For Negros Island Region: National agencies to open interim offices in October

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – At least five government agencies will open this October their respective interim offices in Negros Occidental for the newly created Negros Island Region or Region 18.

Provincial Planning and Development Officer Maria Lina Sanogal said the five agencies—the Department of Agriculture, the National Economic and Development Authority, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, including its attached agencies like the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection—will open their temporary offices in Bacolod City on October 1, as part of the transition period for the NIR until their full operations by January next year.

At least 16 regional offices will also hold their interim offices in Dumaguete City of Negros Oriental, while 15 others will have theirs in Bacolod City (Negros Occidental).

Sanogal said NEDA, DILG and BFP will have their interim offices at the Negros First CyberCentre, where there are still available office spaces for lease at its ground floor.

Sanogal said the provincial government is now also renovating some rooms at the Paglaum Sports Complex for the offices of the Police Regional Office-18, while the DA will utilize its regional satellite office site at the Farmers’ Training Center in Gatuslao Street, for its interim operations,

President Benigno Aquino III, through Executive Order 183 on May 29, created the NIR consisting of Negros Occidental, separated from Western Visayas (Region 6), and Negros Oriental, separated from Central Visayas (Region 7).

Aquino had directed all national government agency heads to appoint interim regional directors not later than October 1 and complete their interim regional offices in the assigned locations by January 1.

Sanogal, however, said some government agencies have yet to find their temporary offices in the designated cities, and that some had concerns on lack of personnel to be detailed in the new regional offices.

National agencies that have no interim sites by next month are expected to hold their temporary operations in their existing regional offices, either in Region 6 or 7, but are required to have their offices for the NIR by January next year.