It’s a little unnerving to watch Margarita “Marge” Gutierrez enter a room. It is not just because she is a sight to see — beyond the polished exterior, the undersecretary of the Department of Justice (DoJ) exudes a real warmth.

“Call me Marge,” she invites. “Usec. sounds so formal.”

Pink blazer, a simple gold necklace — it is obvious at first glance that Atty. Gutierrez makes no attempt to mask her femininity. And why should she? Touted as she is for being “the only female undersecretary in the DoJ,” Marge puts her whole heart into her work and advocacies, in the process proving herself worthy of her position.

Her path toward law was inspired at an early age by her mother, former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez — a woman deeply committed to advocacy and helping those in need.

“Growing up, I saw how she assisted people with their legal concerns,” Usec. Gutierrez recalls. “Even as a child, I would always say I wanted to be a lawyer, though I didn’t know then exactly what it meant.”

Law and public service certainly ran in the blood — her grandfather, former Bataan vice governor Rufino Navarro Sr. and her mother serving twice as Secretary of Justice. It was a natural choice for Gutierrez to follow the same path.

Runway foray

But Marge’s early adulthood brought a second calling. Starting in college at the De La Salle University where she took up Applied Economics, she went into modeling to support her tuition and books, spending nearly a decade on the runway walking for top designers and later serving as president of the Professional Models Association of the Philippines.

She completed her Law degree at the Ateneo de Manila University, then worked for a time at the Supreme Court and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Atty. Gutierrez was in real estate law for over a decade before joining the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as Undersecretary in 2022. Two years later, she joined the DoJ under Secretary Boying Remulla.

While modeling offered glamour and financial support, her heart remained firmly with law and government service. “Even though modeling was exciting, I knew public service was my calling,” she tells DAILY TRIBUNE.

Today, Gutierrez’s work at the DoJ is guided by the same discipline, confidence and grace honed on the runway. “Modeling taught me how to present myself, communicate effectively, and be confident in front of any audience,” she says.

These skills now enhance her role in public service, where every decision affects the lives of many.

As undersecretary, Marge oversees the DoJ Action Center, the department’s frontline for free legal aid and assistance. She has spearheaded programs like the Katarungan Karavan, extending legal support to local government units and, notably, to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

Her passion for this work traces back to her teenage years, when a school outreach program brought her to the Correctional Institute for Women. The visit left a lasting impression on her young mind.

“I met mothers who had been convicted out of desperation to provide for their children,” she recalls. “I promised myself then that I would help them when I became a lawyer.”

Through initiatives that now mobilize volunteer lawyers and streamline legal aid, Gutierrez has helped secure freedom and justice for countless PDLs.

One unforgettable case involved a woman imprisoned for 23 years, only to have her conviction reduced to a 30-day sentence upon appeal — an effort that Marge and her team ensured reached fruition, resulting in a Christmas Day release.