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 Region V              

Director Sinaolan T. Macarambon is one of the very few female Muslims who dared to tread the engineering profession. Certainly, she never regretted her decision to join the mentally and physically rigorous world of engineering.

Director Macarambon is the first woman of the Department of Public Works and Highways who was appointed to the position of Regional Director. She also holds the distinction as the first Muslim woman civil engineer appointed to the said position.

She currently heads DPWH Regional Office XI after serving as Regional Director of Regions XII (December 2008–September 2010) and X (July 2004–December 2008) wherein she also served as Assistant Regional Director for four years. Twelve years of being a District Engineer prepared her to be a good leader in project implementation and personnel administration.

During her college days at Mindanao State University, where she was scholar, she was trained and prepared at very young age to be a good public servant. She practically rose from the ranks starting as Civil Engineering Aide in 1967, and then Jr. Civil Engineer, Associate Civil Engineer, Civil Engineer at the Marawi City Engineer’s Office, until she transferred at Mindanao State University as CE Planner in October 1973.

She again transferred to the then Ministry of Public Highways (MPH) Regional Office 12 Planning & Design Section as Assistant Staff Civil Engineer (Assistant Division Chief) in March 1977 wherein she held various engineering positions. She became the District Engineer of Lanao del Norte DEO in January 1989 then Cotabato Second DEO in November 1994 until her appointment as Assistant Regional Director of DPWH Regional Office 10 in May 2000.

To boost her credentials, she attended countless training and seminars here and abroad. These include Institutionalization Mentoring for Middle Managers in Government conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman, Muslim Women in the Midst of Change sponsored by Muslim Professionals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, National Convention for Career Executive Service Officers, 1^st International Civil Engineering Conference in Asia-Asian Infrastructure Sustainable Development and Project Management conducted by the Japan & American Societies of Civil Engineers, and other trainings conducted by various institutions.

Director Macarambon’s professional and social affiliations are countless. To name a few: National Business Manager of the Road Engineering Association of the Philippines (REAP) and National Director-Treasurer of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), National Board of Director of the Society of Philippine Accredited Consultants, Inc and President of DPWH Region X Ladies Circle. She is also a Lifetime member of the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners (PIEP); Associate member of the American society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); member of the National Council of Executive Service Officers. She is also an active member of the Women for Mindanao peace and Development Foundation.

Her commendable service was recognized through awards and citations she received – Most Outstanding Gender Advocate Award given by GA-WINGS in 2001, Outstanding Lady Engineer of the Year awarded by then DPWH Secretary Gregorio R. Vigilar in 1996, New Millennium Award for Excellence in Public Service given by the Philippine Infrastructure Journal and other agencies, Citation for being the First Filipino Muslim Lady Engineer given by the Lanao Sur Public School Teachers’ Association in 1972, and Presidential Citation from then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Apparently, Director Macarambon has proven to all and sundry that a female Muslim can also shine in the male arena of engineering.

Director Macarambon was an honor student and scholar since her elementary education days. She obtained her Career Executive Officer Rank in 1998. She is also an Environmental Planner since 1994. She earned her Master in Environmental Planning degree from the University of the Philippines-Diliman in 1975, and she graduated with the degree in Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Mindanao State University in 1968.

She was born on June 22, 1947 in Marawi City. She is married to Hadji Abdul Naffi Bantog Macarambon and they are blessed with five children namely Mohammad Shamrul, Sittie Shahani, Al-Hussein, Al-Maruf and Fatima Aniqa.