electrification Program, extended power access to 67 islands, and lit up over 7,600 off-grid households for the first time. She oversaw essential hydroelectric resources and watershed areas in Luzon and Mindanao that are integral to the country’s renewable energy framework.
Under her leadership, NPC achieved a landmark full financial turnaround: a ₱2.9 billion net income in 2015, its highest in years based on COA-audited NPC Annual Report. This marked the first time in seven years that NPC was able to remit dividends to the National Treasury—clear proof of its renewed financial health. That same year, her leadership proved even more critical when the country faced a looming power crisis. To mitigate the shortfall, Sta. Rita’s contribution allowed the increase of Caliraya Reservoir’s water elevation to maximize the Kalayaan Pumped Storage Plant’s output. This complex undertaking INCLUDED resettling informal settlers and negotiating with affected stakeholders in a very short PERIOD OF time—all accomplished with sensitivity.
Her decisive action allowed the technical team to increase the water level, which resulted in an additional 120 to 400 MW during peak hours, successfully averting the feared power shortage. On February 10, 2015, Senator Sergio Osmeña III lauded her “gallant efforts” on the Senate floor, highlighting her pivotal role ON the AVERTED 2015 power crisis.
Beyond power and governance, Sta. Rita remains a dedicated advocate of social justice. She leads the Tahanang Mapagpala IMMACULATE CONCEPCION Foundation INC, a shelter for abandoned elderly women, which she kept afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic through a trust fund she had the foresight to establish years before through a fundraising. DURING her presidency, the home was named one of the country’s Ten Outstanding Social Welfare Agencies by DSWD and earned PCNC accreditation for good governance.
As an author of “Running a Bureaucracy”, a centennial publication of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG), and co-author of “Towards an Informed Citizens’ Participation in Local Governance,”a sourcebook on local public finance published by Social Watch Philippines, United Nations Development Program, and the Civil Service Commission, Sta. Rita continues to mentor generations of public servants. Through her work in public administration, she champions ethical leadership, citizen empowerment, and environmental stewardship.
Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita’s life’s work is a testament to what visionary, values-driven governance can achieve—powering not only remote islands but also the heart of public service itself.
SHE RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE IN MARCH , 2025 AS VICE PRESIDENT (POWER) OF THE MAHARLIKA INVESTMENT CORPORATION (MIC), THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATION MANAGING THE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND OF THE COUNTRY.
