The simple turnover
ceremony at the DILG-08 regional office was witnessed by DILG
provincial directors, City Local Government Operations Officers and
office staff. Dir. Paler and his wife, Virgencita who was an honored
guest, thanked the officers and personnel of DILG-8 for their support
in the 11 years RD Paler served in Eastern Visayas.
Dir. Jose meanwhile
expressed his gratitude to DILG-8 personnel for their warm welcome
even as he promised to continue and build upon the programs and
accomplishments of Dir. Paler.
Being a stalwart of
the department, Director Jose, of DILG-12 (Koronadal City), brings
with him a wealth of experience, having served the agency in various
capacities in several regions. RD Jose entered the then-Department
of Local Government and Community Development (DLGCD) in 1974 as a
Barangay Development Worker (BDW) in Davao del Sur, and rose to the
position of Director
III while serving in Regions 9, 10, 11, and 12. He is active in
civic and community groups, being the chairman of the board of
directors of Bansalan Cooperative Society in Bansalan, Davao del Sur,
as well as past president of the Rotary Club of Bansalan.
Dir. Paler, who first
came to the region as Assistant Director in 1998 before being named
Regional Director in 2002, will leave a legacy of decisive leadership,
strengthening institutional partnerships, upholding performance in the
agency’s targets, stressing merit and fitness in promotions and
recruitment, while giving weight to employee welfare and concerns.
Under Dir. Paler’s
term, several barangays in Eastern Visayas won in the national search
for Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa in the national level; the Search
for Most Outstanding Sangguniang Bayan, a program held in coordination
with the Philippine Councilors League, was adopted into a nationwide
Local Legislative Award. After the regional office was razed by a
fire in 2004, he spearheaded the rebuilding of a new office using
minimal funds from the regional budget as well as from the Central
Office.
Like Dir. Jose, Dir.
Paler started as a BDW at the Presidential Assistant in Community
Development (PACD) in 1968 and held various positions, both technical
and administrative, to rise from the ranks and become one of the most
respected DILG regional directors in the country. As a measure of the
trust put in him by his superiors, Dir. Paler’s term was extended
twice from August 8, 2009 to February 8, 2010.
A primary focus of the
department this year will be the training of the officials that will
be elected in the May elections, as well as the other capacity
development services for local government units.
