Governor Dorothy P. Montejo-Gonzaga,

commonly called by her constituents as “Gov Dot-dot,” the first lady chief executive of Davao de Oro, captured the hearts of the people of Davao de Oro by embodying her dedication for genuine service.

A lawyer by profession, she was active in the private practice before her appointment to the Judiciary in 2000. She was a Municipal Trial Court Judge (MTC), then a Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge, until her appointment by the President Rodrigo R. Duterte as an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals on June 19, 2018. In her four (4) years in the Court of Appeals, her office was constantly acknowledged and praised as one of the top performing offices in dispensing/ resolving cases submitted for decision.

During the national celebration for Indigenous Peoples’ Month, she was named as “Gibubayan Pyasaya Magsibay”. According to the Mansaka Tribe, “Pyasaya” means “Pinangga,” while “Magsibay” means “Ikot.” The name profoundly implies a deep concern for the welfare of her people in the province. Her being responsive to the needs of her people means going down to the grassroots level and rendering genuine public service reflecting her thrust that truly, “Government Works!”