DAR, DND might move to Mindanao

Anticipating the proposed shift to a federal system of government, President Arroyo wants the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to move their main offices to Mindanao.

Mrs. Arroyo announced this in a radio interview in Zamboanga City before she proceeded with her campaign sorties in Mindanao. "I believe in the federal form of government but while we are waiting for the federal form of government to be enacted constitutionally into a reality for our country, I want to disperse and decentralize the government offices," she said.

The President earlier moved the offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA) from Quezon City to Mindanao, while she ordered the Department of Tourism (DOT) to transfer to Cebu.

Acting on her orders, Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo Jr. now holds office in the Cabatangan Complex in Zamboanga City.

But the President wouldn’t be more specific on where she wants the DND offices to be located, though she appears to favor Pagadian City for DAR "because the farmers are there."

The President wouldn’t also say if she had already instructed DND Secretary Eduardo Ermita and DAR Acting Secretary Jose Mari Ponce to act on her plans.

Ermita now holds office inside the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. DAR’s main office is also located in Quezon City.

Mrs. Arroyo was pleased that Lorenzo had already implemented her directive to move his head office from Quezon City, where there is no agriculture industry to speak of, to Mindanao, which is considered the "food basket" of the country.

"And I think it is just right for Cito Lorenzo to be holding office in Cabatangan because he is the grandson of Pablo Lorenzo of Zamboanga City," she said.

The President revealed that the new office of the DA was the site of bloody battles in the past between government forces and Muslim secessionist rebels.

She said she had authorized Lorenzo to spend P10 million for the repair of the bullet-riddled complex.

Earlier this month, Mrs. Arroyo instructed DOT Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan to prepare for the transfer of this head office to Cebu, considered to be the country’s fastest growing tourism center.

"So that is the way I want it. Let the markets determine where the departments can best serve the people," she said.