our governor
Honorable Nilo Demerey Jr.
4th Governor of the Province of Dinagat Islands
NILO P. DEMEREY JR., the fourth and the first male elected Governor of the Province of Dinagat Islands, is an outstanding public servant. A son of both public-school teachers, who witnessed how his parents dedicated themselves as public servants. The eldest boy of a family of six (6) siblings raised by a religious and modest mother and a disciplinarian and professional former military officer father. At an early age, he was taught strict adherence to exemplary ethical behavior with love and compassion by his parents and family. As a young boy, he was exposed to religious devotions and prayers by his mother and the stringent and soldierly ways of justness and sincerity on all his actions by his father. The values that he learned from his parents compounded by positive actions and thoughts made him a consistent top academic performer and leader of his class since elementary to college. The same values and training also made him dream of becoming a priest to lead and serve humanity.
During high school days, he has shown already exemplar leadership and academic excellence, He was a consistent honor student, president of the Student Council and various organizations and the Corps Commander of his Citizen Army Training Unit, After high school, he studied at St. Francis Xavier College Seminary to achieve his childhood dream to become a priest to be of service to others, At the seminary, his fellow seminarians recognized his leadership and his willingness to help others elected him leader of their Seminary Student council. He took a sabbatical regency and graduated Bachelor of Arts Major in English and Philosophy at Ateneo de Davao University in the year 1990, where he was the Corps Commander of the Ateneo de Davao University ROTC unit. He was also the Class Baron of the ROTC Advance Class 1990 of the 11th Regional Community Defense Unit (11th RCDU) Philippine Army.
After College Graduation while contemplating to re-enter the seminary to continue his dream to become a priest, he was captivated to practice the profession of his parents, which is teaching. He became College Instructor in various universities and colleges in the country. And worked also in various capacities in the NGO, private and public sector. As a young professional, he helped established Group Advocate Building Advancement for the Youth (GABAY), which made him one of the Most Outstanding Youth Leader of the Philippines under the Magnolia Youth Achievement Award in the year 1991. In that year, also he helped in the establishment of the Mindanao Youth Confederation (MYC) and became the President of the Mindanao Community-based Youth Organizations Confederation (MCYOC). He went to consolidate community-based youth organizations in Mindanao. He visited various places in Mindanao from the hinterlands of Sulu, Tawi, Lanao, and Basilan to the mountains of Bukidnon and Surigao, traversing the plains of Cotabato, Agusan, and Davao to conduct consultations with the youth sector. He has fought for the establishment of the National Youth Commission (NYC) to help address the problems besetting the youth sector not only in Mindanao but in the entire country. Thus, in the year 1995, the NYC was established to pave the way to a more empowered Filipino youth.
The nominee arrived in the Province of Dinagat Islands (PDI) in the year 2008 as a business executive. He joined the numerous investors and mining professionals engaging in the exploration and mining operations in the mineral reserve island. His leadership and friendly disposition got him elected as the President of the Community Relations Education Development Officers (CREDO) association and the Vice President of the Chamber of Mines of Caraga Region Inc. (CMCRI) on that same year he joined those prestigious mining organizations in the region. His simplicity, attitude, values, sincerity, experiences, education endeared him to the communities where he is engaged in PDI. He became friends to all sectors of the society in Dinagat Islands and selflessly shared his blessings to all like a servant of God. With pureness of intention to share and serve the people without thinking of something in return, the once stranger to the islands has transformed to become truly Dinagatnon in words, actions and spirit. Thus, when he was invited to run for public office in the year 2016, he landed as the elected Senior Board Member of PDI. In the year 2019, he won as Provincial Vice-Governor in the Province of Dinagat Islands and awarded as “Outstanding Public Servant” in the entire caraga region during the Civil Service Commission -Caraga Region “Dangal Ng Bayan Award 2019”. On 2022 National and Local Election, Demerey tried his luck and run for the position as Governor, and the people of Dinagat Islands did not fail his dream to become the fourth and the first male Governor in the province.
