Duterte appoints former Davao City Councilor as new MinDA chair

She is the second female to hold the highest post of the agency with a Cabinet-level rank. 

As the new MinDA Chair, she will lead in coordinating, harmonizing, and integrating various socioeconomic development efforts for Mindanao with inter-regional, Mindanao-wide, and sub-regional impact. 

Secretary Acosta will also act as the Philippine Signing Minister leading the participation of Mindanao and Palawan as country's EAGA focus areas in the BIMP-EAGA sub-regional cooperation, given MinDA’s mandate as the permanent Philippine Coordinating Office for BIMP-EAGA (PCOBE) under RA 9996. 

Prior to her appointment, she had a long and notable stint in formulating landmark local legislations as a City Councilor from 2001-2010 and 2013 – 2022. She is also a Career Executive Service Eligible.

With vast experience in grassroots community involvement, she spearheaded various initiatives. 

She launched different programs to support her cause, earning her the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Kabalikat Award in 2008. 

She was an active partner in promoting and implementing various training programs, which resulted in a better employment opportunity for Filipino skilled workers. 

She chaired the Davao City Council's Committee of Peace & Public Safety and the Committee of Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, which allowed her to advance her community development advocacies. She served as the Chairperson of the Board of Advisers of Bantay Bata 163.

The Philippine Councilors League named her one of The Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines (TOCP) for 2009 during the Philippine Councilors League 2010 End-Term National Assembly. 

She was an alumna of the International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States, which provided an avenue to discuss global and local issues and build cooperation and goodwill with other counterparts. She also served as the national leader of the Philippine Delegation at 39th Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) 2012, which was part of the cooperation between Japan and the ASEAN countries to foster diplomatic and cultural understanding.