Alcordo to be conferred honorary doctorate

CEBU, Philippines - Engineer Jesus Alcordo will be conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Technology on Energy Management by the University of San Carlos at the College of Architecture and Fine Arts Theatre tomorrow.

He will be the 55th person to be conferred by USC with such an Honorary Degree that will put him at par with accomplished and distinguished personalities that include former presidents of the Republic of the Philippines, chief justices of the Supreme Court, senators, cardinals, bishops, missionaries, educators, economists and businessmen.

A consistent achiever yet humble servant, Alcordo epitomizes the Carolinian ideals of integrity, excellence, commitment, leadership and service to community worthy of emulation.

Jess, as he fondly called by friends, comes from a simple family in Naga City. He was a working student who learned the value of education and hard work from his parents who are both educators. As a student, he inspiringly found a way to serve his source of energy —God, as the president of the Student Catholics in Action and serving, found a lifetime partner, Yolanda, who faithfully stood by him since.

Professionally, Jesus Alcordo is a Chemical Engineering graduate, who harnessed his innate aptitude and work experience with various development trainings that includes an Executive Program in Business Administration at Columbia University, New York, USA.

He is currently the President and CEO of Filinvest Development Corp. Utilities, a director of the Chemical Industries of the Philippines, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the University of the Philippines, Cebu Chapter. He is also a director and fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promote Good Governance practices in Public and Private institutions training premier private bank executives and Government Financial Institutions by providing directions and highlighting the best practices.

Previous positions he has held include president and director of Cebu Energy Development Corp., director of the Toledo Power Company and president and member of the Board of Directors of the Global Business Power Corp. which is an umbrella company of several power plant installations in the Visayas and Mindoro Island and chairman of the Board of trustees of the University of San Carlos.

He has also sat in different capacities in key positions in government concerning energy notably as a commissioner of the Energy Regulatory Commission, Special Advisor of the Department of Energy, and president of National Power Corp. He has also held various offices in other private corporations as manager, consultant and engineer in the Philippines, Asia and Central America.

In the industry, the name Engr. Jesus Alcordo is almost synonymous to energy. He is the man behind energy power and electricity who did a great service in the mid 1990’s, when power crisis almost left Cebu and the Visayas in darkness. He generated power by putting up the East Asia Power Plant in Mactan and the Cebu Private Power Plant that supplied power to VECO to abate power shortage. Last year, 2010, he put up the Cebu Energy Development Corp. to help in the power requirements of the islands of Cebu and Panay. (FREEMAN)