OIC-Director Sta. Maria’s rise from the ranks can be best attributed to his personality, which is aptly described by psychological examinations as one whose “intellectual orientation is high”, who is “spontaneous, self-disciplined, and participating” , and whose “overall adjustment and relationship with co-employees is ideal”.

He started his career in the government service in 1978 as Research Assistant at the Transport Training Center, University of the Philippines. In 1979, he moved to the then Department of Public Highways, as Civil Engineer at the Metro Manila Traffic Engineering and Management Project and later, at the Planning and Project Development Office.  From 1981, he worked with the PMO-Feasibility Studies where he eventually rose from the ranks to become its Project Director in 2005 until his recent designation as OIC-Director of the Internal Audit Service. Director Sta. Maria has also been designated OIC-Director of the Administrative and Manpower Management Service in 2003.

An advocate of transparency, accountability and good governance, Director Sta. Maria currently sits as the DPWH representative to the Board of Directors of Bantay Lansangan, a civil society organization that monitors the performance of the national road sector. He has also been active in promoting public-private partnership in infrastructure projects.

Among the trainings and seminars he attended are the Training Program on Urban Traffic Planning in 1982 in Tokyo, Japan; Transport Development Management Course for Executives, 1993, National Center for Transportation 1993, UP;  Infrastructure Forum, 2002, Madrid , Spain; Transport Infrastructure Planning, 2007, Seoul, Korea; Private Sector Participation in the Malaysian Context  2007, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Practical Project Management Course in the Global Market, 2010,  Asian Institute of Management.

Director Sta. Maria finished his secondary studies at the Philippine Science High School in 1972, spent his early college days at the University of the Philippines and completed his BS Civil Engineering degree in 1978 in Araullo University in Cabanatuan City. He has to his credit 30 units of Master in Business Administration ( Major in Project  Management) at the De La Salle University, and a Master of Public Administration degree (Major in Public Policy and Program Administration) from the University of the Philippines.

He passed the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination in 1978, Career Service Executive Eligibility in 1997, and Career Executive Service Officer Exam in 2001.

 He is a member of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers and the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines. He is also a Founding Elder of the DPWH Catholic Community (Region IV Compound) and a Cooperator of Opus Dei.

He was born on October 26, 1955 in Cabanatuan City.

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