Aidea CEO named UST outstanding archi alumnus

MANILA, Philippines - Abelardo Tolentino Jr., president and chief executive officer of globally recognized architecture and design firm Aidea Philippines, Inc., was recently conferred The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni (TOTAL) Award in Architecture for 2008 by the University of Santo Tomas.

Tolentino, who completed his degree in architecture at the UST in 1987, was recognized for upholding the Thomasian ideals of competence, compassion, and commitment in professional and personal endeavors. Tolentino majored in industrial engineering and management at the university.

A project spearheaded by the University of Santo Tomas Alumni Association Inc. (USTAAI), the TOTAL awards is the highest form of recognition and honor bestowed by the UST and USTAAI upon alumni who have excelled in their respective fields of endeavor.

The awards ceremony was held at the Central Seminary Gymnasium of the university.

In a congratulatory letter address to Tolentino, the USTAAI said, “All of us, your fellow alumni, are very proud of the success and achievements you have attained. The TOTAL award is an inspiring manifestation of the high esteem in which you are held.”

Tolentino, who closely manages the entire operations of Aidea, has previously been conferred the Innovation Entrepreneur award by the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines Awards of SGV Foundation, Inc. and Ernst & Young Philippines.

Under his leadership, Aidea has also been named one of the Top Ten Architects of the Philippines in 2008 by BCI (Building and Construction Interchange) Asia.

Aidea is an all-Filipino company that provides its international clientele a range of services that includes architectural design, interior design, planning, project management, landscape design, graphic design, and environmental graphic design.

Close to 50 percent of the architecture firm’s business is composed of overseas projects from clients based in Azerbaijan, Belgium, China, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, among other countries.