Undersecretary Marichu A. Palafox began her government service more than 30 years ago in 1985 as an Audit Examiner at the Commission on Audit (COA). She entered DPWH as a contractual Finance Officer II for the DPWH-Project Management Office-Rural Water Supply in 1989. She got a permanent position of Accountant II at the Comptrollership and Financial Management Service in 2001, promoted to Accountant III in 2004 and designated as Officer-In-Charge, Chief Accountant and Accountant IV in 2005. She also served the Office of the Assistant Secretary for PMO Operations as Accountant IV from 2010 to 2013 before she moved to DPWH National Capital Region as its Chief Administrative Officer (Fiscal Controller) from 2013 to 2014. In 2014, she was designated Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Director for Finance Service and became its Director in 2015. In August 2019, she was designated as OIC-Assistant Secretary for Support Service and was later appointed to the position of Assistant Secretary by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte with an oathtaking event on September 17, 2019 at Malacañang.
To further develop her expertise in financial management, Asec. Palafox attended trainings and seminars sponsored by various agencies and institutions like Orientation Seminar on GOP Procedures for ODA Projects, Disbursement Seminar East Asia and the Pacific Region, World Bank Disbursement Seminar, all conducted by the World Bank; 3rd PICPA Global Convention conducted by PICPA Los Angeles USA Chapter; Tax Exemption/Assumption Policies of the Government of the Philippines related to Japanese Official Development Assistance conducted by the DOF and Japan Bank for International Cooperation; Seminar on Complete Staff Work; 1st e-NGAS User’s Circle Conference; Updates on the New Government Accounting System Seminar on Complete Staff Work; Culture Building Program; and other related trainings.
Asec. Palafox passed the Career Executive Service Eligibility in 2011. She has also attended conferences and seminars conducted by the Career Executive Service Board that include the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Annual Career Executive Service Conferences; 2nd and 4th CES Thought Leaders’ Congress; Rediscover the Heart and Soul of a Leader; Integrated Gabay ng Paglilingkod and Salamin Diwa Course Sessions XI and XVI, Executive Leadership Program; among others.
She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the Philippine School of Business Administration in 1984, received her Bachelor of Laws degree from Far Eastern University in 1989, and graduated with the degree of Master in Business Management at St. Francis of Assisi College System in 2001. She also earned 21 units for her Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management education at Manuel L. Quezon University.
She was born on April 14, 1964 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. She is married to Constante Palafox, a Superintendent at the Manila Electric Company and they are blessed with three lovely daughters Nicole Anne, Jessica and Francesca.
Responsibilities:
The Undersecretary for Support Services shall have overall supervision and control over the Human Resource and Administrative Service (HRAS), Finance Service (FS), Procurement Service (PrS), and Stakeholders Relations Service (SRS). She shall likewise have direct supervision and control of the Corporate Planning and Management Division (CPMD).
Other Assignments:
- Chairperson, DPWH Central Office Committee on Office Uniforms and Social Affairs
- Chairperson, Reconstitution of the Training Oversight Committee and Creation of a TOC-Technical Working Group (TOC-TWG)
- Chairperson, DPWH Central Office Grievance Committee
- Vice Chairperson, Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) Committee
- Chairperson, Committee on Decorum and Investigation of Sexual Harassment Cases (CODI)
- Chairperson, DPWH Anti-Red Tape Team (DARTT)
- Chairperson, DPWH Performance Management Team (DPWH-PMT)
- Chairperson, Complaints Validation and Investigation Committee (CVIC)
- Chairperson, DPWH Citizen’s Charter Team
- Chairperson, DPWH-Praise Committee
- Chairperson, Committee on Relocation/Transfer and Facilities Improvement of DPWH Offices (CRTFIDO)
- Chairperson, Training Oversight Committee
- Chairperson, Reconstitution of the Office Placement Committee for Regional Project Management Office for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RPMO-BARMM)
- DPWH Principal Representative, National Intelligence Board (NIB)
- DPWH Principal Representative, National Employment Recovery Strategy
- Chairperson, DPWH Central Disposal Committee
- Chairperson, Data Privacy Committee
- Chairperson, PRAISE Committee
- Chairperson, DPWH Records Management Improvement Committee and Corresponding Sub-Committees