The Negros Island Region (NIR) transition is gaining momentum, with national agencies making significant progress, but officials emphasize the need for continued efforts to ensure full implementation and efficient public service delivery.
Negros Occidental 6th District Representative Mercedes K. Alvarez led the Committee on Visayas Development hearing on Tuesday, February 25, reviewing the progress of Republic Act No. 12000’s implementation.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported significant progress among national government agencies (NGAs). A total of 78% proposed office locations, 62% identified plantilla positions, and 47% named regional directors, Alvarez said.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) came into effect on February 19, 15 days after publication, signaling the official start of the transition phase.
“We are proud to say we are halfway there! However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that government services are brought closer to the people. As public servants, we remain committed to expediting the full establishment of our region,” Alvarez disclosed.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier urged agencies to speed up the full operationalization of the NIR, which includes Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
He emphasized the region’s potential to enhance government services, boost economic growth, and drive regional development.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the NIR Act into law in June last year, officially separating Negros Occidental and Bacolod City from Western Visayas (Region 6) and Negros Oriental and Siquijor from Central Visayas (Region 7).
Several NGAs, including the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Agrarian Reform, Commission on Elections, Office of Civil Defense, and the Philippine Statistics Authority, have already established offices in the region.
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.