For Negros Island Region: TWG tackles issues on regional offices sites

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Sites of interim regional offices of the Negros Island Region are among the contentious issues to be tackled by the Technical Working Group in its scheduled meeting early next month.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said the meeting will be in Manila either on November 9 or 10, when the TWG will finalize the implementing rules and regulations, with the national agencies expected to update the status of their interim regional offices in the two Negros provinces, Occidental and Oriental.

Some agencies said they wanted to set up their interim regional offices in Negros Occidental instead of Negros Oriental “for logistical support,” Marañon said.

The governor explained that the Department of Health has its regional hospital in Bacolod City and that the Department of Labor and Employment also an existing office here, “but (previous arrangements) will have an office in Dumaguete City.”

The governor said interim offices of the national agencies will be fully operational by January 1 next year. As of now, at least eight interim directors were already appointed for the regional offices of the NIR or Region 18, he said.

Appointed interim regional directors, so far, are: Assistant Regional Director Shalyn Marie Sun Lucero of Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 and Assistant Regional Director Leah Delfinado of Department of Public Works and Highways-6.

Regional directors, on a concurrent capacity, are: Aster Caberte of Department of Trade and Industry-7; Floro Ringca of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-7; Charito Zamora of Philippine Ports Authority-6; Tita Rebollos of Department of Foreign Affairs-7; and Efren Carreon of National Economic and Development Authority-7.

Also appointed interim head is Renato Manantan, former director of Region IV-B of the Department of Agriculture.

The creation of Negros Island Region, through Executive Order 183 that was signed by President Benigno Aquino III on May 29, separated Negros Occidental from Western Visayas, or Region 6, and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas, or Region 7.

Marañon meanwhile was optimistic that the budget for the NIR will be included in the 2016 national budget, adding that the Department of Budget and Management has assured that it will be incorporated in the bicameral conference committee during its amendment. (FREEMAN)