DIR. HORACIO S. GONZALEZ, CESE
OIC, Government Arsenal

       Director Horacio S. Gonzalez is the incumbent Officer-In-Charge of the Government Arsenal since February 9, 2010 pursuant to Department Order No. 37 signed by Secretary Norberto B. Gonzales. Prior to his present appointment, he was designated OIC, GA from December 9, 2009 to January 12, 2010 with functions and oversights in operations and national agency linkages and partnership. He is concurrently the Chief, Administrative Services of the department. 

       Born in Ilo-Ilo City on August 18, 1950, he completed his primary and secondary studies at the De La Salle Bacolod. He obtained a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 1972 at the De La Salle University, Manila. In the same year, he passed the Chemical Engineering Board Examination. He has a candidacy in a Masteral in Business Administration degree, major in Finance also in the same university as of 2004. Moreover, he passed the November 2003 Career Service Executive Examinations for Career Executive Service Eligibles (CSC) and proceeded to migrate into the CESB and passed the Assessment Center as well as the required executive leadership course while he awaits conferment of rank.

        He attended the following non-degree courses – Strategy: Planning & Implementation at University of Michigan, USA; Management Development Program (with Distinction) at Asian Institute of Management (AIM); Global Competitive Advantage at Harvard University; Specialty Olefins for Packaging and PVC Applications at The Dow Chemical Company; and the Career Executive Service Board Leadership Program of “Salamin-Diwa at Gabay”.

       He is a product of the Advance Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps from the De La Salle University, which paved the way for his commissionship in the reserve component of the Philippine Navy where he now holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander.

       His work experiences includes close to thirty (30) years working in various transnational and multi-national companies where he gained knowledge in the field of marketing, production, business and product development. In addition, he became consultant in DND from 2001 until he finally accepted permanent employment with the Department in 2003.

       For the period of 2007 up to 2009, he was appointed Third Level Champion for CES affairs of the agency-proper and appointed member of the Anti-Red Tape Committee. His accomplishments are the following: initiated a Php40M mini power plant project approved by SND; implemented a savings realignment that saw to the acquisition of a modern transport fleet; initiated a program to implement the installation of a state-of-the-art PABX for communications cost savings; caused the completion of construction and repair projects with an amount of close to Php30M; developed a core of highly motivated second level supervisors able to undertake self-sustaining communications skills; caused the resolution of a Php50M disputed account with the PLDT; implemented the repair and rehab of the DND façade; established a working relationship with the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) – a current and future strategic business partner for the Defense Department in the establishment of a self-reliant defense industry with a multi-faceted international and domestic portfolio.

       Director Gonzalez strongly believes in the principle of self-reliance as a key pillar of the nation’s defense policy. His personal goal is to influence and attempt to make a difference in the challenge of making a vital outlook-change in the psyche of the Philippine bureaucracy given the challenges of a deep-setted cultural mind set amidst rapidly evolving economic and social strata.