As elected public officials, he has demonstrated the highest standard of exemplary conduct and ethical behavior. The nominee as a legislator has always considered public interest more than his personal interest. Professionalism, justness, and political neutrality has always been the centerpiece of his public service, as shown in his sponsorship and glaring support on several milestone legislations that irked some of his friends in the mining industry. Examples of these legislations are as follows; (1.) A Resolution Carving out of 1,000 hectares of land from mining areas to be used as Government Center, (2.) A Resolution Delineating all the Tourist Destinations in PDI from Mineral Reservation and converting them to be classified as Alienable and Disposable (A and D) to encourage tourism investment and development and (3.) Legislations to secure and protect Watershed Areas in PDI and sharing water rights with mining companies and or imposing unto them to waive their rights for and on behalf of the general public.
Sincerity and responsiveness to the public can be seen in the nominee’s brand of public service. He religiously visited and attended Flag Raising Ceremonies, school programs, and activities in almost all the 142 schools in PDI in his stint as the Chairman of the Committee on Education in Sangguniang Panlalawigan. He went to share his life and undertakings to the youth of PDI every time he visits schools for them to appreciate discipline and hard-works as a formula for success. And as the Vice-Chairman on the Committee on Social Services, he innovated the systems and passed legislation to fast-track release of assistance to individuals in crises situation (AICS). Through his dedication to bringing the government to the people, nominee “Demerey” earned the moniker “the REMEDY.” He personally talks to the sick in their hospital beds and implements the “Zero Billing” program of the government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Malasakit Centers and assigned people to assist and guide indigents. Visits the prisoners in their prison cells and extend help. Attend the needs of the dead in their death beds and sometimes lay them on their caskets and carry them on their final resting place and giving all what their government can assist them.
These accomplishments of selfless service and genuine concern for the people made way far from others. He unselfishly extends service to all Dinagatnons without the fun-fare and the glittery of acclamation, a way beyond others are doing. Utilizing wisely most of his time personal resources, living a simple life, open 24-hour service to the public, easily reach-out public servant and consistent in his demonstration of exemplary ethical behavior as public official are proofs that the nominee is more than worthy of being conferred the “Dangal ng Bayan Award.”
Significant Accomplishment/s within the Last Three Years
(Description of the Project/Work Accomplished, Strategies/Activities Done and Problems Encountered) The nomination of heads of offices and agencies including that of the Local Chief Executives should reflect Their individual accomplishments
A Resolution Carving out of 1,000 hectares of land from the Mineral Reservation Area to be used as Government Center;
A Resolution Delineating all the Tourist Destinations in PDI from Mineral Reservation and converting them to be classified as Alienable and Disposable (A and D) to encourage tourism investment and development
Legislations to secure and protect Watershed Areas in PDI and sharing water rights with mining companies and or imposing unto them to waive their rights for and on behalf of the general public;
Passed resolutions to increase the funding and fast- track the release of Assistance to Individual in Crises Situation (AICS) in PDI seek support from DOH, DSWD, PCSO and other agencies for clients and visited them in hospitals and their residences to deliver said services;
Filed Resolution Requesting the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the CLOA of farmers beneficiaries in PDI;
Requesting National Housing Authority (NHA) for the release of funds for the construction of houses for the Typhoon Yolanda victims and
Legislate innovations and provided additional funds in the Provincial Government Scholarship Programs and linking PDI students to CHED scholarship programs by bringing the programs closer to the clients;
Impact of Accomplishments
(Indicate problems addressed, savings generated, people/office benefited and transactions facilitated. Indicate whether or not the accomplishments are part of the nominee’s regular functions/mandated or the product of his/her/their own initiative. If part of nominee’s regular duties or mandated, justify why the accomplishments are considered exemplary or extraordinary) For Presidential Lingkod Bayan Category: What was the impact of the extraordinary contribution to national public interest? For CSC Pagasa Category: What was the impact of the Outstanding contribution to more than one department of the government?
