Zamboanga City, April 20, 2023 – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 9 has announced the appointment of Albert E. Gutib as its new regional director, effective April 17, 2023. Gutib will be replacing Atty. Roy L. Buenafe, who is recently reassigned to head DOLE Region 4A (CALABARZON).

RD Gutib, born in from Amlan, Negros Oriental and raised in Zamboanga City, obtained his Bachelor of Science in Commerce (Accouting) at the Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) and his Masters in Public Administration at the Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City.

Before his appointment as DOLE 9 regional director, RD Gutib served DOLE in regions 9 and 10 as Assistant RD, and in regions 12, 4-B and back to 10 as regional director. With 31 years of experience under his belt, he climbed the ranks within the organization when he began as Clerk II in 1991.

He was welcomed by DOLE 9 personnel, including the heads of the DOLE-Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) 9, through a virtual turn-over of leadership program on April 14, 2023 where outgoing RD Buenafe led the formal transfer of responsibility to the incoming director.

During the ceremony, RD Buenafe expressed confidence in the incoming DOLE 9 RD and called on him to continue the various initiatives already implemented in the region such as the Project 50K jobs, Project HOPE for the displaced workers in the fishing and canning industry, among others.

Incoming RD pledged to build on the achievements of his predecessor and to work tirelessly to ensure that the mandates of the Department be achieved with utmost quality and speedy delivery. END