Alabado started his government career as a faculty member of the University of the Philippines- Mindanao teaching Urban and Regional Planning. He was part of the local government of Davao City as the City Planning and Development Coordinator under then Mayor Sara Duterte (2010-2013), before joining the Department of Tourism (DOT) as Regional Director for Region XI from 2015 to 2018, and briefly as Director for Medical Travel and Wellness Tourism- Office of Product and Market Development.
