THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI officially installed Benchie B. Gonzales as the new regional director, replacing outgoing official Rhuelo Aradanas, on Monday, Aug. 3.
Asec Ramel F. Jamen, special assistant to the secretary for Mindanao Affairs, installed the regional director
In his inaugural address, Gonzales said that his leadership would build on the strong foundation already established by DSWD XI.
“I did not come to Davao Region to start from scratch. I came here to build upon the strong foundation that all of you have worked so hard to establish,” he said.
He committed to strengthen existing systems and introduce innovations to enhance the field office services while preserving its best practices.
Gonzales called on all personnel to be guided by four key principles to realize the vision for the organization.
He outlined fostering unity and compassion as one DSWD family; upholding transparency, accountability, and integrity in public service; embracing innovation and digital transformation to improve service delivery; and carrying out the agency’s mandate centered on the policies and guidelines.
“Public office is a public trust. Every peso entrusted to this field office belongs to the Filipino people. Every decision we make affects lives,” he stressed.
Gonzales said it will strengthen DSWD XI’s programs and deliver more responsive and people-centered social welfare services regionwide.
Gonzales previously served as regional director of DSWD IV-B.