A Resolution filed by the nominee to carve out 1,000 hectares of land from mining areas to be used as Government Center has triggered the initial development of 403 hectares now on its final stage of Complete Staff Work (CSW) to be signed as Executive Order by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to amend the Presidential Proclamation No. 395 of the Commonwealth Government signed by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1939. The resolution has addressed the problems of planning. relocation, expansion and development of the new province. PDI being a new province has many national line agencies to be situated and provincial offices to be properly in-placed, thus the need for areas to establish these development is a primordial concern. Dinagat Islands being a mineral reservation is covered with Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) issued to largescale mining companies, thus to carve 1,000 hectares of land would surely affect mining companies which spent millions of pesos before being awarded MPSA. The nominee being a mining executive himself used his technical knowledge and expertise to elucidate solutions so that the project will push through even with negations from some affected sector. The action of the nominee as public official exemplified adherence to the highest standards of exemplary conduct and ethical behavior his constant defense on the cause of the provincial government and its people.
A Resolution Delineating all the Tourist Destinations in PDI from Mineral Reservation and converting them to be classified as Alienable and Disposable (A and D) to encourage tourism investment and development. The legislative efforts of the nominee to delineate tourism destination from mineral reservation will solve the problem of the slow-paced tourism development due to uncertainty of return of investment of investors because most of the tourism destinations in PDI are within the mineral reservation areas, lands that cannot be titled. A classic example of this is the 101 hectares of Bonsai Forest in Loreto. This one of a kind tourism destination can only be found in Loreto, PDI. We cannot find something like this anywhere in the world. Yet this is located within the mineral reservation inside the MPSA of a mining company. There are many similarly situated tourist destinations that ensembled the same problems around fifty (50) more or less of the total eighty-three (83) accounted tourist destination. The said piece of legislation will solve this problem and will bolster tourism development in PDI. The said legislation is submitted to DENR and DOT for action.
Legislations to secure and protect Watershed Areas in PDI and sharing water rights with mining companies and or imposing unto them to waive their rights for and on behalf of the general public; The resolution authored by the nominee in barring AAM-Phil Natural Resources Exploration and Development to mine the watershed area of San Jose, PDI and legislation sponsored by him on getting back the control of the Del Pilar Dam from Philippine Nickel Corporation are two (2) legislations that showed the commitment to public interest of the nominee. The problem that AAM-Phil will mine the watershed of San Jose, PDI has been solved and mitigated. And the idea to source potable water in Del Pilar Dam became achievable because of the legislation of the nominee.
Before the nominee became a Board Member, the total AICS Provincial allocation or funds to help the poor and indigent was around P500,000 coming from the provincial coffer and the entitlement for cash advance was P20,000.00 weekly. The Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWDO) were tied up on this circumstance. In those times few only of our indigent and poor clients can avail AICS. Additional problems of the claimants were the lack of necessary documents due to misinformation or failure to understand instruction on the part of the clients. There were times in the past that cash assistance to indigent is not even enough to pay the transportation cost caused by delays and repetitive follow ups. The innovations and legislations of the nominee to assign staff to guide all indigent client from the start of the process of them asking help, the close coordination of the nominee and the government agencies and offices involve in AICS to simplify the protocols has made government truly reachable by the poor and indigents. Today, in the Provincial Government we have 3M Annual Allocation for AICS and Cash Advance up to 100,000.00 per week not to mention the seemingly inexhaustible assistance from the national government that are easily reachable by poor Dinagatnons through the efforts made the nominee and the government. These sincere initiatives and responsiveness to the public of the nominee beyond his regular call of duty is truly emulating and extraordinary. His simplicity and dedication to bring the government service right at poor patients’ hospital beds, in their houses and even in their death beds and graveyards is way beyond exemplary. He has not only helped their material needs but also consoled them and made them realized that truly the there is a government extending a hand to help.
