The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 12000, or the Negros Island Region (NIR) Act, is set to be signed on August 26, 2024, in Siquijor, Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Tuesday, August 13.
Benitez, who earlier attended the 6th regular meeting of the Committee on Visayas at the House of Representatives, said the Visayan Committee called a hearing for the implementation of the NIR, and it was the same people who attended on August 9 NIR -Technical Working Group (NIR-TWG) meeting.
He said one of the contentious issues, which was requested by the Siquijor, was the non-designation of national or regional offices within their area, adding that offices were only divided in Dumaguete and Bacolod cities and there’s none for Siquijor.
Benitez noted that he expressed to the committee to include in the provisions in the IRR that all the provinces, which include the Siquijor, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, will have either the regional office or the satellite office.
“So there’s no need to travel to other provinces, all the provinces should have a one-stop-shop of the national agencies or offices. So, they will need to put satellite offices,” Benitez said.
He said this would be a fair arrangement that all the provinces would have their national agencies.
“One of the promoting of the technology now is to be able to transact outside the main office,” he added.
Moreover, Benitez, chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Western Visayas, said they will hold an election for the NIR-RDC’s chairman as well as Region 6 and Region 7.
“All regions will have to conduct an election to have a new chairman,” he said.
He added that it was agreed by the RDC’s members to hold an election instead of appointing its new officials.
Benitez disclosed that the election will be held once the NIR will be implemented. /MAP