The nominee authored the resolution requesting the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to give Certificate of Land Ownership (CLOA) farmer beneficiaries. Last October 09, 2019 a total of 1,067,5005 hectares of agricultural land were distributed to 766 farmers in the PDI. Not only that the nominee the facilitated the released of the CLOA for farmers but also guided them to register their titles to the Registry of Deeds for records and protection purposes. This is away beyond the usual kind of innovative service.
The nominee requested the NHA and made representation to increase and release the funds for the Housing Project for the Typhoon Yolanda Victims. Upon the personal request of the nominee last January 18, 2020 NHA General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada, Jr. visited Loreto, PDI and allocated 245M pesos to finish the project. The victims of typhoon Yolanda will finally be given houses as promised to them by the government through the initiative of the nominee.
The nominee has authored several ordinances and resolutions relative to educational scholarship. He included in the Provincial Government College Scholarship Programs many innovations to help many more students avail the program. He also simplified the system in releasing the stipend of scholars to cut delays and release them at the school campus. He brought CHED Scholarship at the doorstep of every applicant so that many can avail in the program. As a result of the initiatives of the nominee, problems have been solved and many PDI students availed the CHED Scholarship Programs.
Other Information (Major Awards/Citations Received/ Membership in the Organization
Established REMEDY AKSYON CENTER 24/7
In July 2019, he put up REMEDY AKSYON CENTER, a 24/7 augmented emergency assistance provider in the Province of Dinagat Islands to cater the emergency needs of the Dinagatnon to wit;
Cash Assistance
Burial Assistance
Medical Assistance
Emergency Assistance
Transportation Assistance
The establishment of 24/7 REMEDY AKSYON CENTER assistance is very helpful in the response of the Provincial Government against the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic, with this the Provincial Inter- Agency Task Force commended the nominee for the exemplary performance in the response against the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the collective efforts of the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force and Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force, which, in turn, ensured the health, safety, and welfare of the Citizens of Dinagat Islands.
Highest Achiever of the 4th SP Award
The nominee was declared Highest Achiever of the 4th SP for a matchless performance during his term as the Senior Board Member, 4th Sangguniang Panlalawigan year 2016-2017 of Dinagat Islands with the following notable facts:
Author of some key ordinances i.e., PPP CODE, PDI Scholarship Program, 2017 Revenue Code, Budget for the Provincial Law Scholarship Program, Provincial Administrative Code, among others.
Passed and approved 127 Ordinances, Number 1 on the number of Ordinances passed.
Authored 433 Resolutions the highest number of Resolution passed.
Rendered the highest Committee Reports during his term.
Held as OIC and / or Acting Governor and Vice Governor from time to time enabling the official transactions of the provincial government on the normal flow.
Best Legislator Award 2018- The nominee was awarded a Best Legislator Award by the Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands thru the Program on Rewards, Awards, and Incentives for the Service Excellence (PRAISE) during the Gabi ng Parangal in celebration of the 12th Kaadlawan ng Probinsya. on September 26, 2018. The award was given in profound recognition for his exemplary public service, outstanding achievement and in making numerous contribution who authored the highest number of Ordinances and Resolutions that contributed to the smooth delivery of service to address problems encountered by the Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands including the 7 municipalities and 100 Barangays.
Best Legislator Award 2019- The nominee was awarded a Best Legislator Award by the Provincial Government of Dinagat Islands thru the Program on Rewards, Awards, and Incentives for the Service Excellence (PRAISE) during the Gabi ng Parangal in celebration of the 13th Kaadlawan ng Probinsya. on October 02, 2019. The award was given in profound recognition for his on-going commitment and outstanding leadership that helped in the smooth delivery of public service excellence throughout the Province.
Member of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines- The nominee as the incumbent Vice Governor of the Province of Dinagat Islands is an active member of LVGP. As the presiding officer of the Sanggunian, the Vice Governor really guides the province through the passage of ordinances and resolutions in compliance with the provincial policies.